Number 146, Newsletter - Association of Canadian Map Libraries

              ASSOCIATION OF CANADIAN MAP LIBRARIES AND ARCHIVES
BULLETIN
ASSOCIATION DES CARTOTHÈQUES ET ARCHIVES CARTOGRAPHIQUES
DU CANADA
NUMBER146 / WINTER 2014 NUMERO 146 / HIVER 2014ASSOCIATION OF CANADIAN MAP LIBRARIES AND ARCHIVES /
ASSOCIATION DES CARTOTHÈQUES ET ARCHIVES CARTOGRAPHIQUES DU CANADA
MEMBERSHIP in the Association of Canadian Map Libraries and Archives is open to both individuals and institutions having an interest in maps and the aims and objectives of the Association. Membership dues are for the calendar year and are as follows:
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Members receive the ACMLA Bulletin, the official journal of the Association, which is published three times a year.
Officers of the Association for 2013/2014 are:
Peuvent devenir MEMBRES de l’Association des cartothèques et archives cartographiques du Canada tout individu et toute institutions qui s’intéressent aux cartes ainsi qu’aux objectifs de l’Association. La cotisation annuelle est la suivante:
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Views expressed in the Bulletin are those of the contributors and do not necessarily reflect the view of the Association.
The Association of Canadian Map Libraries and Archives gratefully acknowledges the financial support given by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.
Les opinions exprimées dans le Bullein sont celles des collaborateurs et ne correspondent pas nécessairement à celles de l’Association.
L’Association des cartothèques et archives cartographiques du Canada remercie le Conseil de recherches en sciences humaines du Canada pour son apport financier.
1st Vice President / 1er Vice-Président
Siobhan Hanratty
Data/GIS Librarian
Government Documents, Data, and Maps
UNB Libraries
P.O. Box 7500
5 Macaulay Lane
Fredericton, NB E3B 5H5
vice.president1@acmla.org
Past President / Président sortant
Dan Duda
Map Librarian
Queen Elizabeth II Library
Memorial University of Newfoundland
St. John’s, Newfoundland A1B 3Y1
tel: (709) 737-3198
dduda@mun.ca
Treasurer / Trésorier
Deena Yanofsky
Co-ordinator, Walter Hitschfield Geographic Information Centre
McGIll University
Montreal, Quebec H3A 2K6
President / Président
Rosa Orlandini
Librarian and Head
Map Library
102 Scott Library
York University
Toronto, Ontario
president@acmla.org
2nd Vice President / 2e Vice-Président
Wenonah Van Heyst
Dept. of Geography
Brandon University
Brandon, Manitoba R7A 6A9
tel: (204) 727-7466
fraserw@brandon.ca
Secretary / Secrétaire
Courtney Lundrigan
Instructional and Reader Services Librarian
John W. Graham Library
Trinity College in the University of Toronto
6 Hoskin Avenue
Toronto, ON M5S 1H8
(416) 978 5851
courtney.lundrigan@utoronto.ca
ACMLA MAILING ADDRESS / ACACC ADRESSE D’AFFAIRES
Association of Canadian Map Libraries and Archives /
Association des cartothèques et archives cartographiques du Canada
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University of Alberta Postal Outlet
Edmonton AB T6G 2S4
http://www.acmla.org
ACMLA Bulletin index available at http://toby.library.ubc.ca/resources/infopage.cfm?id=187Bulletin Staff / Collaborateurs
Editor:
Eva Dodsworth
Geospatial Data Services Librarian
University of Waterloo
Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1
tel: (519) 888-4567 x 36931
email: edodsworth@uwaterloo.ca
New Books and Atlases Editor:
Peter Genzinger
Reference/Collections Librarian
Wilfrid Laurier University Library
Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3C5
email: pgenzinger@wlu.ca
New Maps Editor:
Cheryl Woods
Map & Data Centre
Western University
London, Ontario N6A 5C2
tel: (519) 661-3424
email: cawoods@uwo.ca
Reviews Editor:
Susan McKee
Geospatial Librarian
Spatial and Numeric Data Services
Libraries and Cultural Resources
University of Calgary
Calgary, AB T2N 1N4
email: smckee@ucalgary.ca
Regional News Editor:
Tom Anderson
Private Records
Provincial Archives of Alberta
8555 Roper Road
Edmonton, Alberta T6E 5W1
tel: (780) 415-0700
email: Tom.Anderson@gov.ab.ca
Geospatial Data and Software
Reviews Editor:
Andrew Nicholson
GIS/Data Librarian
University of Toronto at Mississauga
3359 Mississauga Rd. North
Mississauga, Ontario L5L 1C6
email: anichols@utm.utoronto.ca
GIS Trends Editor:
Courtney Lundrigan
Instructional and Reader Services Librarian
John W. Graham Library
Trinity College in the University of Toronto
Toronto, ON M5S 1H8
courtney.lundrigan@utoronto.ca
BULLETIN DE L’ACACC
NUMERO 146 HIVER 2014
ACMLA BULLETIN
NUMBER 146 WINTER 2014
ON THE COVER...
Sketch Plan of the Village of St. Eustache, After the Action Deer. 11th 1837. H.B. Parry {Montreal, 1837?}.
Published in 1986 by ACMLA. Reproduced by Public Archives of Canada. ACML Facsimile Map Series No. 118 (ISSN 0827-8024).
Table of Contents
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE - Rosa Orlandini 2
RETRACING BATTLES WITH GOOGLE EARTH:
THE FRANCO-PRUSSIAN WAR - Patrick Miller 3
ACCESSIBILITY IN MAP AND GIS LIBRARIES
- Brandon Love 10
CARTO 2014 : BRIEF CONFERENCE PROGRAM 16
THE WHAT, WHY, WHEN, AND WHO OF THE
JOURNAL OF MAP & GEOGRAPHY LIBRARIES
- Paige G. Andrew and Katherine H. Weimer 27
REVIEWS
Economic Development and GIS - James Boxall 29
Esri Map Book, Volume 28 - Sarah Simpkin 30
The GIS 20 Essential Skills, 2nd Edition - Larry Laliberté 31
The Land of Heart’s Delight: Early Maps and Charts of
Vancouver Island - Frances Woodward 31
Map Worlds: A History of Women in Cartography
- Courtney Lundrigan 33
NEW BOOKS AND ATLASES - Peter Genzinger 36
NEW MAPS - Cheryl Woods 38
GEOSPATIAL DATA AND SOFTWARE REVIEWS - 40
Open Data Fredericton -Siobhan Hanratty
GIS TRENDS - Courtney Lundrigan 44ACMLA Bulletin Number 146 Winter 2014
2
Happy Spring All!
2014 ACMLA Annual Conference & Annual General Meeting
We are just a couple of months away from our annual conference! Mark your calendars, the 2014 ACMLA
Conference and Annual General Meeting is taking place in Montreal from June 17th to June 20th, and it is
being co-hosted in the Quartier Latin district by the Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec (BAnQ)
and the Université du Québec à Montréal.
The program is still under development, but I am pleased to announce that there are sessions about maps for
historical research, collection management, geographic information literacy, search interfaces, Geographic
Information Systems, emerging geo-technologies, and much more. The Conference website will be launched
by the end of March 2014 and it will include the program, registration information, accommodations, and
restaurant information. In the meantime check the ACMLA listserv and our website for updates. If you have
any questions about the program, please contact Jean-Francois Palomino at Jean-F.Palomino@banq.qc.ca.
If you have questions about local arrangements, please contact Jean-Bruno Giard at JB.Giard@banq.qc.ca.
Since we are encouraging all members to attend, I would like to remind ACMLA-ACACC members that you
can apply for travel funding for the conference. Information on how to apply for travel funding shall be made
available on the ACMLA website by the end of March 2014.
New By-Laws Coming Soon
Advocacy, professional development opportunities, improved communication with members, and
collaboration has been several reoccurring themes for our Association these past couple of years.
Taking these themes and concerns into consideration, the bylaws task force and the ACMLA Executive
have been hard at work this winter rewriting our association bylaws and rules of procedures. In early
Spring 2014, the Task force will be releasing via our listserv the proposed new bylaws and rules and
procedures. It will be your turn as ACMLA members to let us know what you think. We are encouraging
all members to take the time to review the proposed changes and provide feedback and further
suggestions on improvements either over the listserv or to the members of the Task Force. As a gentle
reminder, the new bylaws and rules of procedures will be voted upon at the ACMLA Annual General
Meeting on Thursday June 19th. So staye tuned to our listserv for more details in the weeks to come!
Getting Involved with your ACMLA
Contributing to ACMLA activities can provide you with professional and personal rewards, and also shape
the future of our profession. With the upcoming conference approaching, please consider taking part in the
activities of our association. The ACMLA Bulletin editor always welcomes new contributors to the Bulletin.
With forthcoming changes to the Association bylaws there will be more opportunities to be involved. In
addition, becoming an ACMLA Mentor is a great way of being involved with our profession and connecting
with newer members of our Association.
I hope to see everyone in beautiful Montreal in June for our conference and annual general meeting!
Cheers,
Rosa Orlandini
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Bulletin de l’ACACC numero 146, hiver 2014
3
Inspiration
I first became fascinated with Google Earth as a
potential research tool after reading articles that
discussed historical discoveries that were made
using Google Earth’s satellite imagery. This satellite
imagery enables researchers to see details that
might be difficult to perceive or contextualize on the
ground or using paper maps, such as medieval ridge
and furrow fields1, a deserted medieval village2, or
even long forgotten sites in war-torn Afghanistan3.
My fascination turned to practice after I became
involved with the study of the Franco-Prussian War
of 1870. In reading about this conflict, I found existing
maps to be uninspiring or uninformative. Many of
the maps were late nineteenth-century, and they did
not have modern style contour lines to give readers
a realistic sense of the terrain. My sources include
recently published histories of the war, as well as
more contemporaneous accounts in regimental
histories, memoirs, and official staff histories.
Brief history of the Franco-Prussian War
The Franco-Prussian War was the last of the three
wars that Prussian statesman Otto von Bismarck
would instigate to eventually form the German
Empire. The first war was against Denmark in
1864, and the second was against Austria in 1866.
The origin of the Franco-Prussian war lies with the
Spanish throne crisis of July 1870. France, under
Napoleon III, feared being surrounded by Prussian
power if the Prussian Prince Leopold accepted
the Spanish offer to take the vacant throne4. After
assurances were given to France that Prince Leopold
would not take the Throne, Napoleon committed
a major diplomatic blunder that Bismarck seized
upon to force a war. Napoleon sent his ambassador
to King Wilhelm of Prussia, requesting assurances
that no Prussian would ever seek the Spanish
Throne in the future and to secure a formal Prussian
apology to France. The Prussian King politely
declined this request and saw the ambassador off.
After this meeting, the King’s advisor sent a
telegram to Bismarck explaining what had occurred.
Bismarck rephrased some of the passages in
it to deemphasize the cordial manner which
the King met the ambassador and to make the
King’s response seem more abrupt. Bismarck
also stressed the French demands. He knew that
these slight changes would arouse public anger
in both Germany and France. In Germany, the
public was meant to perceive that the King was
insulted and in France that the Prussian king’s
behaviour was insulting to their national honour5.
RETRACING BATTLES WITH GOOGLE EARTH:
THE FRANCO-PRUSSIAN WAR
Patrick Miller
ISR Library Associate
University of Waterloo
patrick.miller@uwaterloo.ca
1"Diseworth's Landscape."Diesworth Heritage Trust, http://www.dhtrust.org/history/landscape.htm (accessed
February 28, 2014).
2"The Deserted Medieval Village of Wharram Percy."Urban Ghosts, http://www.urbanghostsmedia.com/2010/06/
the-deserted-medieval-village-of-wharram-percy/ (accessed February 28, 2014).
3Asher Moses, "Afghan Secrets Revealed on Google Earth." Sydney Morning Herald July 21, 2008.
4Douglas Fermer, Sedan, 1870 : The Eclipse of France (Barnsley: Pen & Sword Military, 2008).p. 56-60
5Douglas Fermer, Sedan, 1870 : The Eclipse of France (Barnsley: Pen & Sword Military, 2008).p. 64-65
ACMLA Bulletin Number 146 Winter 2014
4
The public in both France and the German states were
incensed, and citizens called for war6. Both nations
began to mobilize with the Germans mobilizing
troops quicker7. By August, the first battles were
being fought on French soil. These initial battles
did not go well for France; France was defeated
and forced into retreat.8 By September 1, France’s
armies had been pushed back into the interior and
were surrounded in the fortress city of Sedan. After
the battle of Sedan was over, Napoleon III, having
surrendered with his army, was imprisoned9. The
war would continue into February 1871, with
France having declared itself to be a Republic once
more. The German Empire was officially created
in the halls of Versailles on January 1, 187110
Implementation
I decided to improve upon some existing Franco-
Prussian War maps by incorporating them with
Google Earth. Google Earth is user friendly and
allows me to manipulate maps in beneficial ways,
such as adding polygons or distance measurements.
Google Earth makes it easy to share my work with
others by saving the project as a KMZ file. This
file type acts as a zip file and saves not only the
map, but any polygons or associated materials
that I add to that map’s folder in Google Earth.
One of the unique features of Google Earth is how
it models Earth’s surface in three dimensions,
which allows for a greater appreciation and
exploration of the terrain. Most two-dimensional
paper maps of the Franco-Prussian War do not
provide the same level of detail or accuracy.
