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GeoCart’ 2003New Zealand National Cartographic

Conference

12-14 February 2003 Taupo

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Local Perspectives and Experiences on Digital Spatial Data and Map

Librarianship for the Future

Rose HolleyDigital Projects LibrarianUniversity of Auckland

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Overview

Map Librarianship is facing challenging times due to the explosion of digital geospatial information.Experiences from the University of Auckland over the last 2 yearsChallenges, Issues and SolutionsThe way ahead

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How maps work and transition from paper to digital

Hard copy map =Primary resource to store and communicate geographic information

Lots of them (we have 55,000)

Well used in past

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Disadvantages of Paper Map

Static (snap shot in time)Fixed in what they showUnconnected to other information sources about space and placeCan be awkward to access and use2DGeneric (satisfy many users and uses, not user-centred)

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Digital Map of the Future (geospatial)

Flexible and customisable (user-centred) Not an end product, part of the information infrastructure Dynamic Connected to other data sources about space and place

(and time) Digital not physical medium Represents reality Facilitates communication and analysis Widely accessible

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Integration

Digital data is not replacing analogue data

Both sources continue to be valuable and used

Aim to improve access and integration of geographic information regardless of format or location

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The geo-library

“A distributed geo-library is a vision for the future. It would permit users to quickly and easily obtain all existing information available about a place that is relevant to a defined need. It is modelled on the operations of a traditional library, updated to a digital networked world, and focused on something that has never been possible in the traditional library: the supply of information in response to geographically defined need.”

Map Sciences Committee workshop 1999

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Changing Climate at the University 2001

Start of a 2 year building and re-organisation project. Geography and Geology Libraries to be relocated and creation of a ‘Map Room’.

Appointment of Digital Projects Librarian More data available digitally Start of 2 yr joint project between Uni Library and

School of Geography and Env Science to create a digital map library and spatial data collection.

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University Library Objective

To improve and facilitate access to and use of the Geography, Geology and Map Collections.

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Specific Aims

1. Clients able to easily browse and retrieve information themselves

2. Retrieval of maps and information should be speedy and efficient

3. Central point of access established for printed and digital information

4. Integration of access to hard copy and digital data

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Aims cont..

5. Networked access via the web across the University Campus to core data giving clients 24 hour access to resources

6. Clients able to search for information spatially7. Expert library staff to assist clients to access

and use spatial information8. Create collection of spatial and map data sets

focused on NZ

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Projects

2 major projects to achieve this over last 2 years and still ongoing.

Landscoper

MapLibarian

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‘Landscoper’

Proof of concept/beta version being developed as a framework for viewing, extracting and mapping spatial data and maps in an efficient and effective way.Web front end, ESRI GIS suite of products, national data setsDeveloped in house - team led by Prof Pip Forer and Graeme Glen in SGES

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Landscoper trial site

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Data

National Topographic Data SetLand Resource Inventory1996 census geographies and land cover databaseNZ Road Centrelines with address range and points2001 census meshblock, area unit, territorial authority, regional council boundaries

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Data cont …

1991 Census meshblock boundaries, area units, territorial authority and regional council filesAerial photography of northland coast100 key Auckland region hard copy maps scanned

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Access, viewing and using data

Authentication – copyright and licencing agreements – University of Auckland Students and Staff onlyWill use web front end, Mr Sid image compressor for viewing and delivering scanned maps, ESRI GIS for data extraction and manipulation.Access from Spatial Data Analysis Facility, Student Computing Laboratories, University Library Map Room workstation

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The vision

Landscoper will be a central point of access for some key spatial datasets which were previously stored and accessed from several different locations, or simply not purchased because it was questionable how they would be delivered.

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‘MapLibrarian’

An index tool that enables retrieval of location information for both digital and hard copy maps.Unique because can search spatially by using a map interface, co-ordinates or text.Not like a traditional library catalogueDeveloped by Mapping and Beyond in Adelaide.Web front end, ARCIMS back end

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Map Librarian Interface

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The vision

This software will revolutionise the way clients are able to search for data. They no longer have to decide what format they require first eg hard copy map, aerial photo, digital map, they can instead search spatially for a geographic point and retrieve a list of all relevant data the University holds for that point with links to its location.

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The bigger vision

If other large map libraries purchased the system and shared or exchanged information a national map index would result in a similar way to the National Library Catalogue. Clients could find out who held specific items nationally.

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The Big 8 ChallengesHaving a vision and a leaderChanging expectations and client needsLooking for suitable partnershipsFundingManagement of informationDelivery and retrieval of informationPeopleTime

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1. Vision and Leadership

Clear goal, vision, strong leader and buy in from all partners essential to make successful transition to the library of the future. Hard to maintain because key people have other work pressures, and projects as well as this. The realisation we needed a major strategy plan came late in the piece.

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2. Changing Expectations and Needs

Early on SGES made it clear what their future expectations of the Library were.

Close contact with all Univ depts including Business and Economics and Planning to make sure we would be serving their needs and finding out how these may change.

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3. Suitable Partnerships

Look internally and externally. Even if no partnerships get advice internationally from colleagues. We formed partnership with SGES They supplied technical components, cartographic and GIS expertise, advice on software and technological developments and Library had service infrastructure to manage and deliver information.

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4. Funding

Need a lump sum to start you off – staffing, software purchase and development, hardware, data.Need continued funding for maintenance and ongoing development.We used Library Strategic Funding + VC Development Fund intially. Ongoing funding still an issue.

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5. Management of InformationAcquisitionPhysical storage and arrangementDescribing (cataloguing)Locating (classifying)

Collecting spatial data and moving to serverMoving and integrating 55,000 mapsMost of collection not catalogued or classifiedDifficulties in selecting metadata schema and locational method.Integration of paper and digital a conceptual + physical challengeImplementing new systems (training)

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Librarians in the Map Room

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6. Delivery and Retrieval of InformationLooking for cutting edge technology and delivery systemsKnowledge and experience of GIS experts invaluableWorking within our own information infrastructure (ESRI GIS, Endeavor Library Management System, authentication)Taking risks – developing systems ourselves and buying systems under developmentSimple concepts difficult to achieve eg being able to search for data spatially and across collections.Implementing solutions (hardware and software requirements)

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7. People and CommunicationHas been hard to articulate clearly what we want to achieveUnderstandings, perceptions and jargon of GIS people vs librarians can vary greatlyIf we could ‘mind meld’ great end benefits for usersIn the meantime librarians need to be willing to go on a steep GIS learning curveChanging clients’ perceptions of the service we can offer (Geographic Information Service vs Map Library)Managing people through change

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8. Time

Takes more time than you anticipate!Project work on top of normal workload so lengthened the timeframeBusy people – hard to get all relevant staff together for meetings so decisions slowed downSetbacks in software development and installationTasks percieved to be simple were not and took longer than expected

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SummaryClear goal, vision, strong leadership and buy in from all partners required to move successfully into future.Takes substantial amount of money, staff, and time - ongoing Professional management of information and understanding current and future client needsMost challenging factor can be people rather than technology

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Conclusion: Our local perspective

We are committed to putting the time and effort required into projects that will improve library services for clients.

Giving clients what they want and acting proactively is what librarianship is all about, as any good librarian will tell you. Keeping the status quo is no longer relevant in the digital era.