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Dear everyone:
        I've been following the vector maps conversation with interest. As to
using vector maps as a method of "preserving" old maps, I think it is clearer to
say that it is a method of providing a digital rendition of important features
which can be worked with, without the need for getting out fragile documents and
letting them into the hands of a class full of students armed with digitizing
tablets and masking tape. The original work should certainly be provided if
necessary for visual reference and a check of the nature of the features
captured digitally, but the hands on work can be much reduced.
        This brings to mind a school project by a colleague of mine at COGS in
Nova Scotia, one Brent Carey, whose project was to digitize the coastlines of
various historical maps of Nova Scotia (Champlain, DesBarres, etc.) and once all
these maps were in vector form, it was easy to rescale them to fit an accurate
(relatively!) vector map of the province, and the resulting colour plots allowed
an informative visual representation of how accurate, or inaccurate, some of the
old cartographers were. It also allows an attempt to correlate seemingly random
coastline indentations, etc. to actual features, i.e. fifth embayment up from
Cape Sable is really Mahone Bay.
        A "digital archive" should also include a high quality raster image, for
analysis of unusual markings, type, line quality, sea monsters and cherubim,
etc. which is difficult to nearly impossible to render in vector form. The
National Archives of Canada has been "preserving" images of their collection in
this manner.
        And while on this topic, I suppose because I'm one of those "C" fellows
myself, that puts me in Mr. Keenan's camp. His words may have been a little on
the "eye-opening" side, but I think David Allen's recent observations put a very
clear and fair perspective on the situation. Yes, its possible for map
librarians to use the digital tools at their disposal to make fairly
professional-looking maps. It also takes up a fair amount of the librarians
time, sometimes an unfair request on behalf of the patron. And certainly the
patron should be given access to the data, that's the general idea of libraries.
What's important is remembering that a map is much more than an impressive
looking graphic, in fact the impressive looking ones can the most misleading.
Anyone with a basic understanding of statistics knows how easy it is to come up
with a misleading interpretation, or outright lie based on a selective use of
the "facts". It should be the clients informed decision, perhaps with a little
advice from the librarian, about when something needs to be professionally
interpreted and rendered.
        To quote an old class motto:
        "You gotta draw the line somewheres!"
 
                                        Sean D. Smith
                                        Cartographer
 
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