The majority of the maps that I use only have a vague
depiction of terrain features such as hills, valleys,
and slopes (see Figure 1). Some maps do not contain
this vital data and only show troop locations, towns,
roads, and rivers (see Figure 2). Consequently, these
maps do not provide the level of detail required for
close analysis of the battles. In my research, I wanted
to know why decisions were made to defend a specific
geographic location, move troops in one. location or
another, why attacking certain positions was so
difficult and costly, and what sort of view points and
line of sight units and artillery had on the battlefield.
After considering these questions, I created a set
of criteria to help me select maps for my project.
First, each map needs to clearly show detailed troop
locations. Second, map size has to be large enough
that it could be manipulated in Google Earth without
any significant loss of clarity. If a particular map could
not be found online, a print map would be scanned.
Third, scanned maps would have a DPI (dots per
inch) count of approximately 600. This resolution
maintains image quality, while minimizing file size
and scanning time. Since the maps are simply a
foundation for additional data added using Google
Earth, the resolution does not need to be any higher.
Adding the map to Google Earth
Once I select a map, I find the appropriate
geographical location on Google Earth and select
“Add Image Overlay.” I then start manipulating
the overlaid map so that it conforms as closely as
possible to the actual locations of rivers, towns,
and roads. One of the benefits of studying the
Franco-Prussian War is that a large number of the
battlefields in this area have not seen major urban
expansion. Many roads, copses, and rivers/streams
have not been significantly altered in the last 144
years; this makes map placement more manageable
than it otherwise would be (See Figure 3).
6Douglas Fermer, Sedan, 1870 : The Eclipse of France (Barnsley: Pen & Sword Military, 2008). p.65
7Geoffrey Wawro, The Franco-Prussian War : The German Conquest of France in 1870-1871 (Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press, 2003). p.74-75
8Geoffrey Wawro, The Franco-Prussian War : The German Conquest of France in 1870-1871 (Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press, 2003). p.120
9Fermer, Sedan, 1870 : The Eclipse of France (Barnsley: Pen & Sword Military, 2008).p176-184
10Stephen Badsey, The Franco-Prussian War 1870-1871 (Oxford, England.: Osprey Publishing, 2003). p12
Bulletin de l’ACACC numero 146, hiver 2014
5
Figure 1. This map’s lines indicate slopes, but
they do not show how steep the inclines are.
Source:(Forbes, Henty, and Griffiths)
Figure 2. This map lacks any sort of identification of slopes
Source:(Pflugk-Harttung 1895-96)
Figure 3. The forest above the town of Lumeau is identical in both the Google Earth map (left) and the paper
map (right). The Google map includes a faint trace of the road that used to run across the top of the Lumeau
forest towards Baigneaux (See arrows).
Source:(Koenemann 1891)
ACMLA Bulletin Number 146 Winter 2014
6
When placing an image, I adjust its overlay opacity
level, so that important features on both maps
can be seen at the same time. To start, I identify a
geographic feature such as an intersection or forest
that is present in both maps. I use this feature as
a guide for lining up the maps. It is not always
possible to achieve a perfect overlay, and some of the
locations of roads or rivers in Google Earth’s images
and the map overlay may not exactly match. I ensure
that the most important parts of the battlefield are
accurately overlaid, since the periphery locations
that experienced little or no combat are less of a focus.
After the map has been properly placed, I proceed
to use the “Add Polygon” option to trace over all of
the identified troops on the original map. These
polygons are colour-coded for quick identification.
Each nation is assigned a colour, typically either
red or blue. In order to tell infantry, cavalry, and
artillery apart, I use different shades of red and
blue. Infantry is typically a middle range shade,
artillery a dark shade, and cavalry a very light shade.
Each polygon has a number of formatting options
available. Under the Altitude tab, I use the “Clamped
to ground” option rather than the “Relative to
Ground” option, which would allow me to turn
my flat polygon into a 3D shape by providing an
altitude height and selecting the “Extend Sides
to Ground” option. The reason I do not use the
“Relative to Ground” option is because it does not
contour the polygon to the terrain below it, meaning
that a two meter high polygon, representing the
average male height of the period11, may actually
extend beyond two meters or disappear into the
3-D modelled terrain (See Figure 4). As a result,
clamping the polygon to the ground is an interim
solution that still produces aesthetically pleasing
results. Additionally, each polygon is labeled with
the proper division or regimental number or title,
depending on what information is available on
the original map or in other sources. This process
helps keep the “My Places” window clean and
allows for quick identification of a specific polygon.
Google Earth provides a measurement tool that
makes it easy to create lines for quick visualization
of the effective range of each nation’s rifles and
artillery. During the Franco-Prussian War, the
French were armed with the Chasspot rifle, which
was a very effective breach loading rifle with a range
of 1000-1200 yards12. The French artillery was less
effective and had a range of about 3000 m13. For the
Prussians, their Dreyse Zündnadelgewehr (Dreyse
Needle rifle) breach loading rifle was considerably
older than the French rifle and had an effective
range of only around 600 yards14. Prussian artillery,
on the other hand, was modernized just prior to
the war, and besides many technical improvements
over the French muzzleloaders, had an effective
range of around 3800m15. Adding this data to
Google Earth allows for quick understanding of
how far both the French and the Prussians could
engage the enemy and what distances they had to
cover under direct fire. See Figure 5 for a finalized
map with all distances and polygons applied.
11Caroline Parkinson, "Men's Average Height 'Up 11cm since 1870s'," BBC News, sec. BBC News Health, September
1, 2013.
12Wawro, The Franco-Prussian War : The German Conquest of France in 1870-1871 (Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press, 2003). p.52
13Philipp Elliot-Wright, Gravelotte-St-Privat 1870: End of the Second Empire (Oxford, England.: Osprey Publishing,
1993). p.28
14Wawro, The Franco-Prussian War : The German Conquest of France in 1870-1871 (Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press, 2003). p.52
15Jonathan B. A. Bailey, Field Artillery and Firepower (Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press, 2004). p.208
Bulletin de l’ACACC numero 146, hiver 2014
7
Figure 4. Notice in the middle how the polygon disappears, and on the left extends longer than 2m. This is a
problem with Google Earth’s “Relative to ground” option when using small polygon heights.
Figure 5. A completed map in Google Earth. The overlaid map has had its opacity adjusted to be semi-transparent.
It still allows for labels to be read, while showing underlying features such as roads, rivers, urban development,
and forests. The straight lines extending fromthe coloured blocks represent known distances for weapons.
ACMLA Bulletin Number 146 Winter 2014
8
Shortcomings of historical maps
While undertaking this mapping project, I have
accepted that there are certain limitations regarding
the maps that I have at my disposal. As previously
mentioned, a common shortcoming of historical
maps is the lack of detail and the difficulty of
interpreting vague topographical features. The
second shortcoming is that these maps were
produced according to the knowledge of their
makers, and thus are occasionally sparse in specific
details. To reduce the chance of using an inaccurate
map, I read numerous accounts of the battle to
ensure that the map portrays a reliable and correct
version of the events and of unit locations. A third
major problem lies in using any sort of static map,
which only shows a moment in time, to portray
an active and dynamic battle. Because of these
limitations, any identified locations of regiments
and divisions are approximations, and positions of
small subdivisions such as battalions can only be
speculated.
Future improvements
Having completed a few maps using the above
mentioned methods, I have begun to research
possible improvements. For example, georeferencing
maps would allow me to better align my maps with
Google Earth’s placement of towns, roads, and other
landmarks. This could make the overlaying process
more efficient and reduce time spent manually
manipulating the map.
Another possibility is to build 3-dimensional models
of soldiers using Google’s 3-D modelling software,
SketchUp. I hope to use this tool to create models
that can be imported into Google Earth to replace
the polygons that I currently use. The models would
be properly scaled to average male height for the
period, and cavalry would likewise be properly
scaled using period regulations as a reference. Each
model would contain the standard number of men
appropriate to the type of unit it represents. To date,
I have already completed one such model
(See figure 6). It is my hope that these models
will allow for further understanding of the
viewing ranges each nation might have had.
Final thoughts
Google Earth is an excellent tool for anyone
interested in studying military history and specific
battles. Once a historical map has been overlaid, it
allows users to visit battlefields and contextualize
distant events in a matter of minutes. Google Earth
is user friendly, which means it is quick to learn and
users can make their projects as complex or simple
as they would like when overlaying historical maps.
Figure 6. A Prussian infantry battalion in line formation, created using SketchUp. The models are properly scaled
in both height and frontage.
Bulletin de l’ACACC numero 146, hiver 2014
9
Regardless of how much detail they add, users will
be able to gain a better geographical understanding
of events than they could with paper maps.
I caution others using Google Earth in this manner
to be familiar with what the battlefields once looked
like, as well as current geographical features. If
there has been major urban development or other
changes that have drastically altered the landscape,
then this could confuse users as they try to
understand why events unfolded as they did. Aside
from this issue, this is a very rewarding project that
can help make sense of the chaos of a battlefield.
Bibliography
“The Deserted Medieval Village of Wharram
Percy.” Urban Ghosts, accessed February 28, 2014,
http://www.urbanghostsmedia.com/2010/06/
the-deserted-medieval-village-of-wharram-percy/.
“Diseworth’s Landscape.” Diesworth Heritage
Trust, accessed February 28, 2014, http://www.
dhtrust.org/history/landscape.htm.
Badsey, Stephen. 2003. The Franco-Prussian War
1870-1871. Oxford, England.: Osprey Publishing.
Bailey, Jonathan B. A. 2004. Field Artillery and
Firepower. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press.
Elliot-Wright, Philipp. 1993. Gravelotte-St-Privat
1870: End of the Second Empire. Campaign Series.
Oxford, England.: Osprey Publishing.
Fermer, Douglas. 2008. Sedan, 1870 : The Eclipse of
France. Barnsley: Pen & Sword Military.
Forbes, Archibald, G. A. Henty, and Arthur Griffiths.
Battles of the Nineteenth-Century. Vol. 1
Koenemann, Ernst. 1891. Geschichte Des Infanterie-
Regiments Von Wittich (3. Hessischen) Nr. 83.
Berlin: Mittler,.
Moses, Asher. 2008. “Afghan Secrets Revealed on
Google Earth.” Sydney Morning Herald, July 21.
Parkinson, Caroline. 2013. “Men’s Average Height
‘Up 11cm since 1870s’.” BBC News, September 1.
Pflugk-Harttung, Julius von. 1895-96. Krieg Und
Sieg 1870-71. Berlin: Alfred Schall.
Wawro, Geoffrey. 2003. The Franco-Prussian War
: The German Conquest of France in 1870-1871.
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Patrick Miller is currently working at the University
of Waterloo Library in Waterloo, Ontario. Patrick
is a native to the Waterloo region and graduated
from Wilfrid Laurier University with honours in
History in 2011. He went on to receive a Masters
degree in Library Sciences from the University of
Western Ontario in 2013. Patrick has developed
a passion for military history, especially 19th
Century warfare. His primary areas of interest
are the German wars of unification, 1864-1871.
His interest in maps and mapping originated
in high school where he was first introduced to
cartography and ArcView. In his spare time, he
collects regimental history books and militaria.
ACMLA Bulletin Number 146 Winter 2014
10
Importance of Accessibility
Accessibility within Ontarian University libraries is
a prevalent issue. Maximizing the ability of library
users’ access to all library resources is essential
in providing a community where all library users
feel included. In the Ontario Council of University
Libraries (OCUL) Accessibility Information Toolkit
for Libraries, it emphasizes that understanding
what accessibility means in context of the library
will further help foster a community where
staff have an intrinsic understanding of the
difficulties users may face. By fostering this
attitude within the library, users can feel they have
an equal opportunity to use available resources.1
The importance of accessibility within all areas
of the library is further emphasized by the
Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act
(AODA), which was passed in 2005. The AODA
aims to make Ontario more accessible by 2025
through the development, implementation, and
enforcement of standards relating to 5 areas:
customer service, employment, information and
communications, transportation, and the built
environment (buildings and outdoor spaces).
An internet scan of several University Map Library
websites show a general lack of accessibility
services. Without mention of accessibility, potential
users of the geospatial resources might feel deterred
if they believe accommodations will not be made
in order to alleviate the accessibility burden.
This paper focuses on improving customer service,
communication and information when working
with persons with disabilities in a map and GIS
context. First, barriers and issues regarding maps
and geospatial data will be considered, including
the accessibility burden created for certain persons
with disabilities. Next, accessibility considerations
for persons interpreting geospatial and map data
will be made in order to alleviate the burden. Finally,
recommendations for persons with disabilities
using GIS software and GIS Services will be made.
Barriers and Issues Regarding Map
Accessibility
This section aims to outline the potential disabilities
that could be encountered while working with
library users. This section is not comprehensive,
but includes disabilities that may require the
most assistance when it comes to interpreting
maps and geospatial data. Understanding what
a patron with a disability may be experiencing
will only improve the ability to assist them
with their mapping or geospatial data needs.
Visual Disabilities
Visual disabilities can have a drastic effect on
the ability of a user to successfully interpret
the fine and sometimes complex details of a
map. Visual disabilities range in severity and
complexity and users may require special
accommodation depending on their condition
and needs. These disabilities could range from
legal blindness, to low vision or colour blindness.
ACCESSIBILITY IN MAP AND GIS LIBRARIES
Brandon Love
Accessibility and Technology Support Technician
University of Waterloo
balove@uwaterloo.ca
1OCUL. (2013). Accessibility Information Toolkit for Libraries. University of Toronto Libraries in partnership with
Ontario Council of University Libraries with support from the Government of Ontario.
