Dear Julia,
I recently visited the UK to look at such models. Four very useful
places to visit would be:
University of London Computing Centre. They manage much of the OS
spatial data sent to the legal deposit Libraries.
Geographic and Imagery Division,
Ministry of Defence
Feltham
Near London.
They have a fantastic catalogue and have several people dedicated to
managing digital spatial data and providing client services. They've
still got lot of work to do on their cataloguing and processes etc. But
worth a look.
I'd suggest that the British Library is not worth visiting at this
stage. There digital spatial data curator left a couple of months ago
and the position has only recently been advertised.
Some commerical organisations might be worth visiting in London.
Humphrey Southall
History of GIS Project
He's very interested in long-term issues and has been juggling the
fundamental issues of cataloguing, infrastructure and funding.
David Medyckyj-Scott
Edina
Edinburgh
They've done a lot of work on various geographical data retrieval
systems.
Unfortunately, I didn't go to the National Data Archive at the
University of Essex, in Colchester. I ran out of time. Everyone tells
that I should have gone there.
Chris Fleet at the National Library of Scotland is a good person to
talk to about issues relating to cataloguing and managing spatial data
and spatial images.
I also suggest that models of Spatial Data Infrastructure might be
worth looking at.
A publication called 'Map Libraries in the new millenium' is well worth
reading, too, if you haven't already.
Best of luck.
Mark
__________________________________
Mark Bagnall
General Reference Services
National Library
ph. 04 474-3000 x 8722
>>> [log in to unmask] 09/02/03 02:24a.m. >>>
Hello,
We have a traditional sheet map library here in the Architecture &
Planning Library, University College Dublin. In addition to the
sheets we also generate print-outs from electronic maps holdings
(we are an agent of Ordnance Survey Ireland). As OSi move
towards Web delivery of maps, library staff will be assisting with
the delivery of spatial data in more of a GIS environment (we
currently do not have many skills in this area).
In addition to the Library set-up described above, we have here,
adjacent to the Library, a research institute which offers full GIS
services, of relevance to various urban researchers, and employing
a GIS Project Manager. It has been suggested that in the longer
term the management and delivery of spatial data come under the
remit of the Library umbrella. This is because the Library is a
central information management/dissemination facility and it is felt
that demands for spatial data will move outside the confines of our
architecture, planning and urban boundaries, to a much wider
customer base within the entire university.
What I am looking for are models of libraries organising, managing
and delivering spatial data; particularly concentrating on budgetary
and structural issues. I will be visiting London probably some time
in October and would be available to visit relevant libraries/spatial
data facilities.
I look forward to hearing from anyone who may be able to assist,
best regards
Julia
****************************************************
Julia Barrett, Architecture/Planning Librarian,
UCD, Richview, Clonskeagh, Dublin 14, Ireland
Tel: 00 353 1 716 2741; Fax: 00 353 1 283 0329
email:[log in to unmask]
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