forwarded -------- Original Message -------- Subject: NYPL Map Rectifier Public Beta Date: Mon, 08 Feb 2010 19:06:16 -0500 From: Shekhar Krishnan <[log in to unmask]> Reply-To: Organization: To: Dear MapHist colleagues: A few weeks ago the New York Public Library Map Division debuted the public beta of its online Map Rectifier http://maps.nypl.org where anyone can now create a free account to collaborate in georeferencing NYPL's vast archive of scanned maps. The Rectifier contains individual maps and layers of maps in atlases and collections, and anyone can load up a map and rectify it to a selection of basemaps with a simple point-and-click interface identify ground control points. Here are some examples: Plan of Boston from Mitchell's General Atlas, 1860 http://maps.nypl.org/warper/mapscans/preview/7642 Plan of Manhattan in 1797, D.T. Valentine, 1853 http://maps.nypl.org/warper/mapscans/preview/15327 Bromley's Atlas of New York City 1911 http://maps.nypl.org/warper/layers/871 Robinson's Atlas of Brooklyn 1867 http://maps.nypl.org/warper/layers/867 In the map views one can rectify the individual map, in the layer view you must select a map from the list to rectify it, or you may choose to Digitize the layer by clicking on the tab and selecting a schema. In all map and layer views one can export in image formats as well as kml, and for digitized features as shape files, georss and kml. I'm the project manager for the NYPL Rectifier, which has been developed as open source software which hope to share with more map collectors and institutions through a consortium. We welcome everyone on this list to try out the tools and give us feedback and ideas for further development. Best, Shekhar -- Shekhar Krishnan MIT E51-185 77 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge, MA 02139 U.S.A. http://heptanesia.net http://web.mit.edu/shekhar _______________________________________________