Bulletin de l’ACACC numero 146, hiver 2014
11
Legally blind is defined as someone who has vision
worse than 20/200, or a field of vision less than
20°. A person with low vision is described as having
a visual impairment that reduces their vision to
the range of 20/60 to 20/1902. For users who are
completely or legally blind, maps will need to convey
the information using senses other than the visual.
This can include auditory or tactile senses. For users
who have low vision, oftentimes all they will need is
a magnifier or large print in order to interpret details
from a map, this may not be true for every case, and
special accommodations may have to be made. With
the advent of digital maps, low vision users have the
ability to easily enlarge a map to their desired level.
Colour blindness is defined as the complete or
partial inability to distinguish particular colours,
or all colours3. Users who suffer from colour
blindness can generally see with the same visual
acuity as the average individual, but just lack the
ability to distinguish certain or all colours. There
are many different types of colour blindness,
ranging from complete colour blindness, which
is very rare, to the most common form which is
red-green colour blindness. Red-green colour
blindness affects approximately 8% of males and
0.5% of females, blue-yellow colour blindness
affects about 1 in 10000 people, and complete
colour blindness affects around 1 in 30000 people4.
Colour blindness, in its most common form, is a
mild disability, but it is actually quite prevalent
amongst males, especially red-green colour
blindness. Given the prevalence of red-green
colour blindness, map design should always
be considerate of individuals with this form
of visual impairment. Particular map design
considerations will be addressed in the next section.
Hearing Disabilities
Hearing disabilities usually do not require any
accommodations in using paper or digital maps,
as most users have the capacity to interpret
visual information normally. However, depending
on the situation the user may require special
assistance in order for them to interpret the
map as best as possible. A possible area where
someone with a hearing disability may need
assistance is with the use of navigation technologies
such as GPS systems which usually provide
navigation cues through auditory instructions.
Hearing disabilities range from mild, moderate,
severe or profound. People who are hard of
hearing are in the range from mild to severe and
usually communicate with spoken word but they
can benefit from learning sign language, having
a hearing-aid, closed captioning and assistive
hearing devices. Deaf people usually have profound
hearing loss and usually communicate through
sign language or with the use of an interpreter5.
Cognitive Disabilities
Cognitive disabilities are rooted in the physiological
or biological processes within the individual, such as
genetic factors, a traumatic brain injury, chemistry
or structure of the person’s brain. Some persons
may need assistance with their daily activities
while others may be completely independent to
the point where their disability goes undiagnosed
or unnoticed by those around them. There is a
large range of cognitive disabilities which can
affect problem-solving, attention, memory, math
comprehension, visual comprehension, reading,
linguistic, and verbal comprehension6. This
makes meeting the needs of an individual with a
cognitive disability entirely a case by case basis.
2(CNIB) Canadian National Institute for the Blind. (N.d.). What is Low Vision? Retrieved from http://www.cnib.ca/en/
your-eyes/eye-conditions/low-vision/Pages/default.aspx
3Colour Blind Awareness. (N.d.). Colour Blindness. Retrieved from http://www.colourblindawareness.org/colour-blindness/
4Genetics Home Reference. (2006). Color Vision Deficiency. Retrieved from http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/color-vision-
deficiency.
5World Health Organization. (2013). Deafness and Hearing Loss. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/mediacentre/
factsheets/fs300/en/.
6Disabled World. (N.d.). Cognitive Disabilities. Retrieved from http://www.disabled-world.com/disability/types/
cognitive/#toggleMenu.
ACMLA Bulletin Number 146 Winter 2014
12
Accessibility recommendations
Services for Users with Visual Disabilities
For persons with colour vision deficiency, Vischeck
<http://www.vischeck.com/> offers an algorithm
that will enhance colour contrast of images
for these users. The algorithm is capable of
enhancing image files which could be useful for
maps where the original colour scheme is un-editable.
Vischeck also can simulate what your
map or image will look like to a person with
colour blindness, which could be very useful for
assessing the colour blind friendliness of a map.
ColorBrewer <http://colorbrewer2.org/> offers
a service to help choose colour schemes for
maps that are easily distinguishable from one
another regardless of the type of data being
mapped. ColorBrewer could be very useful for
map makers trying to make the most accessible
map possible, or for a specific request by a patron.
By using these two services in conjunction, you
can choose a colour scheme from ColorBrewer, and
then test the scheme with the Vischeck algorithm
to ensure that it will be visually appealing to a
person with colour blindness. For a map that has
a variety of classes, consider including patterns
into the scheme such as cross hatches in order
to make distinguishing between classes easier7.
Given the prevalence of colour blindness among
the general public, some considerations should
be taken when designing any map. Some key
considerations to take into account are never to
solely rely on colour to convey information on a
map; this can be confusing to colour blind users8.
Ways to avoid relying solely on colour could include,
using different patterns to represent area features,
adding labels to features directly, using different
shapes and symbols for point features, and using
different widths and patterns for line features9.
Tactile maps offer an easy way for the visually
impaired to interpret information from a map.
Tactile maps use a variety of textures, changes in
elevation and shape to distinguish between unique
features, thus allowing the use of the tactile sense
in the fingertips in order to interpret features
from the map. Tactile maps vary in complexity
depending on what information is to be conveyed,
but are usually quite simple in order to be easily
interpreted. A floor plan for a building would aim
to be as simple as possible, only providing useful
information for navigation around the building.
While a topographic map or street map would
be rather more complex, but would usually aim
to only provide information that is essential to
its user. Tactile maps often include braille, large
print and high contrast labelling to aid users with
low vision, they are often customized to meet the
unique needs of the user. Creating tactile maps
requires specialized printers capable producing
varying textures and changes in depth. Creation of
tactile maps also requires a sighted professional,
to convert the map to a tactile map friendly form.
Equipment for Users with Visual Disabilities
For patrons with low vision, offering a magnifier
may be all they need to visually interpret a paper
map. Many different magnifiers exist, such as:
electronic hand-held magnifiers that use a camera
and a screen to display enlarged content, to optical
handheld magnifiers that use a lens to enlarge
features, there are illuminated magnifiers and stand
magnifiers. When a person with low vision chooses
a magnifier, it is usually personally chosen based on
their needs, although a digital model may be the best
as it offers the most customizability when compared
to optical magnifiers.
7Jeff Nugent. (2003). Designing Maps for the Color Blind. Retrieved from http://vcgiblog.wordpress.com/2010/11/02/
designing-maps-for-the-color-blind/
8McCarty, B. A. (2013). Creating Maps for Color Blind People, Part II. Retrieved from http://apollomapping.com/blog/g-faq-
creating-maps-color-blind-people-part-ii
9Jenny, B. & Kelso, N. V. (2007). Designing Maps for the Colour-Vision Impaired. Retrieved from http://colororacle.org/
resources/2007_JennyKelso_DesigningMapsForTheColour VisionImpaired.pdf
Bulletin de l’ACACC numero 146, hiver 2014
13
The Talking Tactile Tablet 2 (TTT2) created by
Touch Graphics Inc. is a touch sensitive tablet that
can be configured to work with any tactile graphic.
The tablet requires a tactile printout of whatever
is desired to be placed on the tablet, the user
then runs their fingers across the tactile image
which allows them to interpret details through
their tactile sense and by receiving auditory cues
when they press on the tactile image. The tablet
is not portable, and is required to be plugged
into a PC running the associated software to
function. While this tablet would not be useful
for navigation purposes while on-the-go, it could
be useful for allowing a blind user to familiarize
themselves with a location before visiting it.
The process of creating audio-tactile maps can be
rather time consuming. The first step is simplifying
the digital map data to be represented as a tactile
graphic, next the graphic must be authored so that
when the user runs their fingers over the graphic, the
correct auditory cues are provided for the correct
feature. Depending on the complexity of the data, it
may also have to be further modified before printing,
so that tactile features are adequately spaced
allowing users to easily interpret the information.
Services for Users with Hearing Disabilities
As mentioned previously, users with hearing
disabilities may not require any special assistance
with the interpretation of maps or geospatial data,
but may require special accommodations when it
comes to the customer service aspect of assisting
patrons. If a user with a hearing disability does
require special assistance, it is likely that the
services mentioned for a user with a visual disability
could be of assistance to them. When assisting users
with auditory disabilities consider the following
suggestions taken from Accessible Campus10:
• Patience, respect and a willingness to find a way
to communicate are your best tools.
• Attract the person’s attention before speaking.
This can be done by gently touching the person on
the shoulder or by discreetly waving your hand.
• Look at and speak directly to the person, not his
or her interpreter.
• Speak as you would normally.
• Make sure you are in a well-lit area where the
person can see your face.
• When speaking to a person who is Deaf or hard of
hearing, do not put your hands in front of your face.
• Be clear and precise when giving directions, and
repeat or rephrase if necessary.
• Make sure you have been understood.
• Be patient. If the person’s first language is a visual
language (American Sign Language or Langue des
signes québécoise), communication can take longer
or may be approached slightly differently than you
are anticipating. Remember, the person is actually
communicating in a second or third language.
• Try to hold your conversation in a quiet area,
because background noise may be distracting for
persons who are hard of hearing.
• If you are not sure what to do, ask, “Can I help?”
People who are hard of hearing may not self-identify
themselves as having a disability, so speaking
clearly and concisely with every patron could be
unknowingly beneficial to a patron with a disability.
Services for Users with Cognitive Disabilities
Depending on the type of cognitive disability the
patron could require any number of assistive
needs depending on their personal situation.
It is unlikely that you will realize that you are
assisting someone with a learning disability
unless you are specifically told so. In this case,
it is best to ask what their particular needs
are and then take the situation from there.
10Accessible Campus. (2013). Interacting with people who are Deaf, Deafened or Hard of hearing. Retrieved from
http://www.accessiblecampus.ca/aoda-everyday/reference-library/interacting-with-persons-with-disabilities/
deaf-deafened-or-hard-of-hearing/.
ACMLA Bulletin Number 146 Winter 2014
14
When communicating and interacting with someone
with a learning disability these considerations from
Accessible Campus are also bound to be useful:
• Patience, respect and a willingness to find a way
to communicate are your best tools.
• Speak normally, clearly and directly to the person
in front of you.
• Some people with learning disabilities may take a
little longer to understand what you are saying and
to respond, so exercise patience.
• Listen carefully and work with the person to
provide information in a way that will best suit
their needs.
• If you are not sure what to do, ask, “Can I help?”
This section is not comprehensive of the variety
of disabilities that could be encountered.
An important consideration is many people
have “invisible” disabilities in which their
disability cannot be recognized unless in certain
circumstances or unless explicitly stated. For
this reason it is important to embody an attitude
for the fair and impartial treatment of all library
patrons. Please visit the Accessible Campus
website <http://www.accessiblecampus.ca/
aoda-everyday/reference-library/interacting-with-
persons-with-disabilities/> which outlines
how to interact with a variety of disabled user
groups within a customer service environment.
Recommendations
GIS Software Accessibility
Users with disabilities that face difficulty when
using a computer and its variety of software
usually overcome these challenges by use of
accessibility applications and hardware, such as:
screen readers, braille displays, magnification
software and many more. Screen readers and
braille displays are usually required by users with
very low vision or who are legally blind; however
they are not compatible with GIS software given
the complex nature of the software and data.
Users with hearing loss are not drastically affected
because the reliance on the visual sense and lack
of auditory cues provided by GIS software. For this
reason, this section of the paper aims to discuss some
of the best practices for the use of magnification
software in conjunction with Windows PCs.
Windows comes built in with the magnification
software called Magnifier; it has three views,
Lens, Docked and Full Screen. It has the capability
to enlarge the screen by 1600% and can also
invert the colours of the screen (easily accessed
by Ctrl-Alt-I hotkey when magnifier is open).
By default magnifier has to be accessed by
launching the application like any other, the view
type and zooming functionality is accessed by
pressing the views and plus or minus buttons.
The use of magnifier can be made easier by use of
a Microsoft branded mouse and its accompanying
IntelliPoint software (Windows 7 and earlier) or
Mouse and Keyboard Center (Windows 8 only). The
software allows users to assign a button to control
the magnifier software by use of a button on the
mouse, which is less tedious and time consuming.
If a Windows mouse is unavailable, the free
software, X-Mouse Button Control can be used to
assign specific functions, including the zoom in and
zoom out function of magnifier, to any mouse button
for any brand mouse.
Windows allows scaling the displayed pixel density
by changing the Dots per Square Inch (DPI) setting.
Raising the DPI makes on screen items within
Windows larger, adjusting this setting is especially
useful on high resolution monitors because of
the low default DPI setting within Windows.
GIS Services Accessibility
For persons with disabilities it should not be
intimidating to ask for special assistance or
accommodations when trying to access library
services. The library website can offer a contact
list for library patrons to contact desired staff,
however, it may be more convenient to also offer
a general inquiries form. Providing a general
Bulletin de l’ACACC numero 146, hiver 2014
15
inquiries form may allow patrons to feel more
comfortable when inquiring about accommodations
or special assistance in order to meet their needs.
In conjunction with the form, providing as many
ways for patrons to communicate with the Map or
GIS Centre ensures everyone can use their preferred
method of communication, such as: making a
general inquiries phone number more apparent
in the Contact Information section, and inviting
patrons to visit the Centre if they have any questions
or require assistance, whether this be done through
signage outside the library or on the website.
