New Paper - The Map as a Fundamental Source in the Memory of the World

[Tracey P. Lauriault]

UNESCO 2012

The Map as a Fundamental Source in the Memory of the World
http://www.ciscra.org/docs/Lauriault_Taylor_Map.pdf

Tracey P. Lauriault and D. R. Fraser Taylor

Abstract
Maps and spatial information have been fundamental facets of the memory of societies from all over the
world for millennia, and their preservation should be an integral part of government strategies in
managing digital data. The digital era in map-making is a relatively recent activity; the first digital maps
date from the 1960s. Digital mapping has accelerated very rapidly over the last decade and is now
ubiquitous with an increasing amount of spatially referenced information being created by nongovernmental
organizations, academia, the private sector and government, as well as by social networks
and citizen scientists. Unfortunately, despite that explosion of digital mapping little or no attention is
being paid to preservation. As a result, the very maps that have been such a fundamental source of
scientific and cultural information are now seriously at risk. Already we are losing map information
faster than it is being created, and the loss of that central element of the cultural heritage of societies all
over the world is a serious concern. There has already been a serious loss of maps; the Canada Land
Inventory and the 1986 BBC Domesday Project are only two such casualties, and mapping agencies all
over the world are struggling to preserve maps in the new digital era. It is somewhat paradoxical that it
is easier to get maps that are hundreds, and in some cases thousands, of years old than maps of the late
20th and early 21st centuries. This paper examines the opportunities and challenges of preserving and
accessing digital maps, atlases and geospatial information, all of which are Canada’s cultural and
scientific knowledge assets.

--

Tracey P. Lauriault

Post Doctoral Fellow

Geomatics and Cartographic Research Centre

https://gcrc.carleton.ca/confluence/display/GCRCWEB/Lauriault

http://datalibre.ca/
613-234-2805
 

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[Tracey P. Lauriault]

More data preservation discussions and papers here:

http://www.unesco.org/new/en/communication-and-information/events/calendar-of-events/events-websites/the-memory-of-the-world-in-the-digital-age-digitization-and-preservation/presentations-day-1/

On Tue, Feb 19, 2013 at 7:46 AM, Tracey P. Lauriault <[hidden email]> wrote:

UNESCO 2012

The Map as a Fundamental Source in the Memory of the World
http://www.ciscra.org/docs/Lauriault_Taylor_Map.pdf

Tracey P. Lauriault and D. R. Fraser Taylor

Abstract
Maps and spatial information have been fundamental facets of the memory of societies from all over the
world for millennia, and their preservation should be an integral part of government strategies in
managing digital data. The digital era in map-making is a relatively recent activity; the first digital maps
date from the 1960s. Digital mapping has accelerated very rapidly over the last decade and is now
ubiquitous with an increasing amount of spatially referenced information being created by nongovernmental
organizations, academia, the private sector and government, as well as by social networks
and citizen scientists. Unfortunately, despite that explosion of digital mapping little or no attention is
being paid to preservation. As a result, the very maps that have been such a fundamental source of
scientific and cultural information are now seriously at risk. Already we are losing map information
faster than it is being created, and the loss of that central element of the cultural heritage of societies all
over the world is a serious concern. There has already been a serious loss of maps; the Canada Land
Inventory and the 1986 BBC Domesday Project are only two such casualties, and mapping agencies all
over the world are struggling to preserve maps in the new digital era. It is somewhat paradoxical that it
is easier to get maps that are hundreds, and in some cases thousands, of years old than maps of the late
20th and early 21st centuries. This paper examines the opportunities and challenges of preserving and
accessing digital maps, atlases and geospatial information, all of which are Canada’s cultural and
scientific knowledge assets.

--

Tracey P. Lauriault

Post Doctoral Fellow

Geomatics and Cartographic Research Centre

https://gcrc.carleton.ca/confluence/display/GCRCWEB/Lauriault

http://datalibre.ca/
<a href="tel:[phone]" value="[phone]" target="_blank">613-234-2805
 

--

Tracey P. Lauriault

Post Doctoral Fellow

Geomatics and Cartographic Research Centre

https://gcrc.carleton.ca/confluence/display/GCRCWEB/Lauriault

http://datalibre.ca/
613-234-2805
 

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