To investigate, evaluate, and/or create geography-related materials,
processes, and authorities within the scope of the project; to
investigate problems and opportunities relating to geo-referencing
as it pertains to data capture and indexing.
1. In cooperation with the Content Working Group, to identify
appropriate geographic materials from throughout the American
Museum of Natural History and from other institutions and sources.
2. To identify members for an inter-disciplinary, inter-institutional
geography advisory group, and to manage this group. The members
of this group may be different for each content theme addressed
by the project.
3. To develop geography expert contacts within this institution,
in other institutions, and possibly in the commercial sector.
Communication with these contacts will be documented as per project
procedures.
4. In cooperation with the Cataloging & Metadata Working
Group, to identify and adapt, or develop, authority lists for
geographic metadata.
5. To investigate geography-based interface options.
6. To investigate the creation of geography-based information
products appropriate to different age and education levels.
7. In cooperation with the Cataloging & Metadata Working
Group, to ensure that project data adhere to international standards
for the representation of geographic data, and to define minimum
geo-referencing metadata standards.
1. In cooperation with the Content Working Group, survey the
holdings of the American Museum of Natural History Library and
scientific departments in search of project-related geographic
materials. Materials may include:
· maps (including published maps, sketch maps
and base maps; surface, submarine, and strata maps, etc.)
· gazetteers (digital and analog)
· aerial photos
· satellite photos
· archive materials
· photomosaics
· charts (aviation or nautical)
· remote sensing data
2. In cooperation with the Content Working Group, locate pertinent
geographic materials (see above for list of types) in repositories
outside the Museum
3. Document the discovery of all items, including authority items,
and note difficulties and suggestions for improvement by preparing
regular reports. Review and administer rights for use of material
as per project procedures.
4. Document all communication with contacts as per project procedures.
5. Investigate and evaluate third-party authority sources, such
as printed and digital gazetteers. In cooperation with the Project
Manager and Library Director, investigate possible partnerships
with geographic information providers such as:
· Discovery Channel
· National Geographic
· Getty Thesaurus for Geographic Names (TGN)
· National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
· Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI).
6. Investigate geographic interface options. Such options may
include:
· Web-based map production options, such as a
map server.
· ArcView for the Web.
· A finite number of pre-made maps.
7. Identify which audience reading levels (i.e. K-12, undergraduate,
postgraduate) are most pertinent to the project and consider creating
information products appropriate to audiences at those levels.
8. Prepare original materials such as gazetteers (where appropriate)
for presentation, for limited publication and/or for sharing with
institutional partners.
9. This group, in cooperation with the Cataloging and Metadata
Working Group, will define minimum geo-referencing metadata standards.
The major standard for geographic metadata is at present the Federal
Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) standard - this project's metadata
will map to FGDC or document compelling reasons why not. This
group will keep up-to-date on other existing and emerging standards
for geographic information, including the Alexandria Digital Library
Gazetteer content standard.