Finally, setting up one PC that is low-vision
friendly may be helpful for patrons who have a
low-vision ailment. Windows includes some built-in
features and applications that are beneficial to
low-vision users. A low-vision friendly PC would
entail configuring a mouse capable of working
with magnifier and raising the DPI settings, thus
allowing low-vision users to use GIS or observe
demonstrations from staff much more effectively.
The low-vision accessible PC could be mentioned
on the web along with an invitation for students to
contact the Centre with their special needs inquiries.
References
Accessible Campus. (2013). Interacting with people who
are Deaf, Deafened or Hard of hearing. Retrieved from
http://www.accessiblecampus.ca/aoda-everyday/
reference-library/interacting-with-persons-with-disabilities/
deaf-deafened-or-hard-of-hearing.
( CNI B ) Canadi a n Na t i o n a l I n s t i t u te fo r
the Blind. (N.d.). What is Low Vision? Retrieved
from http://www.cnib.ca/en/your-eyes/eye-conditions/
low-vision/Pages/default . a s px.
C o lour Bl i n d Awa re n e s s . ( N. d . ) . Co l o u r
B l i n d n e s s . Re t r i eved f rom ht t p ://www.
colourb l indawareness. org/colour- b l indness.
Disabled World. (N.d.). Cognitive Disabilities.
Retrieved from http://www.disabled-world.
com/disability/types/cognitive/#toggleMenu.
Fl ü c k , D. ( 2 0 0 6 ) . Co l o rb li n d Po p u l a t i o n .
Retrieved from http://www.color-blindness.
c om/2006/04/28/ c o l o r b l ind- p o p u l a t ion .
Genetics Home Reference. (2006). Color Vision
D e f i c i e n c y . Retri eved from http://ghr.nlm.
n i h . g o v / c o n d i t i o n / c o l o r - v i s i o n - d e f i c i e n c y.
Jeff Nugent. (2003). Designing Maps for the Color
Blind. Retrieved from http://vcgiblog.wordpress.
com/2010/11/02/designing-maps-for-the-color-blind.
Jenny, B. & Kelso, N. V. (2007). Designing Maps for
the Colour-Vision Impaired. Retrieved from http://
colororacle.org/resources/2007_JennyKelso_
DesigningMapsForTheColour VisionImpaired.pdf.
Kulyukin, V., Marston, J., Miele, J., & Kutiyanawala, A.
(2010). Automated SVG Map Labeling for Customizable
Large Print Maps for Low Vision Individuals. In
RESNA Annual Conference-Las Vegas, Nevada.
McCarty, B. A. (2013). Creating Maps for Color Blind People,
Part II. Retrieved from http://apollomapping.com/
blog/g-faq-creating-maps-color-blind-people-part-ii.
Ministry of Community and Social Services.
(2008). Publications: About the Accessibility
for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA).
Retrieved from http://www.mcss.gov.on.ca/en/
mcss/publications/accessibility/aoda2005.aspx.
OCUL. (2013). Accessibility Information Toolkit
for Libraries. University of Toronto Libraries
in partnership with Ontario Council of University
Libraries with support from the Government of Ontario.
Wang, Z., Li, B., Hedgpeth, T., & Haven, T. (2009). Instant
tactile-audio map: enabling access to digital maps
for people with visual impairment. In Proceedings
of the 11th international ACM SIGACCESS conference
on Computers and accessibility (pp. 43-50). ACM.
World Health Organization. (2013). Deafness and
Hearing Loss. Ret r i eved from ht t p ://www.
who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs300/en.
Zeng, L., & Weber, G. (2010). Audio-haptic
browser for a geographical information system.
In Computers Helping People with Special Needs
(pp. 466-473). Springer Berlin Heidelberg .
Brandon Love is a 4th year Geomatics student
attending the University of Waterloo. He is set to
graduate in 2015 and will be receiving a Computer
Science minor. Brandon is employed at the Dana
Porter Library on his 4th co-op term as an Accessibility
and Technology Support Technician. Brandon
has a passion for making maps and geospatial
data as accessible as possible. This interest is
furthered with his diagnosis of Stargardt disease,
an inherited juvenile form of macular degeneration.
ACMLA Bulletin Number 146 Winter 2014
16
Not to be missed!
Carto 2014, the 48th annual conference of the Association of Canadian Map Libraries and Archives
Canada (ACMLA) will be held in Montreal from June 17th to 20th. This year's conference is
organized by Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec (BAnQ), Université du Québec à
Montréal (UQAM), and ACMLA.
The event will include three workshops and over twenty presentations covering a variety of topics
related to the preservation and dissemination of geographical information.
Register soon. We look forward to seeing you there!
While producers, distributors and users mobilize their efforts to update the mapping of the world,
librarians and archivists emphasize the importance of keeping track of cartographic production
throughout time. Cartographic sources are not only very useful for exploring the territories that
surround us, but also to understand the world of those who preceded us. How can maps and
other geographical sources help us understand the history of societies? What strategies are
needed to preserve the paper and digital cartographic heritage, and to increase the producer’s
awareness of the historical significance of the data? In this era of technological changes, what
role can the map librarian or map archivist play in the democratization of geospatial data access?
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
À ne pas manquer !
Carto 2014, le 48e colloque annuel de l’Association des cartothèques et archives cartographiques
du Canada (ACACC) aura lieu à Montréal du 17 au 20 juin, organisé par Bibliothèque et
Archives nationales du Québec (BAnQ), l’Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) et l’ACACC.
Au menu, trois ateliers et une vingtaine de communications sur la préservation et la diffusion de
l’information géographique.
Réservez vos places. Les organisateurs vous attendent avec impatience.
Bulletin de l’ACACC numero 146, hiver 2014
17
Alors que les producteurs, les diffuseurs et les utilisateurs mobilisent leurs efforts pour mettre
à jour la cartographie du monde, bibliothécaires et archivistes rappellent avec insistance
l’importance de conserver une trace de la production cartographique à toutes les époques. Car
les sources cartographiques sont souvent bien utiles pour découvrir les territoires qui nous
entourent, mais aussi pour comprendre le monde de ceux et celles qui nous ont précédés.
Comment les cartes et autres sources géographiques peuvent-elles renseigner aujourd’hui sur
l’histoire des sociétés? Quelles stratégies adopter pour préserver cet héritage cartographique,
papier et numérique, et pour sensibiliser les producteurs à l’importance historique des
données? En cette ère de mutation technologique, quel rôle peut jouer le cartothécaire ou
l’archiviste cartographique dans la démocratisation de l’accès aux données géospatiales?
Program committee / Comité de programmation
Erin Forward, Queen’s University
Siobhan Hanratty, University of New-Brunswick
Jean-François Palomino, Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec
Sarah Simpkin, Université d’Ottawa
Deena Yanofsky, Université McGill
Organizing committee / Comité d’organisation
Jean-Bruno Giard, Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec
Jean-François Palomino, Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec
Micheline Picard, Université du Québec à Montréal
Sylvie St-Pierre, Université du Québec à Montréal
ACMLA Bulletin Number 146 Winter 2014
18
Programme
Programme final - résumés des présentations et biographies des présentateurs
Programme abrégé du colloque
Mardi 17 juin 2014
Lieu : Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), Pavillon Hubert-Aquin, Bibliothèque centrale,
400, rue Sainte-Catherine Est
8 h 45 – 9 h Inscription
Ateliers demi-journées Atelier journée complète
9 h – 12 h
Atelier 1 : Introduction to
ArcMap Scripts and Tools /
Introduction aux scripts et
aux outils d’ArcMap
Joël Rivard & Gerald
Romme
9 h – 16 h 30
Atelier 3 : Cataloguing
Maps in RDA / Catalogage
des cartes en RDA
(bilingue)
Emanuel Actarian, Karen
Jensen & Marcel Plourde
13 h 30 – 16 h 30
Atelier 2 : OpenStreet
Map
MapGears
17 h 30 –
20 h
Cocktail
Lieu: Restaurant Pèlerin-Magellan (330, rue Ontario Est)
Mercredi 18 juin 2014
Lieu : BAnQ Vieux-Montréal, 535, avenue Viger Est
Heure Session Présentation Présentateur (s)
8 h 30 –
9 h
Inscription
9 h –
9 h 15
Mots de bienvenue Guy Berthiaume
(BAnQ), Stephen Park
(UQAM), Rosa
Orlandini (ACMLA)
9 h 15 –
10 h
La conservation et la diffusion du savoir cartographique
à l'ère numérique / Preserving and Disseminating
Cartographic Knowledge in the Digital Age
Jonathan Dorey
10 h –
10 h 30
Pause café
10 h 30 –
11 h 50
Des cartes pour la
recherche
historique
Le projet Toucher l’histoire /
Touch History : pour que la
géomatique et l’histoire se
Benoit Fiset & Louis-
Pascal Rousseau
Bulletin de l’ACACC numero 146, hiver 2014
19
conjuguent à l’ère du numérique
Archival Maps, HGIS and
Indigenous Landscapes
Daniel Rueck
Cartographier la guerre Marcelle Cinq-Mars
Cartographic Intactness and the
Three Miles to One Inch Sectional
Maps of Western Canada
Larry Laliberté
11 h 50 –
13 h 15 Repas libre
13 h 15 –
14 h 35
Interfaces de
recherche
géospatiale
GeoPhoto+ : vers un répertoire
collectif de photographies
aériennes! / GéoPhoto+: Toward
a Collective Directory of Aerial
Photographs!
Stéfano Biondo
Revealing our Past: Using Web
GIS for Dissemination of Historical
Air Photos and Topographic Maps
Barbara Znamirowski
CartoMundi, nouveaux
développements – CartoMundi,
new developements
Jean-Luc Arnaud
Automating the Archive: Building
uOttawa’s Historical Topographic
Map Index
Sarah Simpkin
14 h 35 –
15 h
Pause café
15 h – 16 h Approches
modernes
Re-imagining Paper Map
Collections for the 21st Century
Information Landscape
Talia Olshefsky &
Deena Yanofsky
Accessibility and the Map/Data
Library
Leanne Trimble
Confection et diffusion de cartes à
l’aide de l’environnement Open
Source
Yves Baudoin & Simon
Ouellet
16 h – 17 h Visite de BAnQ Vieux-Montréal Maude Doyon &
Florian Daveau
Jeudi 19 juin 2014
Lieu : BAnQ Vieux-Montréal, 535, avenue Viger Est
8 h 30 –
9 h
Inscription
Heure Session Présentation Présentateur (s)
9 h –
10 h 20
La cartographie
moderne :
nouvelles sources,
nouvelles analyses
Options for Using LiDAR,
RADARSAT and WorldView2
Imagery to Study the Impact of
Flooding
Cynthia Dietz
Entre le papier et le polygone :
l'utilisation de MapWarper dans
Léon Robichaud
ACMLA Bulletin Number 146 Winter 2014
20
le processus de diffusion
numérique des cartes anciennes
Comparison of Six Free Online
Mapping Tools
Rebecca Bartlett & Joël
Rivard
Évolution de la cartographie à la
Ville de Montréal et sa
documentation
Richard Mongeau
10 h 20 –
10 h 50 Pause café
10 h 50 –
11 h 40
Initiatives de
collaboration pour
une meilleure
diffusion de
l’information
géographique
Advocacy for a Cartographic
Digitization Registry & Discussion
Léon Robichaud & Erin
Forward
Update from Canadian Geomatics
Community Round Table
Deena Yanofsky
11 h 40 –
12 h
À confirmer
12 h –
12 h 30
Dîner (dans l'Atrium)
12 h 30 –
14 h 30 Assemblée générale annuelle de l’ACACC
14 h 30 –
15 h Pause café
15 h –
16 h 20
Préserver la
connaissance
géographique dans
les institutions
nationales
A Multi-disciplinary Approach to
the Sherbrooke Project at Library
and Archives Canada
Doris St-Jacques
Comment prendre soin d’une
collection de cartes
géographiques – Les conseils
d’une restauratrice
Marie-Claude Rioux
Portails de
données
géospatiales (1re
partie)
La gestion de l’information
géographique au ministère des
Transports du Québec
Gaétan Poulin
Territoires, un outil rassembleur
pour naviguer dans le savoir
Anne-Marie Plante &
Martin St-Hilaire
18 h – 22 h Banquet (Espace Lafontaine, 3933 avenue du Parc la Fontaine)
Vendredi 20 juin 2014
Lieu : Grande Bibliothèque, 475, boulevard De Maisonneuve Est
9 h –
9 h 30
Inscription
Heure Session Présentation Présentateur (s)
9 h 30 –
10 h 30
La géolittératie et
les stratégies de
médiation auprès
Combating Geo Illiteracy Using
Map Evaluation – A Mini
Workshop
Rosa Orlandini
Bulletin de l’ACACC numero 146, hiver 2014
21
Brief Conference Program
Tuesday June 17, 2014
Location: Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), Pavillon Hubert-Aquin, Bibliothèque centrale, 400,
rue Sainte-Catherine Est
8 h 45 – 9 h Registration
Half Day workshops Full Day workshop
9h00-12h00
Workshop 1 : Introduction to
ArcMap Scripts and Tools /
Introduction aux scripts et
aux outils d’ArcMap
Joël Rivard & Gerald Romme
9h-16h30
Workshop 3 : Cataloguing
Maps in RDA / Catalogage
des cartes en RDA (bilingual)
Emanuel Actarian, Karen
Jensen & Marcel Plourde
13h30-16h30
Workshop 2: OpenStreet
Map
MapGears
17 h 30 –
20 h
Ice-breaker
Location: Restaurant Pèlerin-Magellan (330, rue Ontario Est)
Wednesday June 18, 2014
Location: BAnQ Vieux-Montréal, 535, avenue Viger Est
Time Session Presentation Presenter(s)
8 h 30 – 9 h Registration
9 h – 9 h 15 Opening remarks and Welcome Guy Berthiaume (BAnQ),
Stephen Park (UQAM),
Rosa Orlandini (ACMLA)
9 h 15 –
10 h
La conservation et la diffusion du savoir cartographique à
l'ère numérique / Preserving and Disseminating
Cartographic Knowledge in the Digital Age
Jonathan Dorey
10 h –
10 h 30
Refreshment Break
10 h 30 –
11 h 50
Maps for historical
research
Le projet Toucher l’histoire / Touch
History / Pour que la géomatique et
l’histoire se conjuguent à l’ère du
numérique
Benoit Fiset & Louis-
Pascal Rousseau
Archival Maps, HGIS and Indigenous
Landscapes
Daniel Rueck
Cartographier la guerre Marcelle Cinq-Mars
Cartographic Intactness and the
Three Miles to One Inch Sectional
Maps of Western Canada
Larry Laliberté
11 h 50 –
13 h 15 Lunch (on your own)
13 h 15 –
14 h 35
Geospatial search
interfaces
GeoPhoto+ : vers un répertoire
collectif de photographies aériennes!
