-------- Original Message -------- Subject: Re: MAPS-L: Searching by coordinates; lists of coordinates Date: Tue, 17 Jan 2006 12:03:29 -0800 From: Mary Larsgaard <[log in to unmask]> Reply-To: [log in to unmask] Organization: UCSB Map & Imagery Lab, Library To: Maps, Air Photo & Geospatial Systems Forum <[log in to unmask]> a. searching by coordinates in ADL - http://webclient.alexandria.ucsb.edu I do realize the interface is difficult to use, and honestly, we are working on improving it. The most effective limitation beyond coordinates is limiting by what collection you'd like to search. I discourage searches using "Words to search by", because the bib records are different in many ways from our standard AACR/MARC21 records - and one important one is that the records don't have the kind of subject headings we're accustomed to; and also the concept of added entry isn't the same situation. b. lists of coordinates: There is a coordinates email reflector maintained by the Geography and Map Division of LofC, and we're certainly looking for digital versions of all the hardcopy lists many of us have. There is a counties list, but the coordinates are in decimal degrees, so a cataloger would either have to use decimal degrees (MARC21 permits this) or convert each coordinate to D/M/Seconds. Colleen Cahill of LCG&M does if my memory serves now have this list of county coordinates available over the Web (?maybe only by ftp??) Mary Angie Cope, AGSL wrote: > -------- Original Message -------- > Subject: RE: MAPS-L: Searching by coordinates questions > Date: Tue, 17 Jan 2006 13:26:53 -0600 > From: Kadri, Carolyn J <[log in to unmask]> > To: Maps, Air Photo & Geospatial Systems Forum > <[log in to unmask]> > > > Paige, > > Can that chart be copied and distributed? > > I would like to have a copy if you can bring it to San Antonio. > > Thanks. > > Carolyn Kadri > UT Arlington > > **** > > -----Original Message----- > From: Maps, Air Photo & Geospatial Systems Forum > [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Angie Cope, AGSL > Sent: Tuesday, January 17, 2006 1:15 PM > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: MAPS-L: Searching by coordinates questions > > -------- Original Message -------- > Subject: MAPS-L: Searching by coordinates questions > Date: Tue, 17 Jan 2006 13:51:30 -0500 > From: Paige Andrew <[log in to unmask]> > To: Maps, Air Photo & Geospatial Systems Forum > <[log in to unmask]> > > > > > > Jimmie, > > I don't have an algorithm to offer, but some years ago I did see a demo > at > LC G&M showing what Voyager was capable of doing using coordinate-based > searching. It was a bit clumsy and needed some refinement, but I do not > know where the company has gone with this capability, it is my > understanding that they developed this as a "package" or "unit" of > Voyager > that the institution had to choose to pay extra for at one time. That > said, > the best way to make this useable would be to plug in a set of > coordinates > and have all items that overlapped within the given geographic area be > retrieved. Map scale would not matter, what you are attempting to do is > retrieve all items that touched upon or fell within a polygon (which > could > be a bounding box too) of coordinates and then allow the patron to sort > through that set by some other parameter, one of which might be scale. I > believe the coordinates searching capability on the Alexandria Digital > Library works this way, and if not I'm sure Mary L. can straighten me > out > in a hurry! > > I see this as a very powerful means of retrieval, and more exact than > textual combinations as well. In my workshops that I teach I always tell > attendees that putting coordinates in a given record is an option withon > our current standards, that the "LC practice" is to input coordinates > when > they appear on the map, but that in reality we should all be inputting > coordinates at the very least when they do appear on the map because the > time is coming when coordinate-based searching is going to really take > off > and thus we will be contributing to the good of such a mechanism. Its > still > up to each cataloger, but I have always input coordinates when they > appear > on the map, and will also input U.S. state coordinates even when they > are > not on the map simply because of a handy chart I still have from the map > cataloging workshop I took from Arlyn Booth back in 1987! > > Paige > > At 11:28 AM 1/17/2006, you wrote: > >> -------- Original Message -------- >> Subject: Searching by coordinates questions >> Date: Tue, 17 Jan 2006 10:05:50 -0500 >> From: Jimmie Lundgren <[log in to unmask]> >> To: Maps, Air Photo & Geospatial Systems Forum > > <[log in to unmask]> > >> >> >> Dear MAPS-L Subscribers, >> >> Regarding the MARC Discussion Paper 2006 DP01 on adding >> geographic coordinates to authority records for places, the following >> message was sent to the MARC discussion list by Karen Coyle. I am > > hoping > >> that some of you or your associates will be willing to help address >> these questions. Thanks in advance for any help! >> >> "I would like to see discussion about the use of coordinates for >> searching. This DP says: "Searching by geographic coordinates is > > offered > >> as a mode of access by only a few library catalog systems vendors at >> this time, although it may be offered more frequently in the future." >> The one time that I was involved in an attempt to define a search based >> on coordinates, we ended up not doing it because we couldn't find a >> clear definition of how such a search would work. Would the coordinates >> of a search query have to match the coordinates in the record exactly? >> Would a record be retrieved if query coordinates were within the >> coordinates in the record? Overlapping with the coordinates in the >> record? Would a record be retrieved if the coordinates in the record >> were within the coordinates of the query? Does map scale matter? >> >> So if someone has a query algorithm to offer, I, for one, would be >> interested in seeing it." >> >> Best regards, >> Jimmie >> >> Jimmie Lundgren >> U of Florida >> POB 117007 >> Gainesville, FL 32611 >> [log in to unmask] >> 352-392-0351 >> >> >>