Maps, Libraries and the “GIS Librarian”: an Informal Review of International Cartographic Libraries

Abstract

A significant research potential in South Africa is recognized by the researcher for the intersection of map services, geospatial data, libraries and education. This paper acknowledges that together, cartographic technology and map collections have the potential to unlock cartographic related research. Based on research conducted in 2010 for the Postgraduate Diploma in Library and Information Science at the University of Cape Town, this paper presents an overview of current literature and investigates what cartographic services are provided by a selection of national and international academic libraries.
The methodology employed was to use the Shanghai Ranking Consultancy (2010) system to identify and choose top ranked universities. The libraries of eight universities were informally compared by reviewing their respective websites. Three cartographic related aspects were the focus of this review: (1) technology, (2) map related services, and (3) legislation.
The findings identify cartographic services and also highlight differences, especially between the libraries in South Africa and those in international countries. The results indicate that while South African libraries are known to have map collections, online services, in the form of digital maps and geospatial data, are not readily accessible. Furthermore, the researcher suggests that there is a need for research that focuses on Geographic Information Librarianship and the GIS Librarian in SA.