/ GéoPhoto+: Toward a Collective
Directory of Aerial Photographs!
Stéfano Biondo
Revealing our Past:
Using Web GIS for Dissemination of
Barbara Znamirowski
ACMLA Bulletin Number 146 Winter 2014
22
Historical Air Photos and Topographic
Maps
CartoMundi, nouveaux
développements – CartoMundi, new
developements
Jean-Luc Arnaud
Automating the Archive: Building
uOttawa’s Historical Topographic
Map Index
Sarah Simpkin
14 h 35 –
15 h
Refreshment Break
15 h – 16 h Modern approaches Re-imagining Paper Map Collections
for the 21st Century Information
Landscape
Talia Olshefsky & Deena
Yanofsky
Accessibility and the Map/Data
Library
Leanne Trimble
Confection et diffusion de cartes à
l’aide de l’environnement Open
Source
Yves Baudoin & Simon
Ouellet
16 h – 17 h Tour of BAnQ Vieux-Montréal Maude Doyon & Florian
Daveau
Thursday June 19, 2014
Location: BAnQ Vieux-Montréal, 535, avenue Viger Est
8h30-9h Registration
Time Session Presentation Presenter(s)
9 h –
10 h 20
Modern
cartography : new
sources, new tools,
new analyses
Options for Using LiDAR, RADARSAT
and WorldView2 Imagery to Study the
Impact of Flooding
Cynthia Dietz
Entre le papier et le polygone :
l'utilisation de MapWarper dans le
processus de diffusion numérique des
cartes anciennes
Léon Robichaud
Comparison of Six Free Online
Mapping Tools
Rebecca Bartlett & Joël
Rivard
Évolution de la cartographie à la Ville
de Montréal et sa documentation
Richard Mongeau
10 h 20 –
10 h 50 Refreshment Break
10 h 50 –
11 h 40
Innovative
collaborations for a
better
dissemination of
geographical
knowledge
Advocacy for a Cartographic
Digitization Registry & Discussion
Léon Robichaud & Erin
Forward
Update from Canadian Geomatics
Community Round Table
Deena Yanofsky
11 h 40 –
12 h
To be confirmed
12 h –
12 h 30
Lunch (in the Atrium)
12 h 30 –
14 h 30 ACMLA’s Annual General Meeting (AGM)
14 h 30 –
15 h Refreshment Break
15 h –
16 h 20
Preserving
geographical
A Multi-disciplinary Approach to the
Sherbrooke Project at Library and
Doris St-Jacques
Bulletin de l’ACACC numero 146, hiver 2014
23
knowledge in
national institutions
Archives Canada
Comment prendre soin d’une
collection de cartes géographiques –
Les conseils d’une restauratrice
Marie-Claude Rioux
Geospatial data
portals (part one)
La gestion de l’information
géographique au ministère des
Transports du Québec
Gaétan Poulin
Territoires, un outil rassembleur pour
naviguer dans le savoir
Anne-Marie Plante &
Martin St-Hilaire
18 h – 22 h Banquet (Espace Lafontaine, 3933 avenue du Parc la Fontaine)
Friday June 20, 2014
Location: Grande Bibliothèque, 475, boulevard De Maisonneuve Est
9 h – 9 h 30 Registration
Time Session Presentation Presenter(s)
9 h 30 –
10 h 30
Geospatial literacy
and mediation
strategies with the
public
Combating Geo Illiteracy Using Map
Evaluation – A Mini Workshop
Rosa Orlandini
10 h 30 –
11 h
Refreshment Break
11 h –
11 h 45
Geospatial data
portals (part two)
Un nouvel allié pour explorer et
découvrir les connaissances
géospatiales du gouvernement du
Québec
Nathalie Michaud &
Isabelle Desrosiers
Le Greffe de l’arpenteur général du
Québec en ligne
Jean-François Boucher
11 h 45 –
12 h 15
Tour of the Grande Bibliothèque
12 h 15 –
14 h 30
Lunch (on your own)
14 h 30 –
16 h 30
Field Trip – Musée Stewart,
Saint Helen's Island, Parc Jean-Drapeau: 20, chemin du Tour-de-l’Isle
ACMLA Bulletin Number 146 Winter 2014
24
ACMLA Student Paper Award
Association of Canadian Map Libraries
and Archives
The Association of Canadian Map Libraries and Archives (ACMLA) announces its annual student
paper contest. Essays may deal with access to and information about geospatial data, cartography,
cartographic materials, map information, map data, GIS data and geo-referenced information.
Eligibility
A student from Canada or studying in Canada
currently enrolled in a post-secondary institution
(college or university) is eligible to apply to enter the
contest. All papers shall be prepared during the
Essay
The essay shall be original and unpublished, and of no
more than 3,000 words. Judging of the papers will
give primary consideration to the essay’s originality
and its contribution to new knowledge and insights.
Other considerations will be the author’s
demonstration of the relevance of the subject, the
quality of presentation and documentation, and the
literary merits of the essay.
Award
$250.00 and free membership in the Association for
one year. The award includes an invitation to present
the paper at the ACMLA annual conference, normally
held at the end of May/early June. If the winner
chooses to attend the conference, the Association will
waive registration fees and provide a travel stipend of
$250.00.
Deadline: 15 April 2014
Eva Dodsworth, ACMLA Awards Committee,
Geospatial Centre, University of Waterloo Library,
Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1
edodsworth@uwaterloo.ca
Submit a paper to the Contest!
Tenth Annual
2013-2014 school year.
Bulletin de l’ACACC numero 146, hiver 2014
25
ACMLA AWARDS
The ACMLA Awards Committee is responsible for three awards given by the Association. We
invite nominations for these awards and encourage members to participate in the selection of
the awards for outstanding accomplishments in our field.
ACMLA Honours Award
The Awards Committee invites nominations for the ACMLA Honours Award. According to
the guidelines for the award, the nominee should be a person who has made an outstanding
contribution in the field of map/GIS librarianship. The contribution may either be for a
specific activity or for general services and contributions such as continued membership in
the Association with active participation either as an executive officer, committee chairperson,
or committee member. Normally, membership in ACMLA is a prerequisite, however that does
not preclude considering outstanding non-members.
- Deadline : April 15th, 2014
ACMLA Cathy Moulder Paper Award
To be nominated for the Paper Award, which carries a $200 monetary prize, a feature article by
one or more authors consisting of at least three pages in length must have appeared in issues
143-145 of the ACMLA Bulletin.
- Deadline : April 15th, 2014
ACMLA Student Paper Award
The Student Paper Award will consist of a prize of $250 and free membership in the Association
for one year. The award includes an invitation to present the winning paper at the Annual
Conference. The Association will waive registration fees and provide a travel stipent of $250.
The award will normally be given on an annual basis to a student from Canada or studying in
Canada currently enrolled in a post-secondary institution (college or university). The essay
shall be original and unpublished and of no more than 3000 words. Priimary consideration
for the award will be given to the essay’s originality and its contribution to new knowledge
and inight. Other considerations include the author’s demonstration of the relevance of the
subject, the quality of the presentation and documentation, and the literary merits of the essay.
- Deadline: April 15th, 2014
For more information on ACMLA Awards, contact:
Eva Dodsworth
Chair, ACMLA Awards Committee
edodsworth@uwaterloo.ca
ACMLA Bulletin Number 146 Winter 2014
26
I ___________________________ nominate __________________________ for the position of
Je nomine pour le poste
of ________________________________
de
Signature ___________________________ Date : _____________________
Seconded by ___________________________
Appuyée par
Signature ___________________________ Date : _____________________
I agree to stand for the position as nominated above.
J'accepte la nomination présentée ci-haut.
Signature _________________________ Date : ________________________
Please send the completed form by April 18th, 2014 to:
S.v.p. completér et envoyer le formulaire le plus tard le 18 avril, 2014:
Danial Duda
Chair, ACMLA Nominations and Elections Committee
Map Room, Queen Elizabeth II Library
Memorial University of Newfoundland
St. John’s, NL
A1B 3Y1
Phone:(709)864-3198
Fax:(709)864-2153
Email: dduda@mun.ca
Do you, or do you know, any member in good standing with ACMLA who would like to run for a position
on the Executive of our organization? If so, please fill out the form and return them to Past President, Dan
Duda April 18th, 2014.
Bulletin de l’ACACC numero 146, hiver 2014
27
THE WHAT, WHY, WHEN, AND WHO OF
THE JOURNAL OF MAP & GEOGRAPHY LIBRARIES
Paige G. Andrew
Katherine H. Weimer
Co-editors, Journal of Map & Geography Libraries
What do titles such as the Association of
Canadian Map Libraries and Archives Bulletin,
Meridian: A Journal of the Map and Geography
Round Table of the American Library Association,
the Western Association of Map Libraries
Information Bulletin, and the Special Libraries
Association Geography and Map Division Bulletin
have in common besides the word “Association”
appearing in most of them? These are past and
present journals of several North American
map library organizations, notably only one of
which was a “formal” or peer-reviewed journal,
Meridian. On a broader, worldwide, scale there
are of course other journals devoted to map
librarianship in whole or in part, such as The
Globe of the Australian and New Zealand Map
Society (ANZMapS) and LIBER Quarterly of
the Ligue des Bibliothèques Européennes de
Recherche (Association of European Research
Libraries), both of which are formal journals.
Map librarians, like our colleagues in research-level
positions in the broader librarianship
profession, need outlets to share the outcomes
of scholarly pursuit and ongoing collaborative
or other research. In North America at least only
two of the above journals are active, ACMLA’s
Bulletin and WAML’s Information Bulletin. While
both critically fulfill the role of a place to publish
association business, map librarianship (and
librarians) news, articles (non peer-reviewed),
book and software reviews, and topic-based
columns, where is one to turn if the desire is to
publish one’s work in a formal journal? Of course
there are opportunities in journals focused on
cartography, geography, GIS and similar if one’s
research is aimed at these areas, but there is yet
another option, one that you may not be aware of.
The Journal of Map & Geography Libraries:
Advances in Geospatial Information, Collections
& Archives (JMGL) believe it or not it is
celebrating its tenth year as a formal, peer-reviewed
journal! The reasons for establishing
this journal are found in the demise of two
existing map librarianship journals in the
1990s – both mentioned previously – the SLA
G&M Division Bulletin and ALA MAGERT’s
Meridian. With the only formal journal for
map librarians in which to share research
having disappeared, co-founders Mary Lynette
Larsgaard and Paige G. Andrew keenly felt the
need to provide for their colleagues a new outlet
for research and inquiry. JMGL was founded in
2002 and its first issue was published by the
Haworth Press in 2004, which included papers
such as “Advances and Trends in Geospatial
Information Accessibility–Part I: Geolibraries”
by James Boxall, “Library-Based GIS Labs: A
Case Study–Syracuse University” by John A.
Olson, and a column by Lucinda M. Hall titled
“Issues & Trends: Cartographic Cataloging”.
As stated on the journal’s website, our scope
is well beyond the North American continent,
JMGL “publishes international research on
the collecting, organization, and utilization
of geographic and cartographic materials
and information” whether in digital or
hardcopy form, including tools such as GIS
and other software that allow for utilization
of and access to geospatial information. This
ACMLA Bulletin Number 146 Winter 2014
28
statement is backed by an Editorial Board
consisting of map librarians, geospatial data
specialists, cartographic resources catalogers,
and similar from around the world, including
Canadian colleagues James Boxall and Marcel
Fortin.
Over time the journal has grown and changed in
several ways. Originally a biannual publication
it now serves out research three times a year
and is striving to become a quarterly. In the
meantime, the Haworth Information Press
was bought out by Taylor & Francis Group in
2009, which helped to expand the journal as
noted above. And a transition in co-editors
occurred in the same timeframe as the change
in publishers, with Mary Larsgaard stepping
down as co-editor but remaining as an active
Editorial Board member even in retirement,
and Kathy Weimer stepping in as the new co-editor.
Content-wise JMGL has also changed in
terms of where articles are coming from and
most especially in the range of topics of those
articles. While the journal was founded as an
international journal, in its early days most
content was garnered from authors in the
United States and Canada, though not all. In
recent years contributions have been coming
from across the globe and we look forward to
soon sharing a theme issue to be published
in October titled “International Perspectives:
A View of Map & Geography Libraries,
Their Collections and Services Worldwide”.
