-------- Original Message --------
Subject:        wide format scanners/historic map image servers
Date:   Tue, 17 Aug 2010 19:57:12 -0400
From:   Dave Broer <[log in to unmask]>
To:     [log in to unmask]



Hello all,

Our library has about 5,000 historic map images available online but we
have over 35,000 more maps that we want to make available online so I'm
reaching out to fellow map librarians for ideas on how to achieve our
goal in a cost effective manner.  With that in mind, I have two main
questions:

1.  Are there any economical wide format scanners out there?  From what
I've seen, a scanner is going to cost several thousand dollars that we
don't have so I thought I would see if there are some other solutions
out there.  I can have some maps scanned at nearby in institutions, but
I don't want to overwhelm them.  It appears that a grant hunter is in my
future!

2.  What is available for an open source CMS application to act as a
map/image server?  We currently use a makeshift photo gallery software
that allows for using bandwidth saving tools such as Zoomify and batch
uploading.  We'd love to add links for users to download full images,
but can't offer that with all maps due to copyright issues.  I'd love to
find a CMS that would allow us to batch upload images into categories,
add the geodata and select which ones could be fully downloaded as well
as using some kind of bandwidth saving measures.  Any thoughts on this?

I appreciate any input that you can offer and I thank everyone for there
generous input in the past.

Dave Broer
Broer Map Library
http://www.broermapsonline.org/