IFLA Section of Geography and Map Libraries

	IFLA Section of Geography and Map Libraries
If you have any suggestions, comments or items that you would like to see added to this collection, please direct your messages to: libmap1@uconnvm.uconn.edu

Title

Digital Map Librarianship: Working with Geodata: Downloading from the WWW

Downloading from the WWW
There is a growing amount of digital geodata avialable on the WorldWide Web. The data are in vector, raster and attribute formats.

Vector Data
The source of comprehensive world vector data is the Digital Chart of the World. The DCW is a set of data in the global public domain. The data available from the Pennsylvania State University (PSU) server has been pre-processed by ESRI, inc. While the copyright of the data is retained by ESRI, they have agreed to make it available for public use in cooperation with PSU and IFLA. "ESRI's intent is to provide useful, free Internet client software to help fulfill the ESRI vision of widespread, readily available GIS data exploration tools, contributing to the creation of a true "societal" GIS." There are other sources for data, but the DCW includes the entire world at a scale of 1:1,000,000. The primary source for this database is the US Defense Mapping Agency (DMA) Operational Navigation Chart (ONC) series that are produced by the United States, Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom. The ONCs have a scale of 1:1,000,000 (1 inch equals approximately 16 miles). A guide to the PSU server will help you navigate your spatial information needs.

Raster Data
A collection of country maps is available from the University of Texas' Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection. These maps have been scanned from a collection of maps done by various agencies of the United States federal government. The data are in the public domain. By downloading an image, the user is able to load the image into a GIS program such as MapInfo, by registering the Latitude/Longitude and projection (usually Lambert Conformal). With the image as geodata, the user can overlay data or digitize vectors off of the image.

Collections
There are some institutions, not libraries, which have been charged to make available geodata, sometimes in the public domain. This list is not comprehensive.

CEISIN
Global Land Information System
Info2000

Internet Nexae
There are a number of nexae of geodata that websters have pulled together. Here are a few select:

Odden's Bookmarks An excellent compendium, well organized and up-to-date
GIS WWW Resource List from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland
Online Resources for Earth Scientists
Map-related sites from the Perry-Castañeda Library, University of Texas
The Society of Cartographers, UK

These sites each have a different flavor and focus.

Clearinghouses
In the past five years the notion of a "clearinghouse" of spatial information has gained favor. The U.S. National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) encompasses policies, standards, and procedures for organizations to cooperatively produce and share geographic data. Search the Clearinghouse .

Suggested Citation
McGlamery, Patrick, "Digital Map Librarianship: Working with geodata; Hands-on, Downloading from the WWW, Other geodata." Digital Map Librarianship: a working syllabus, 63rd IFLA Conference, Copenhagen, Denmark. (4, Sept. 1997; updated 9, Aug. 1999) <http://magic.lib.uconn.edu/ifla/wg_ho_www.htm>

Patrick McGlamery
Map Librarian
Map and Geographic Information Center
University of Connecticut Libraries
Storrs, CT 06268
libmap1@uconnvm.uconn.edu

Title	Digital Map Librarianship: Working with Geodata: Downloading from the WWW
Downloading from the WWW	There is a growing amount of digital geodata avialable on the WorldWide Web. The data are in vector, raster and attribute formats.
Vector Data	The source of comprehensive world vector data is the Digital Chart of the World. The DCW is a set of data in the global public domain. The data available from the Pennsylvania State University (PSU) server has been pre-processed by ESRI, inc. While the copyright of the data is retained by ESRI, they have agreed to make it available for public use in cooperation with PSU and IFLA. "ESRI's intent is to provide useful, free Internet client software to help fulfill the ESRI vision of widespread, readily available GIS data exploration tools, contributing to the creation of a true "societal" GIS." There are other sources for data, but the DCW includes the entire world at a scale of 1:1,000,000. The primary source for this database is the US Defense Mapping Agency (DMA) Operational Navigation Chart (ONC) series that are produced by the United States, Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom. The ONCs have a scale of 1:1,000,000 (1 inch equals approximately 16 miles). A guide to the PSU server will help you navigate your spatial information needs.
Raster Data	A collection of country maps is available from the University of Texas' Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection. These maps have been scanned from a collection of maps done by various agencies of the United States federal government. The data are in the public domain. By downloading an image, the user is able to load the image into a GIS program such as MapInfo, by registering the Latitude/Longitude and projection (usually Lambert Conformal). With the image as geodata, the user can overlay data or digitize vectors off of the image.
Collections	There are some institutions, not libraries, which have been charged to make available geodata, sometimes in the public domain. This list is not comprehensive. CEISIN Global Land Information System Info2000
Internet Nexae	There are a number of nexae of geodata that websters have pulled together. Here are a few select: Odden's Bookmarks An excellent compendium, well organized and up-to-date GIS WWW Resource List from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland Online Resources for Earth Scientists Map-related sites from the Perry-Castañeda Library, University of Texas The Society of Cartographers, UK These sites each have a different flavor and focus.
Clearinghouses	In the past five years the notion of a "clearinghouse" of spatial information has gained favor. The U.S. National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) encompasses policies, standards, and procedures for organizations to cooperatively produce and share geographic data. Search the Clearinghouse .
Suggested Citation	McGlamery, Patrick, "Digital Map Librarianship: Working with geodata; Hands-on, Downloading from the WWW, Other geodata." Digital Map Librarianship: a working syllabus, 63rd IFLA Conference, Copenhagen, Denmark. (4, Sept. 1997; updated 9, Aug. 1999) <http://magic.lib.uconn.edu/ifla/wg_ho_www.htm>