We offer this information about the Journal
of Map & Geography Libraries as a means of
raising awareness about a journal some may
not know exists, and inviting the members
of ACMLA (and others of course) to consider
sharing their geospatial research activities
with us. In particular, if you are in a library or
other information center in which publication
in a formal journal is required for promotion
or tenure you may want to consider JMGL
an option alongside formal discipline-based
journals. For more detailed information about
the Journal of Map & Geography Libraries,
including how to submit a proposed article, see
http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/wmgl20/
current. Co-editors Andrew and Weimer
are also always happy to receive nuggets of
ideas about a proposed paper, a summary or
abstract, or even a rough draft to review in
advance of formal submission and they can
be reached by email at jmgl.editors@gmail.
com. We look forward to working with you!
Paige is the Maps Cataloging Librarian, Pattee and
Paterno Library at the Pennsylvania State University
(since 1995) and holds the rank of Librarian.
Kathy is the Curator of Maps, Cushing Memorial
Library and Archives and Coordinator, Map &
GIS Library, Texas A&M University Libraries
(since 1991) and holds the rank of Professor.
Cover of the Journal of Map & Geography Libraries.
Reprinted by permission of Taylor & Francis LLC
(http://www.tandfonline.com).
Bulletin de l’ACACC numero 146, hiver 2014
29
REVIEWS
Compiled by Susan McKee
Economic Development and GIS
Reviewed by James Boxall
Pogodzinski, J.M. and Kos, Richard M. Economic
Development and GIS. Redlands, CA: Esri Press,
2013. 244p. $65.95 US. ISBN 978-1589482180.
I have to, at the outset of this review, admit to
a certain bias as an educator and geographer.
I have found that the Esri Press materials
(the “library” of books and supplementary
data) are more useful because they can be
directly linked (through practical exercises
as well) to the software, the online training,
ArcGIS Online projects, and face-to-face
training through Esri. I find the combination
of material and other approaches much more
pedagogically sound than that which is based
upon a single approach, like a MOOC alone.
Conversely, one should not look at texts like this
as philosophical or theoretical discussions about
the issues of economic development, although
there are inset boxes about cases and issues
which are great for students who need a little
background that may be missing. This is not a
text about connections of GIScience to issues with
a look at new metrics or new theories about how
best to set out policy for economic development.
This text is clearly focused on the applied
nature of how to measure, analyze and portray
the myriad of data, patterns, models and
outputs one could use in the informing of
our understanding of development either
in the past, present or perhaps through
predictive schemas to look into future scenarios
through trend analysis and model building.
The real value of this textbook - and I would
think the authors would appreciate that it
be defined in that context as course-based
textbook - has to do with a sort of paradox the
text creates. That paradox is that it is both very
straightforward and takes one in a step-wise
approach through case studies, while it is also
complex enough to direct one to other related
issues not always explained very well. For
example, the text does an exceptional job at
showing how data issues are of prime concern
to “doing good GIS”. One must have the right
data, with the right metadata and proper
understanding of how the data is structured,
in order to do an effective job at creating a
GIS project for analysis and decision making.
Also, the text does a very fine job at making
repeated linkages to basic economic theories
and measures, as well as showcasing some
very easy to accomplish statistical outputs that
the non-GIS and non-economics person would
be able to use. It is in a language that is clear
and concise. The diagrams and images are well
thought out and detailed in colour; they also
are easy to match to reality when one loads
the software and data to replicate any exercise.
Finally, I do like it when authors include a
simple to use and very blunt glossary that is
both functional and clearly directed towards an
undergraduate level class. I would recommend
this text to add to a library of material within
one’s office or classroom. If a library was
collecting other manuals and textbooks for
inclusion in circulating stacks, this text would
also be of use although a soft cover edition
does present some problems for lifespan.
From the teaching perspective, or those who
conduct training programs though their
ACMLA Bulletin Number 146 Winter 2014
30
libraries and GIS centres, this text really would
be of great use because it could be adapted
to those efforts. As stated at the outset, it
is best to consider this as part of a larger
education and training program within all
the Esri offerings. But if one does not want
to combine this text with other options, I
would say it can still be of tremendous use.
When I first thought of this text based upon the
title and not seeing it, I wondered if I would
be able to use it as a graduate level text to talk
about economic development issues. This isn’t
very likely. However, I was pleasantly surprised
and really do give this two thumbs up in terms
of a great workbook/textbook for those wanting
to introduce students to how to use GIS for the
analysis of economics. It is also perfect for
exploring the nature of patterns of development,
related issues and the potential to then move on
into more modeling with advance courses and
skills. I commend the authors on writing this text
because, in the final analysis from this reviewer’s
vantage point, it fits a niche and it fills a void in
what is available for us in the teaching of GIS.
James Boxall
Director, GISciences Centre
Dalhousie University
Halifax, Nova Scotia
Esri Map Book, Volume 28
Reviewed by Sarah Simpkin
Esri Map Book, Volume 28. Redlands, CA: Esri Press,
2013. 112p. $24.95 US. ISBN 978-1589483415.
This annual collection from Esri Press features
82 GIS projects from across the spectrum
of industries employing their technology,
including cartography, environmental science,
public safety, transportation, and earth science.
Useful as a starting point for GIS projects at all
levels, this volume features full-colour maps,
as well as details about the data sources and
software used for each project. Collectors of
previous editions will appreciate the evolving
technologies featured in this latest volume.
Full-page maps are the highlight of this collection;
in contrast to the pages featuring many smaller
maps, single larger maps are much more eye-catching
and allow the reader to appreciate the
cartography involved in each piece. Smaller,
multiple-inset spreads appear cluttered and
are challenging to read at the size presented.
Standout maps in this collection include a
stunning Missoula Floods map by William
J. Burns and Daniel E. Coe of the Oregon
Department of Geology and Mineral Industries,
as well as a map featuring LiDAR applications
for property assessment by Cesar Piovanetti
of Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority. Fans
of planetary and lunar mapping will also
appreciate David Williams’ Geologic Map of Io,
based on NASA’s Voyager and Galileo datasets.
While not all maps in the collection are created
equally, all can be used to learn more about
the multitude of GIS applications in industry.
Moreover, the projects in this collection offer
guidelines for cartographic best practices.
Students may find this volume useful as a starting
point for both map design and project design
more broadly. While it would be nice to see
more historical GIS and web mapping projects
in future editions, this book remains a solid bet.
This book is recommended for university and
college level library collections.
Sarah Simpkin
GIS and Geography Librarian
University of Ottawa
Ottawa, Ontario
Bulletin de l’ACACC numero 146, hiver 2014
31
ArcGIS. The GIS 20 Essential Skills is an excellent
addition to the seemingly infinite Esri Press
catalogue, and until the third edition arrives,
it will serve as a very useful source of the core
skill set relating to working within the ArcGIS
software environment. Highly recommended.
Larry Laliberté
GIS Librarian
University of Alberta
Edmonton, AB
The Land of Heart’s Delight: Early Maps and
Charts of Vancouver Island
Reviewed by Frances Woodward
Layland, Michael. The Land of Heart’s Delight:
Early Maps and Charts of Vancouver Island.
Victoria, BC: TouchWood Editions, 2013. 240p.
$39.95 Cdn. ISBN 978-1-77151-015.
Michael Layland is a former British Army Royal
Engineer, trained as an officer and mapmaker.
As such he served in various parts of the world.
He spent much time surveying in South America
where he became interested in Amazonia,
compiling a book about explorations in the
area, chapters of which may be found in various
journals. After that, he turned his attention
closer to his present home.
Michael was one of the early members of the
Historical Map Society of British Columbia. Since
moving to Victoria he served as President of both
the Friends of the British Columbia Archives, and
the Victoria Historical Society. Internationally
he is a member of the Society for the History
of Discoveries and the International Collectors
Society. He has given a number of popular talks
based on his research to various organizations.
It is very appropriate that the history of the
discovery and surveying of Vancouver Island
The GIS 20 Essential Skills, Second Edition
Reviewed by Larry Laliberté
Clemmer, Gina. The GIS 20 Essential Skills,
Second Edition. Redlands, CA: Esri Press, 2013.
185p. $49.95 US. ISBN 978-1589483224.
One should not start a book review with
a confession, but here goes. I decided to
undertake this review so I could pinch some
of its plain language content in designing
an introduction to GIS course for a group of
students who had no prior experience with
ArcGIS software. Furthermore, I felt as a long
time ArcGIS user, I may have lost sight of keeping
the basics basic, and hoped that this concise
book would keep me on tract. The verdict: it
did, and it served as a great refresher as well.
Reading the book feels like you are leafing
through a well-organized magazine with
interesting spatial graphics, highlighted text
boxes to focus your attention on the important
features, as well as the bolded Incredibly Useful
Tips text that translate well for anyone learning
GIS. The book introduces and builds on the
core elements of getting started, and growing
into ArcGIS, by presenting the material as
easily digestible pieces well-paced by useful
illustrations and examples. Finally, the design
of the book is such that you can start at any
point in the book depending upon your interests.
However, the question remains, are these indeed
the 20 essential skills? Even in the absence of
information on the important raster data and
processing side of ArcGIS, I would restate that
for anyone starting out with ArcGIS, the 20 skills,
and 7 more covered through bonus exercises
that make use of tutorial data found on the
attached DVD, are essential and useful. I would
further note that if you have been using ArcGIS
for many years, this book can serve as a useful
reminder and guide to the basic functionality of
ACMLA Bulletin Number 146 Winter 2014
32
should be written by a former Royal Engineer.
Members of that highly trained military
organization have played significant roles
in the exploration of Vancouver Island as
well as other parts of British Columbia.
The story is told in 23 chapters, beginning
with 16th century maps of speculation and
myth, mystery and intrigue, followed by maps
from first European contact with the Spanish
and Captain Cook at Nootka. The American
and other fur traders, especially for sea otters,
soon followed. Explorers Vancouver, Quadra,
and Malaspina shared information about their
surveys in the late 18th century. In 1795 the
British flag replaced the Spanish, and the
Hudson’s Bay Company dominated the coastal
fur trade. The noted British cartographer
Aaron Arrowsmith marked changes in
northwestern North America in 18 versions of
his A Map Exhibiting All the New Discoveries in
the Interior Parts of North America, 1795-1850.
James Douglas established Fort Victoria in
1842 for the Hudson’s Bay Company, and the
company’s headquarters was moved from the
Fort Vancouver area. Surveys of the southeastern
districts of Vancouver Island were begun to
enable settlement of the area. News of gold
discoveries brought an influx of gold seekers
and settlers, which aggravated the unsettled
international water boundary problem, e.g.
“the Pig War”. Captain George Richards and his
crew surveyed the water boundary area and
continued around Vancouver Island. The colonial
surveyors began work in the areas to be settled.
The Vancouver Island Exploring Expedition
spent a few years in the interior of the Island.
In 1871 the united colonies of Vancouver Island
and British Columbia entered into the Canadian
confederation. Joseph Trutch had a map
compiled and published, commonly referred to as
the Trutch Map, which was frequently reprinted
separately and in atlases. A transcontinental
railway was part of the confederation agreement,
and the Esquimalt and Nanaimo Railway
received a 2 million acre land grant to extend
the line to Vancouver Island, ending in Victoria.
George Mercer Dawson and the Geological
Survey of Canada began surveying for minerals,
natural history and anthropology, producing a
map of northern Vancouver Island in 1885. Tom
Kains, provincial Surveyor General, produced
a significant map in 1891, the same year that
John Walbran on CGS Quadra began work on
his compilation of coastal place names. His
British Columbia Coast Names: Their Origin and
History was published after his retirement in
1909. Franz Boas began his 60-year long work
among the Indian communities along the coast
in 1885, publishing Geographical Names of the
Kwakiutl Indians with 30 line maps. In the
next seven years 50 new maps were published.
James Brownlee’s 1893 map was published in
a large quantity for the aid of new settlers, and
was exhibited at the Chicago World Exposition.
Jorgensen published a large map in 1895. Rev.
William Bolton led two expeditions in the 1890s
sponsored by The Province, with 19 chapters
of the story published in the newspaper.
The 20th century saw lots of changes, with more
input from Ottawa, including a Geological Survey
of Canada training program on Vancouver Island
for topographical mapping. In 1913 work was
begun on the first official Geographical Gazetteer
of British Columbia, published in 1930. The
first Physical Map of Vancouver Island 1913
appeared in that year. The Surveyor General
was concerned about B.C.’s cartographic
heritage, putting reference copies on more
durable linen and consulting the British Museum
about conservation of originals. The Chief
Astronomer of Canada established the Dominion
Astrophysical Observatory on Little Saanich
Bulletin de l’ACACC numero 146, hiver 2014
33
Frances Woodward
Librarian Emerita
University of British Columbia
Vancouver, BC
Map Worlds: A History of Women in
Cartography
Reviewed by Courtney Lundrigan
van den Hoonaard, Will C. Map Worlds: A
History of Women in Cartography. Waterloo:
Wilfrid Laurier University Press, 2013.
394p. $59.99 Cdn. ISBN 978-1-55458-932-6.
Map Worlds: A History of Women in Cartography
attempts to examine the role of women in
cartography worldwide, from the thirteenth
century to the present day. The study uses a variety
of methods, including biographical vignettes and
interviews. The book attempts to explore changes
in the habits of female cartographers over time.
