----------------------------Original message----------------------------
 
It is always so nice to hear from the enlightened. Actually, many of
those working in map libraries today are not only aware of the "complex"
terms you refer to but also have degrees in geography and or geology. Our
levels of service range from the sublime uses of MapExpert to provide
simple street maps to serious GIS research involving geocoding, geo
querying, and analysis.
 
Our intent is not to compete with traditional mapping services but rather
to reach out to students, faculty, and the public who need, use, and
require geodata and interpretive skills to understand it. Our success is
not measured by our inability to define terms or to perform services but
rather by the lines of students who request our experience and expertise
to map census information, provide polygon boundary information, and to
provide geodata for their respective projects and queries. Geodata is no
longer held by an elite few and electronic mapping, from the simple to
the complex, is finding its way onto home computers around the world.
Those of us working in research map libraries do not have a choice of
whether we wish to use this data or work with it; it is an obligation
that we have to provide interpretation in addition to simple access.
 
Furthermore, it is absolutely correct that librarians, as information
managers, should be aware of copyright and we are! Most, if not all, of
the data and boundary files that we use are either in the public domain
or have been defined for our use with liberal site licenses.
 
I appreciate and respect the gentlemen's concerns but not the accusations!
 
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David A. Cobb                           Tel (617) 495-2417
Harvard Map Collection                  FAX (617) 496-0440
Harvard University                      E-Mail: [log in to unmask]
Cambridge, MA 02138
                        VE * RI * TAS
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On Mon, 5 Feb 1996, Larry Keenan wrote:
 
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> As a cartographer of 32 years I can assure you that you have undertaken a
> task that is daunting.  By  your own admission, you are untrained.  You have
> no experience, other than that of utilizing ARC View software.  You are even
> contemplating going into business, yet have no idea as to how much your
> services are worth.  Worse yet, you will probably want to give away data, due
> to guilt.
>
> Please, please, please leave the map making industry alone.  We have already
> spent needless amount of hours and money trying to undue the damage that you
> folk have inflicted upon our clients by confusing the issues of GPS, GIS,
> AM/FM, Photogrammetry, Business GIS and DeskTop Mapping.  Additionally, you
> above anyone else, should be aware of copyright issues that you may or maynot
> infringe upon.
>