Presentation from 2010 Connecticut Library Association (CLA) conference on April 20, 2010 in Uncasville, Connecticut.

1. Reference Librarians Toolkit:
Maps
William (Bill) Miller & Michael Howser
University of Connecticut Libraries
Map and Geographic Information Center - MAGIC

2. Session Outline
Overview
Print Maps Challenge
Why Digitize Maps?
GIS Data & Digital Cartography Challenge
Q&A

3. Quick Overview: MAGIC
Historical maps for USGS Topographic
Connecticut Maps for the US
Connecticut GIS Aerial Photography
Data
Focus: Provide public
Print map collection access to Maps &
of over 220,000 GIS data
maps
magic.lib.uconn.edu

4. magic.lib.uconn.edu

5. Quick Poll
How frequently do you use maps, aerial photos
and/or GIS data to answer questions?
Daily
Weekly
Monthly
A few times a year
Never

6. Ready? Let’s Explore!

7. Print Maps Challenge

8. The Print Map Challenge
When to use maps to answer questions
Where can you find maps
What information can be unique to maps
Is geographical place important to the researcher

9. Historical Maps
Include roads, houses,
businesses, towns....
Difficult to search for due to:
Not being cataloged
Minimal subjects and/or notes
Unable to determine if a
location is “on the map”

10. Historical Map Collections
MAGIC
Boston Public Library
University of Southern Maine
Library of Congress
David Rumsey Historical Map Collection
Yale University Map Collection
and many more...

12. David Rumsey Map Collection
davidrumsey.com

13. Flickr - Boston Public Library

14. Gazetteers
Include place descriptions, Lat/Long information
in “modern” versions
Sources to search
Google Books
Internet Archive
Library Catalogs

15. Atlases
Include more than just maps!
Images/drawings/sketches of businesses
Descriptions of places, government officials
Topics include: Historical, Environment,
Political, Transportation....
Google Books
Internet Archive
Library Catalogs

16. STATE GO V ER N M E NT .
... TT ....TI( .... OF TOl'"X"-Contiullf.. i1.
"
... XC"W LooJoa Cc _"':
l1io1 I I
i.al.oa. .
frOlJl, LDboa a.n.d fraDklia.
u 06. GBDdltlt.! J9,.];
Pope
I
... ta.tford Ton..-d ISo.s. takeu Bolton, Population. 1890. 1lo,SoS. 'd ll ersHeld t Hartford CoUDt)' ·)..-Popul&tioa,
4-515- Gra.od liA,:', 2;S,Y.l> Gra.udl,q,tofbor"oa,h GnuNI list., Gra.od list of cit)' of Roc:k- 1!WJo.2,271. Graod JUt, $1.350,619.
"' lalllrnrd Couaty t -Populatioo, IbcJO. Xew London CooDt)'J.-Samtd lIay.
to."a., 1;.;.10; boruagh,:1Jf4.. Grand list.. f ,lI],6.p. Ii lr&. Popnlation., 1"90. 1,060. GnlDd list. $l j3·9.':'.. Vilton ( Pai riiteld May.
SewH.,"enCouuty ).- J>OpulaUOD, , Sal; taken from :Sorwa1k.. Population, ',7 22.
iadbam Coanty -Iucorporated lby,
I:'''; takeofrom'·ol utlto'lrlJ. Popalatiou..ISrJo. ',0;' ,
CraDdliu..!'l!J,'b.4.
1&90.6.514- Gra.ad list., !-:,6519#- Grand lU;lOf
boroug:b. $1,7-15.935-
" -arre n Lltda6eld llay.
I Gra.ad list.,$U8.V56.
Vi ll c b estcr (Litch6etJ Couuty)_lncorpor-at.ed
)lay.I77'- Population. 18cp, 6,183; (No oeusta o f
... t oD in!rton XewLoudooCotml1 -locorpor.ated takellfromKenL POpalaUOD, I b90.41i. Grand theb<Jrougb ofWins.tm ha5 beeulakeo .ilSee 1860.)
run.i-zJJ.4 6 1. Grand list. $2,8 13.312. Gt1Dd liit of borough of
- ,1'4,. BotougbiDdebudoe5l5., ...tlJu LitclJ6eld Couutyj.-Iucorpora!ed Winsted in $z.406,88I.
Pairfield Coatlty .-Settled. 1639- Pop-
al.a.t.¥JQ. I""'. 2.60... Gran<tlin.:-;:;l, 141. list. f"6i.oj5.
--;;:::=:::
"lIffi ("ld Hanfonl fuy,
"'b.-rUMD f'tr"...dd C'l'Illlty - '.,. llu5acb1alet.U; aDtlaed. to CoooC'Ctinlt.
beT. :: tUna (,<mJ. -CW' Fairfield. "lIpu1alicm. 11:ar.I:':''). POpulatiOD, J. 1f>9. Graadlist.$I,.
I 66!. "ra.!ld.,;st,. S'.4r
... jrn .. bllry -Pcrpa.Iatioa.I890. Tboma...... tOD LitclJfield COQot,. .-looorpont.ed
1 .... GrudliJ,t,$ 10lJ.4 lby uketJ frrnn Plymouth. Popc.l.atioo, 1590.
'om .. r-. Tolla1ld CoI:lntJ" -Ineorponr.tcd Jilly. -z-::- '
1;j4 t.,-lf.-.c-ba.iU aonuC"ilOC01loectictrt.llay, Thomp'4)D Windham Coullty).-lncotpOraLed
llir ukea from KiUiDgly. POjJllIatiOIl, I¥ .
Se. n .. 'f1:'II CotuIt]" -IDcorpmalcd
( ,0- t.akea(rt;tm'cOObary. Popalalioo,'¥, TolJalld Tolaod COOIl1rJ.-Xamed. llay, I iI;
1 GTaDdlist.fJJ9,6.t 1.
...... uthJ.,!rt'Jll Jlvtf'c.ro CoaDtyl.-loC'orporalffl T ... Litchfield COllntYj.-Illcorpotatod
t.keD fr<;>m FarmiJlli:oJl. f'opulatioD, October, 'j.;o. Poptllatiotl. Gr.lDd Iw.,
1 .. r .... ·Dt,ill,· lJ6 BorougbllfSoDth. $t.9 Ii,6JO.
11J«1 'rano't!'-&,l.;r,s Tnllnbull Fairfield COUlltyt-JIlCOrpotaud Oc.
...... uch fHart(OTd County .-Jooorpo-n. tober li9i· takeoftom Stn.Lfol'd. Pllpulation, 18o}o,
.• } .. n:.fromE.utWiodl.oo" r'opalatioo, Gntod list, $XlI,O;, .
• """ I," ( rand lilA..
... C ..
1'SatlU:dlda,.,l!.:o6.
• _ 4
SF
And Prominent Financial and Indu trial In titution that haye Aided in the Publication of the
TOWN AND CITY ATLAS OF CONNECTICUT.
BHRTFORO COU f'l TY.
Atlas of the State of Connecticut - 1893