The author spends a considerable amount of time
prefacing the study with elaborate definitions of
what constitutes cartography, and a discussion of
the purpose of maps. It is useful information for
those new to the field, but much of the information
is superfluous and leaves the reader questioning
its significance to the study’s ultimate goal.
Map Worlds begins with an interesting
historical account of the early involvement
of women in the European map ateliers of
the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.
The author describes map ateliers as social
constructs deeply rooted in the family, and
that included women in a variety of roles.
From there, van den Hoonaard transitions to
discuss contemporary women through a series of
biographical vignettes. The section begins with
a set of criteria for defining pioneering women in
the field. The vignettes interrupt the previously
established historical survey approach, which
Mountain with the largest reflecting telescope
in the world, to provide precise measurement
of time and longitudinal position; in 1911-
1912 a portion of central Vancouver Island
was surveyed and the first provincial park in
Canada was established, known as Strathcona
Park, though development was halted during
World War I. In the “Afterword” technological
developments brought about by the War are
discussed, and the various map series noted.
The maps illustrating the story are well chosen.
Found in many public and private collections in
Britain and North America, many are probably
quite unfamiliar to most readers. The first five
years of my career were spent in what was then
known as the Provincial Archives of British
Columbia, before moving to the Rare Books and
Special Collections Division of the University
of British Columbia. In this book are many
manuscript maps including some copies of
originals in what was known as the Legal Surveys
Vault. All the early published maps were in the
Archives. Reading this book was like becoming
reacquainted with old friends. The reproductions
are generally well done, although some could
perhaps have been a little larger and clearer.
This book is a complicated story, told by an
expert in the field in a clear, concise manner. It
is a beautiful book which will appeal to many
people, and be understood and appreciated by
them. This book should be in all the academic
libraries in British Columbia and across Canada,
as well as housed in major public libraries in the
province. Some of the major libraries in Britain
and the United States might be interested,
especially those on the West Coast. Michael
Layland has accomplished for Vancouver Island
a perfect complement to the historical atlases
produced by Derek Hayes for British Columbia,
Vancouver, and other geographical areas.
ACMLA Bulletin Number 146 Winter 2014
34
Courtney Lundrigan
Instructional and Reader Services Librarian
John W. Graham Library, Trinity College in the
University of Toronto
Toronto, Ontario
From the Editor:
This is Susan McKee’s last Book Reviews column,
and I would like to sincerely thank her for the
work that she has done in the last several years. In
every issue, Susan has pulled together incredible
content selecting an array of interesting, current
books that many of our volunteers have enjoyed
reviewing. As one of the more popular columns
in the ACMLA Bulletin, the Reviews Column is
read by many and is often used to make book
purchasing decisions. Susan, thank you so much
for being a part of the ACMLA Bulletin staff !
Eva Dodsworth,
Editor, ACMLA Bulletin
Review Columnist Position Vacancy
The ACMLA Bulletin is looking for
a Book Review Columnist.
Please contact Eva Dodsworth with
your expressions of interest.
lends itself to an inconsistent methodology
throughout the rest of the book. There is
no dispute that the featured women have
contributed greatly to the field (and some
continue to do so), but this approach and subject
would be more suited to a separate study.
Although the use of biographical vignettes
generally detracts from the work, it certainly
highlights areas for further academic research.
As a historian, I identified a number of
potential studies on the women and issues
highlighted in the vignettes. Scholars from
other disciplines will likely discover research
interests of their own in the pages of Map Worlds.
From the vignettes, the methodology shifts
once again to the use of interviews. The
frequently changing methodology, along with
the inconsistent focus, demonstrates that the
book’s scope may be too broad. As a result, many
parts seem either out of place, or deserving
of their own studies. Finally, it overshadows
the main point that women’s participation
in cartography has changed over time.
The author admits to the absence of a grand
narrative in the field. No solution is offered
until the end of the study, when van den
Hoonaard presents a theory that women’s
involvement in cartography developed in six
waves. That theory would have provided
a much more cohesive approach than the
variety of methods used, and should have
been placed at the beginning of the work.
Despite the problem of inconsistent
methodology and an ambitious scope, the
book is an important one and would be a
welcome addition to many library collections.
It presents opportunities for further research,
and contributes to a small body of literature
on women’s participation in cartography.
Bulletin de l’ACACC numero 146, hiver 2014
35
From the Reviews Editor:
Thanks to those who submitted book reviews and to all who have expressed interest in reviewing! I’ll
continue to request review copies from publishers - but please let me know if you have read a book of
interest to the ACMLA and would like to submit a review, and if you have any suggestions for titles/sources.
Here are the review guidelines:
ACMLA Bulletin Book Review Guidelines
Review Format
1. Bibliographic Citation
This should include: author, title, edition, place of publication, publisher, date, number of pages, price (if
known) and ISBN. Example:
Bussey, Ben and Spudis, Paul D. The Clementine Atlas of the Moon. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press, 2004. 316p. $80.00 US. ISBN 0-521-81528-2.
2. Content
The review should describe and critically evaluate the work. Typical review elements include: scope, purpose
and content of the work; intended audience; writing style; background and authority of the author; how the
work compares with other titles on the same subject; its usefulness as a research tool; any unique features;
and its suitability for library collections.
The length of the review is at the reviewer’s discretion, but should normally reflect the importance of the
work. A typical review is about 500 words.
3. Your name, title, institutional affiliation, city and province/state
Editorial Policy
Opinions expressed in reviews are those of the reviewer, not of the ACMLA. The Reviews Editor may make
minor edits, without communicating with the reviewer. Should the Editor determine that a major revision
is required, she will contact the reviewer for discussion.
Susan McKee
Reviews Editor
FRENCH TRANSLATOR REQUIRED
The ACMLA Bulletin is looking for assistance with trans-lating
reviews and other documents from English to French.
Please consider this valuable contribution to the Bulletin,
and contact the Editor with your expressions of interest.
ACMLA Bulletin Number 146 Winter 2014
36
NEW BOOKS AND ATLASES
Compiled by Peter Genzinger
Anderson, Liam D. 2014. An atlas of Middle Eastern
affairs. London: Routledge. 328 p. $130.46 CDN.
ISBN: 9780415680967.
Armitage, Anne. 2013. Mapping the new world:
renaissance maps from the American Museum in
Britain. London: Scala. 128 p. $23.94 CDN. ISBN:
9781857598223.
Bishop, Chris. 2013. Military atlas of World War II.
London: Chartwell Books. 176 p. $25.45 CDN. ISBN:
9780785830375.
Bonnell, Jennifer and Marcel Fortin (eds.). 2014.
Historical GIS research in Canada. Calgary:
University of Calgary Press. 350 p. $31.96 CDN.
ISBN: 9781552387085.
Branch, Jordan. 2014. Cartographic state: maps,
territory, and the origins of sovereignty. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press. 238 p. $78.69 CDN.
ISBN: 9781107040960.
Brook, Timothy. 2013. Mr. Seleden’s map of China:
decoding the secrets of a vanished cartographer.
New York: Bloomsbury. 211 p. $18.77 CDN. ISBN:
9781620401439.
Carpenter, Richard C. 2013. Railroad atlas of the
United States in 1946, v. 5: Iowa and Minnesota.
Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. 232 p.
$54.53 CDN. ISBN: 9781421410357.
Clemmer, Gina. 2013. GIS 20: essential skills. 2nd
ed. Redlands, CA: ESRI Press. 185 p. $25.17 CDN.
ISBN: 9781589483224.
Clochard, Olivier (ed.). 2013. Atlas of migration in
Europe: a critical geography of migration policies.
Oxford: New Internationalist. 149 p. $32.99 CDN.
ISBN: 9781780260839.
Daniell, Christopher. 2014. Atlas of early modern
Britain. London: Routledge. 147 p. $36.18 CDN.
ISBN: 9780415729246.
Dorrian, Mark. 2013. Seeing from above: the aerial
view in visual culture. London: I.B. Taurus. 312 p.
$31.00 CDN. ISBN: 9781780764610.
Farjon, Aljos. 2013. Atlas of the world’s conifers:
an analysis of their distribution, biogeography,
diversity and conservation status. Leiden: Brill. 512
p. $158.98 USD. ISBN: 9789004211803.
Hofmann, Catherine. 2013. Golden age of maritime
maps: when Europe discovered the world.
Richmond Hill: Firefly Books. 256 p. $49.95 CDN.
ISBN: 9781770852389.
Katesky, James M. 2013. Global assessment of
offshore mariculture potential from a spatial
perspective. Rome: UN Food & Agriculture
Organization. 181 p. $60.00 USD. ISBN:
9789251073896.
McNeil, Linda M. 2014. Spatial temporal information
systems: an ontological approach using STK. Boca
Raton: CRC Press. 336 p. $142.26 CDN. ISBN:
9781466500457.
Meaden, Geoffrey J. 2013. Advances in geographic
information systems and remote sensing for
fisheries and aquaculture: summary version. Rome:
UN Food & Agriculture Organization. 98 P. $20.18.
CDN. ISBN: 9789251073919.
Muehlenhaus, Ian. 2014. Web cartography: map
design for interactive and mobile devices. Boca
Raton: CRC Press. 262 p. $98.47 CDN. ISBN:
9781439876220.
Bulletin de l’ACACC numero 146, hiver 2014
37
National Geographic Society. 2014. National
Geographic global atlas. Washington: National
Geographic Society. 335 p. $58.00 CDN. ISBN:
9781426212017.
National Library of Australia. 2013. Mapping our
world: Terra Incognita to Australia. Canberra:
National Library of Australia. 256 p. $48.20 USD.
ISBN: 9780642278098.
Prost, G. L. 2014. Remote sensing for geoscientists:
image analysis and integration. Boca Raton: CRC
Press. 674 p. $164.15 CDN. ISBN: 9781466561748.
Rapoport, Yossef and Emilie Savage-Smith (eds.).
2014. An eleventh-century Egyptian guide to the
universe: the “Book of Curiosities.” Leiden: Brill.
698 p. $289.00 USD.
Seed, Patricia. 2014. Oxford map companion:
one hundred sources in world history. New York:
Oxford University Press. 248 p. $32.95 CDN. ISBN:
9780199765638. ISBN: 9789004255647.
Solnit, Rebecca. 2013. Unfathomable city: a New
Orleans atlas. Berkeley, CA: University of California
Press. 166 p. $54.68 CDN. ISBN: 9780520274044.
Swanston, Alex. 2014. The atlas of special operations
of World War II. New York: Skyhorse Publishing.
192 p. $18.77 CDN. ISBN: 9781628737233.
Taylor, D.R.F. 2014. Developments in the theory
and practice of cybercartography: applications and
indigenous mapping. Amsterdam: Elsevier. 364 P.
$139.95 CDN. ISBN: 9780444627131.
Tomlinson, Roger F. 2013. Thinking about GIS:
geographic information system planning for
managers. 5th ed. Redlands, CA: ESRI Press. $29.55
CDN. ISBN: 9781589483484
Westphal, Bertrand. 2013. The plausible world:
a geocritical approach to space, place, and maps.
Translated by Amy D. Wells. New York:
Palgrave Macmillan. 191 p. $98.00 CDN. ISBN:
9781137364586.
Wise, Stephen. GIS Fundamentals. 2014. 2nd ed.
Boca Raton: CRC Press. 322 p. $70.00 CDN. ISBN:
9781439886953.
Featured Book :
Historical GIS research in Canada, Calgary:
University of Calgary Press. Free PDF Available from
http://uofcpress.com/books/9781552387085.
Congratulations to all editors and contributors!
Many of whom are ACMLA Members:
Colleen Beard
Stephen Bocking
Jennifer Bonnell
Jim Clifford
Joanna Dean
François Dufaux
Patrick A. Dunae
Marcel Fortin
Jason Gilliland
William M. Glen
Megan Harvey
Matthew G. Hatvany
Sally Hermansen
Andrew Hinson
Don Lafreniere
John S. Lutz
Joshua D. MacFadyen
Daniel Macfarlane
Jennifer Marvin
Cameron Metcalf
Byron Moldofsky
Sherry Olson
Jon Pasher
Daniel Rueck
R. W. Sandwell
Henry Yu
Barbara Znamirowski
ACMLA Bulletin Number 146 Winter 2014
38
NEW MAPS
Compiled by Cheryl Woods
Northern Albania
Scale: 1:200,000
Publisher: Vektor Maps
Year of Publication: 2013
Southern Albania
Scale: 1:200,000
Publisher: Vektor Maps
Year of Publication: 2013
2013/2014 Nuclear News Wall Map of United
States Commercial Nuclear Power Plants
Scale: NA
Publisher: American Nuclear Society
Year of Publication: 2013
2013/2014 Nuclear News Worldwide Wall
Map of Europe and Russia Commercial Nuclear
Power Plants
Scale: NA
Publisher: American Nuclear Society
Year of Publication: 2013
2013/2014 Nuclear News Worldwide Wall Map
of The Americas, Africa, and Asia Commercial
Nuclear Power Plants
Scale: NA
Publisher: American Nuclear Society
Year of Publication: 2013
Adelaide and Region 7th ed.
Scale: 1:19,780/1:80,000
Publisher: Hema Maps
Year of Publication: 2014
Central Australia 10th ed.
Scale: 1:2,000,000
Publisher: Hema Maps
Year of Publication: 2014
Hema’s Great Desert Tracks: Central Sheet 6th
ed.
