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Julie;
 
Thanks for putting the question in a context.  It is a can of worm, but one
we have to tackle.  We are map librarians because of the format of our in-
formation.  Spatial information.  And now spatial information is in transition.
We will have to move with it.  I always assumed I dealt with spatial or geo-
graphic information that happened to be on maps the most efficient form for
that information.  Now, technology evolves to provide a more efficient
storage and output for spatial information; not to mention the ability to
do analysis.  I think what we have to look at is what the librarian does; and
again I go back to ACQUIRE, CONTROL and ACCESS.  If we look at these three
functions in the context of electronic data I think we will go a long way
toward defining ourselves.  Debbie is absolutely right, the response to the
library director is, "These are the resources we need to do this..."
And be sure to include training in the formula.
 
Here at UConn, perhaps the most valuable work I am doing is performing
"collection development" decisions on material.  That is, categorizing
the user and developing the acquisition, control and access to the
material based on their needs.  The undergrad (reference user) who needs
some 8 1/2 x 11 census maps for a 5-10 page paper needs a different
interface than the researcher.
 
What they do with the data and how long and intimately they
are associated with it vary.  Does it "circulate" to them, or do they
use it in-house?  Do the care about a map, or just the spatial interface
to get to the tabular data? Relations for each between the data and the
documentation needs to be established.  I am extracting Connecticut data
from CD\ROM because that is what most of my reference users want is Conn.
I can put that on a hard drive and speed up the system, create a location
and catalog the material. Cataloging lets the user navigate
the system with pointers and hooks.  Access to the data is on shared library
machines or on GIS literate workstations.
 
I see all these and more as the librarian's responsibilities.  The days of
the map library of maps is on the way out, if in fact it ever truly was here.
 
Air photos, charts, atlases, gazetteers and maps in books have been a few
of the media, sources and locations we have had to deal with.  This is
just an exciting evolution.
 
  ----------------------
  PATRICK MCGLAMERY
  MAP LIBRARIAN U-5M
  HOMER BABBIDGE LIBRARY
  UNIV. OF CONNECTICUT
  STORRS, CT 06268
  (203) 486-4589
  LIBMAP1@UCONNVM