601 Session 11-12-Geographic Sources

LIS 601 Geographic

Sources

Fall 2011Dr. Diane Nahl

University of HawaiiLibrary and information Science Program

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Geographic Sources• Geographic Literacy

• Geography games

• Oldest written form of communication [6200 BC wall painting, 2500 BC tablet, 15th century ms.]

• Most expensive rare books sold in 2006 [Ptolemy: Cosmographia 1477, Geographia 1490, $4.4m]

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Geographic Sources• Most expensive rare books sold in 2007:

#5. David Roberts, The Holy Land, Syria, Idumea, Arabia, Egypt and Nubia.

• First quarto edition from 1855-56 of one of the greatest lithographic works ever printed. Roberts was the first Westerner to be granted permission to enter many sacred mosques and monuments in the Middle East. There are detailed drawings, six pictorial title pages, and two engraved maps. Roberts spent 11 months in 1838 to 1839, traveling and sketching throughout the area. Six volumes sold for $13,000 (Abe Books)

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Geographic Sources• Most expensive rare books sold in 2009:

#1. Gerardus Mercator’s “Atlas”

• A cartographer from France, Mercator was responsible for the first book to be called an “atlas” published in 1595. Mercator was also famous for the Mercator projection method of depicting the spherical nature of the earth on a flat map, a technique that is still used today. Sold at auction for $781,00(Sotheby’s).

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Geographic Sources• Most expensive rare books sold in 2010:

# 6. Ottoman Atlas

• Published in 1860s, this atlas contains 31 hand-colored maps prepared and printed in the Muhendishane I Berri Humayun (the Royal School of Military Engineering in Istanbul). Sold for $19,500 (Abe Books).

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Largest Atlas

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Geographic Sources

• Largest book in the world• Kiencke Atlas (world)• 5’ tall x 6’ wide• 350 years old• 37 maps, beautifully drawn• Given to King Charles II by Dutch

merchants• Summer 2010 was on display with pages

open at the British Library at the maps exhibition

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Geographic Information Needs: Location

Questions• Current events

• Recreation

• Business

• Historical geography• Genealogy• Military history• Place name changes

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Types of Map Sources• Encyclopedias,

Handbooks, Almanacs & Yearbooks

• Local or Regional Atlas

• World Atlas

• Student Atlas

• Commercial Atlas

• Historical Atlas

• Thematic Atlas

• National Atlas

• Show Atlas

• Weather Maps

• Electronic Maps, GPS, Geographic Browsers

• Satellite Image Maps• Google Earth Projects

• Tree & Planetary Maps

• Travel Guides

• Globes

• Gazetteer & Geographic Dictionary

• Name Standards

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Solid Geographic Features

• Cities & Towns

• Roads, Railroads

• Topography/relief

• Rivers, Streams & Lakes

• Oceans & Seas

• Swamps & Wetlands

• Mountains & Forests

• Parks

• Historical sites

• Cultural places

• Lighthouses

• Airports

• Tunnels

• Post Offices

• Banks

• Etc.

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Social Geographic Features

• Political boundaries

• Historical boundaries

• Commodities

• Transportation

• Population

• Commerce

• Industry

• Demographics

• Language

• Ethnicity

• Religion

• Etc.

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Other Mapped Features

• Climate & Weather

• Environment

• Risk assessment

• Farm types

• Wildlife populations & migration

• Oil, gas & water resources

• Energy types

• Etc.

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Respected Map Publishers

• Rand McNally

• C. S. Hammond

• National Geographic Society

• John G. Bartholomew

• Oxford University Press

• George Philip & Sons

• Michelin

• Kummerly & Frey

• U.S. Geoglogical Survey (U.S.G.S)

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Evaluating Geographic Sources

• Currency

• Accuracy

• Authority

• Emphasis

• Bias

• Scale

• Projection

• Color

• Symbols

• Density

• Font style & size

• Marginalia

• Legend

• Index

• Binding

• Price

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Due Next Week

• Guest Speaker, Gwen Sinclair, Government

Documents Librarian

• TEXT CHAPTER 12

• Reference Interactions Assignment pp. 7-10

• Search Exercises 6 Ready Reference & 7

Biography