Scale: 1:1,250,000
Publisher: Hema Maps
Year of Publication: 2014
Hema’s Great Desert Tracks: Western Sheet 6th
ed.
Scale: 1:1,250,000
Publisher: Hema Maps
Year of Publication: 2014
Top End and Gulf 6th ed.
Scale: 1:650,000
Publisher: Hema Maps
Year of Publication: 2013
North East New South Wales 8th ed.
Scale: 1:375,000
Publisher: Hema Maps
Year of Publication: 2013
Red Centre 6th ed.
Scale: 1:750,000
Publisher: Hema Maps
Year of Publication: 2014
North Queensland 11th ed.
Scale: 1:750,000
Publisher: Hema Maps
Year of Publication: 2014
Azores
Scale: 1:50,000
Publisher: Freytag & Berndt
Year of Publication: 2013
Florida
Scale: 1:500,000
Publisher: Freytag & Berndt
Year of Publication: 2013
Kazakhstan
Scale: 1:2,000,000
Publisher: Freytag & Berndt
Year of Publication: 2013
Bulletin de l’ACACC numero 146, hiver 2014
39
Madeira
Scale: 1:40,000
Publisher: Freytag & Berndt
Year of Publication: 2013
Rome
Scale: 1:10,000
Publisher: Freytag & Berndt
Year of Publication: 2013
Slovenia/Croatia/Serbia/Bosnia/Montenegro/
Macedonia
Scale: 1:600,000
Publisher: Freytag & Berndt
Year of Publication: 2013
Sweden
Scale: 1:600,000
Publisher: Freytag & Berndt
Year of Publication: 2013
Europe Postal Codes map
Scale: 1:3,750,000
Publisher: Freytag & Berndt
Year of Publication: 2014
Vietnam/Laos/Cambodia
Scale: 1:900,000
Publisher: Freytag & Berndt
Year of Publication: 2014
Czech Republic
Scale: 1:300,000
Publisher: Marco Polo
Year of Publication: 2014
Hungary
Scale: 1:300,000
Publisher: Marco Polo
Year of Publication: 2014
Malaysia/Indonesia
Scale: 1:2,000,000
Publisher: Marco Polo
Year of Publication: 2014
Malta and Gozo Holiday Map
Scale: 1:50,000
Publisher: Marco Polo
Year of Publication: 2013
Philippines
Scale: 1:2,000,000
Publisher: Marco Polo
Year of Publication: 2014
Poland
Scale: 1:800,000
Publisher: Marco Polo
Year of Publication: 2014
Romania/Moldova
Scale: 1:800,000
Publisher: Marco Polo
Year of Publication: 2014
Russia/Ukraine/Belarus
Scale: 1:2,000,000/1:10,000,000
Publisher: Marco Polo
Year of Publication: 2014
Slovakia
Scale: 1:200,000
Publisher: Marco Polo
Year of Publication: 2014
South America, Northern Region
Scale: 1:4,000,000
Publisher: Marco Polo
Year of Publication: 2014
South America, Southern Region
Scale: 1:4,000,000
Publisher: Marco Polo
Year of Publication: 2014
Submarine Cable Map
Scale: NA
Publisher: TeleGeography
Year of Publication: 2014
ACMLA Bulletin Number 146 Winter 2014
40
GEOSPATIAL DATA AND SOFTWARE REVIEWS
Compiled by Andrew Nicholson
Open Data Fredericton
Reviewed by Siobhan Hanratty
Data/GIS Librarian
University of New Brunswick Libraries
Open Data Home page: http://www.fredericton.ca/en/citygovernment/DataMain.asp
The City of Fredericton has long been a great
source of free geospatial data, particularly for the
academic community. Since July 2011, however,
they have formalized the process by creating an
open data site where they currently offer twenty-seven
datasets but expect to add more in the future.
Description
As one would expect, Fredericton’s Open Data
site includes infrastructure layers such as
street centrelines and building footprints, but
unfortunately no sewer pipes or other utilities
are included. Similarly administrative datasets
such as municipal wards and civic addresses are
available for download; however, surprisingly,
there is not a dataset for the general municipal
boundary. Physical environment is represented
by such datasets as contour lines and elevation
points as well as streams and water bodies,
but the most significant body of water in the
Province, the Saint John River which also divides
the city almost in half, is missing. Upon informal
inquiry it would seem that the data available
on the site is limited to that which the City has
created rather than that which researchers might
be expecting. Although the “missing” data is
available through the provincial open data site,
GeoNB (http://www.snb.ca/geonb1), it would be
helpful if there were placeholder entries on the
municipal website re-directing to the Province.
Other datasets which are available on the
Fredericton Open Data site include city facilities
such as ball fields and tennis courts, police and fire
stations, garbage pickup zones and recycling depots.
Perhaps one of the most appreciated datasets
the City makes available are the 15cm resolution
orthophotos. More current orthophotos (2012) do
exist; however, it is not yet possible to load them on
the site. Although they cannot yet be disseminated
via the web, the City makes them available
upon request and shall make them available for
download as soon as they are able to.
Technical aspect
The website is generally well designed and easy to
use. On each page there is a header which refers
to the Terms of Use and easy access to FAQs and a
Glossary of Terms. The Data Catalogue is laid out
in a convention tabular form, with alphabetical
jumps to each dataset. Because the number of
datasets is so small, at the moment the lack of
search functionality and thematic classification are
not huge problems; however, they would certainly
prove useful. For instance, when I could not find
a municipal boundary file I decided to use the
wards layer. It was filed under “Electoral Wards”
rather than simply wards, and had there been
hundreds of links instead of twenty-seven, or had
they used the term “districts” instead of wards
this could have been a frustrating experience.
Bulletin de l’ACACC numero 146, hiver 2014
41
Fredericton’s Open Data Catalogue
ACMLA Bulletin Number 146 Winter 2014
42
With the exception of the orthophotos, which
areMrSID, and the transit layer, which is Google
Transit Feed Specification (GTFS), most other
files are shapefiles or KMZ with a few layers being
available in CSV or DWG formats. Many datasets
are available in more than one format, although
this is not always apparent until you have clicked
on the link describing the data. Projection of the
KMZ files is World Geodetic System dated from
1984 (WGS84 datum), but the shapefiles use the NB
Stereographic, NAD83 (CSRS) projection, as does
most of the official data created in the province.
As with many open data sites the City of Fredericton
removes older datasets when they are updated. The
understanding is that, space allowing, they will leave
older versions of the orthophotos on the site, but
continue to overwrite other layers. Administrative
units do keep older versions of their data, however,
which they often make available upon request.
Metadata and Licensing
Each layer has an accompanying metadata page,
which includes fields for the owner, currency, data
format, projection, attributes, comments, website
of responsible city office, and contact information.
There is also some metadata attached to the layers,
themselves, and although for the most part it is
similar to that which is listed on the website, there
are some slight differences. It would be most
useful to use both the attached metadata and the
website description when working with the files.
Bulletin de l’ACACC numero 146, hiver 2014
43
A look at the metadata
The City of Fredericton makes its data available under an open licence, wherein they explicitly state that they
hope to “encourage recipients of these datasets to give back to the community the benefits they derive from
these datasets.” As such researchers may use and distribute the data for any purpose as long as it is not illegal.
Conclusion
Although there is some tightening up to do with the website and there are some files not yet available,
Fredericton’s Open Data website is a welcome and useful tool. It seems that most of the geospatial data which
has been made available on the site has been done at the instigation of people from within the government.
As is often the case with such initiatives I believe that there is insufficient funding to make everything
available all at once, so departments offer up the files they believe will be most popular or are easily made
ready. I feel that increased local engagement will be required before the site begins to fulfill its potential, but
as a starting place, the City of Fredericton’s Open Data site is great, particularly for academic researchers.
ACMLA Bulletin Number 146 Winter 2014
44
GIS TRENDS
ON THE MAP : THE MAP TREND LOCATOR
Courtney Lundrigan
Google Maps Gallery
http://maps.google.com/gallery/
About
Google Maps Gallery aims to be an access point for maps and geospatial data. With the
intention of making maps more discoverable to various stakeholder groups, Google Maps
Gallery contains maps contributed by a wide variety of organizations, including the City of
Edmonton, David Rumsey Map Collection, US Census Bureau, National Geographic Society,
NASA, University of Maryland, World Bank Group, National Library of Scotland, and more.
Scope
There is no particular geographic, temporal, or thematic focus. Provided that contributors abide
by the program policies, governments or organizations wishing to contribute their maps and/or
data may do so.
Bulletin de l’ACACC numero 146, hiver 2014
45
Strengths
• Maps can be searched, but also browsed through a list of subject areas: boundaries, crisis, culture
& society, environment, historical, imagery, infrastructure, places, recreation, and space
• Accepts a number of data formats
o Vector: .shp, .csv, .kml, .kmz, .tab
o Image: .jpeg, .jpg, .jpg2, .tif, .tiff, .sid, .png
Limitations
• Relies on organizations and governments to actively submit their maps, so coverage is not consistent
• Individuals are not able to submit maps and data at this time, as Google Maps Gallery is focused
on publishing content from governments and organizations
ACMLA Bulletin Number 146 Winter 2014
46
Features
• Explicit, easy to find copyright, usage, and licensing information
• Opportunity to purchase a print copy of the map, where possible
• Option to view related maps
• Information page about each contributor to provide further information for end users
• Maps can open directly in Google Earth and, for machines that do not have Google Earth installed,
there is an option to download the .kml file
Connected?
Yes. Maps can be shared through Google +. There is currently no option to share through other
social media platforms.
Recommended for Users?
Yes. Users with varying levels of expertise will likely be familiar with using Google Maps in some
context, making Google Maps Gallery easy to use.
Bulletin de l’ACACC numero 146, hiver 2014
47
WANTED:
FEATURE ARTICLES
The ACMLA Bulletin is comprised of regular
columns, but also feature articles written by
map and GIS users like you. Please consider
sharing your research, your knowledge and
experience in the form of a research paper.
Every year, ACMLA offers the ACMLA Cathy
Moulder Paper Award. To be considered
for this award, your paper must be at
least 3 pages long, and must contribute
to map/GIS librarianship, curatorship
or archiveship. For complete guidelines,
please visit the ACMLA Award Committee’s
website: http://www.acmla.org/awards.php
Welcome!
New ACMLA Members
Pierre Leblanc
Cartographic and GIS Support Specialist
University of Ottawa Library
GSG Information Centre
65 University Private
Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5
pleblanc@uottawa.ca
Laura Walton
Coordinator, Geographic Resources Centre
York University
Geography Dept
4700 Keele Street
N430 Ross Building
Toronto, ON M3J 1P3
lwalton@yorku.ca
Yukon Archives, Yukon Tourism and Culture
Attn: Vanessa Thorson
Box 2703
Whitehorse, YT Y1A 2C6
yukon.archives@gov.uk.ca
Nicole Rutherford
P.O. Box 429
13347 Old Hope Rd
Charlie Lake, BC V0C 1H0
nicole.rutherford@focus.ca
Tomasz Mrozewski
935 Ramsey Lake Rd.
Sudbury, ON P3C 4X5
tmrozewski@laurentian.ca
Jordan Hale
Original Cataloguer & Reference Specialist
University of Toronto Library
Map & Data Library
130 St. George Street
Toronto, ON M5S 1A5
jordan.hale@utoronto.ca
Sarah Simpkin
GIS and Geography Librarian
University of Ottawa Library
GSG Information Centre
65 University Private
Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5
Emanuel H. Actarian
Bibliothécaire-Catalogueur remplaçant
University of Ottawa Library
3461 Albion Road S app. 2
Ottawa, ON K1V 8Y1
eactaria@uottawa.ca
Université Laval
Bibliothèque - Pavillon Bonenfant
Local 0155
Québec, QC G1V 0A6
Status: Institutional Member
Application for Travel Assistance to the Conferenceand Annual General MeetingTo assist ACMLA/ACACC members in attending CARTO 2014in Montréal, QC,the Executivehas set asidea small portion of Association funds to beallocated for travel funding. Assistance will be granted according to thecriteria established bytheACMLA / ACACC. For example, members new to the Association and student members participating in the Conference will receive first consideration; members presenting a paper will receive second consideration. We ask all applicants to first try and find funding at their own institution.To apply for Travel Assistance, please complete and submit this form by Monday, April 18th2014 to: Danial DudaMap Room Queen Elizabeth II LibraryMemorial University of NewfoundlandSt. John’s NewfoundlandCANADA A1B 3Y1fax: 709-864-2153e-mail: dduda@mun.caAll applications received by April 18thwill be considered and successful applicants will benotifiedno later than April 25thofthe amount of funds allocated.Lateapplications may be considered and supplemental allocations may be made, if funds are available. Cheques will be issued after the conference. A travel reimbursement form with original receipts should be sent to the ACMLA Treasurer (to be announcedat AGM), no later than forty-five (45) days after the end of the AGM (July 28, 2014).Name: __________________________Telephone:_______________e-mail: ____________________Address:____________________________________________________________________________________City: _______________________________Prov/State: ___________________Postal Code: _____________Are you an ACMLA / ACACC member? YNAre you a student? Y N What program / school?_____________________________How you are participating in this conference? _______________________________________________________(presentation, attendee, workshop, session moderator, etc.) Travelling from:________________________________ Mode:(plane, train, car, etc.)________________________________Cost estimate:________________ (Note: If travelling by car, the rate is 30 cents per kilometreand theTOTAL must beless than cost for public modes.)Date of application(mm/dd/yy):____________________________