17. Topographic Maps
Elevation information
Railroads
Roads
Buildings (in less dense areas)
Water features (wetlands,
rivers...)

18. Topographic Map Sources
MAGIC - Connecticut
University of New Hampshire - New England
United States Geological Survey - US

19. Topographic Maps @ MAGIC

20. Transportation Maps
Road names - locations
of places
Peripheral information!
Basic background
information
streams, rivers, places

21. Transportation Map Sources
Library of
Congress
David Rumsey
Historical Map
Collection
Flickr!

22. Aerial Photography Map Sources
MAGIC - CT
Connecticut State
Library - CT
MassGIS - MA
RGIS - Rhode Island
Google Maps
Google Earth
Bing Maps

23. Aerial Photography

24. Additional Sources
How to Read Maps - U of Indiana
Map Catalogers Toolbox - U of Buffalo
Perry-Castaneda Map Collection - UT Austin

25. Why Digitize Maps?

26. Just a few reasons....
Preserve the original map
Increase discoverability of
maps
Increase access to
materials
Basis for scholarly
research
Enable new scholarship

27. GIS Data & Digital Challenge

28. GIS Data Challenge
How can GIS data help answer questions
What software/resources do I need to view GIS
data
Should I use GIS data instead of a print map

29. What is GIS Data?
GIS - Geographic Information Systems
Data used to create digital maps
Popular format - Shapefile (.shp)
Multiple Projections
Requires software to use - typically

30. Where Can I find GIS Data?
MAGIC - Connecticut
MassGIS - Massachusetts
GRANIT - New Hampshire
RGIS - Rhode Island
US Census Bureau - US coverage
and many more places...

31. Viewing GIS Data - Options
ArcGIS Explorer - Free
(similar to Google Earth)
ArcExplorer - Free
Google Earth - view
KML files

32. Digital Cartography Challenge
Creating a map may be the best answer for:
Identifying sites/historical locations
Highlighting change over time
Focusing on study area
When a print map is not available

33. Tools to Create Maps
Google Maps
ArcGIS Explorer - Free
(similar to Google Earth)
Google Earth - view
KML files
ArcGIS - High End/
Complete Custom Maps

34. You Can Do It!

35. Making Maps can be Fun!

36. Coming Attractions

37. Connecticut Water Resource Maps

38. Geology of Connecticut

39. New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad
1920s Valuation Maps
Includes: NY, CT, RI, MA
Each map is georeferenced
Mosaic and individual
images

40. GIS Data
Connecticut School
Districts
Census Data - 1990
Census Projections
Aerial Photo Indexes

41. On The Line: Hartford
Jack Dougherty - Trinity College

42. Maps Enable
Collaboration

43. Collaboration Opportunities
Interested in Collaborating with MAGIC on a
digitization project?
Want to make your map collections accessible to
the public?
Contact us! magic@uconn.edu

44. And Remember...

45. Questions?
magic@uconn.edu