Crowdsourcing map dataBritish Library Georeferencer

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Kimberly C. Kowal, Lead Curator Digital Mapping, The British Library

Snapshot

• 725 maps assigned spatial metadata• 13-18 February 2012• Publicity minimal – social media *key*• ~90 participants

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• ~90 participants• Top five completed half the work• Data quality good: <3% had errors

>.005

• Purpose• Application and methods• Results• Wider benefits

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• Wider benefits

What is georeferencing?

4Ordnance Surveyors Drawing 40 (detail). Pen and Ink on paper. 1801.British Library, Maps OSD 40(3).

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Ordnance Survey drawings

Original large-scale drawings made for the famous one-inch-to-the-mile maps. England and Wales, 1780-1840.

Part of Staffordshire Containing 100 Square Miles Surveyed by Mr Field and Drawn by Mr Stevens (detail). Pen and ink on paper. 1817.

British Library shelfmark: OSD 210.

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Crace Collection of maps of London

BAYNARDS CASTLE AND FARINGDON WARD WITHIN with their Divisions into Parishes according to a new SURVEY. (detail). Cole, B. engraver. 1754.

British Library shelfmark: Maps Crace VIII.25

Illustrating development of the city and its immediate vicinity from ca 1570 - 1860

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http://maps.bl.uk

http://maps.bl.uk

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Image copyright 2012 Bluesky

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Image copyright 2012 Bluesky

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What made it work…

Content relevant

Accessibility and convenience of application

Activity engaging

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Immediate results and feedback

Competitive crowdsourcing tools

Recognition and visible overall contribution

Asking the top five contributors

• Access: How did you know….?• Methods: use of application• Interest / motivation

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• Interest / motivation

• Other feedback

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Crowdsourcing• Model of participation (Bonney, R. et al., 2009)

– Contributory– Collaborative

• Initiatives (tasks) – Correction and transcription

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– Correction and transcription– Contextualisation

Oommen J. and L. Aroyo, ‘Crowdsourcing in the Cultural Heritage Domain: Opportunities and Challenges.’ Paper presented at the 5th International Conference on Communities and Technologies, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia, 29 June-2 July 2011. http://www.cs.vu.nl/~marieke/OomenAroyoCT2011.pdf

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