T238 Navigating the Geoscience Information Landscape: Pathways to Success

Wednesday, 21 October 2009
8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
D137/138

PORTALS, PROJECTS, AND PATHWAYS: ADVICE FOR DEEP RESEARCH IN MAP LIBRARIES

Paper number: T238-2
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 8:20 AM – 8:40 AM

Authors

Abstract

This presentation will highlight current trends in map libraries that are changing the way that end-users find and user geo-spatial information. Many institutions are integrating historical materials with contemporary, born-digital geo-information. Others are building portals to distribute large, single-purpose datasets produced by government agencies or research teams.

These systems have a variety of search engines, metadata standards, and access mechanisms. To find comprehensive information about a given site, one might have to search GeoSpatial One Stop, a university library's catalog, a state data clearinghouse, and data archives of scholarly journals--none of which appear in Google results. Information sources might include hundred-year-old survey notes, printed geologic maps, and LiDAR data.

Integrating these legacy and contemporary resources is a challenge for users. By examining efforts at the University of Oregon, and comparing these efforts to other institutions, we will provide practical advice for those attempting to navigate these diverse information landscapes.