17th European Colloquium on Quantitative and Theoretical Geography (ECQTG2011) Athens, 2-6 September 2011

1. Ionian University
Department of Archives and Library Science
Laboratory on Digital Libraries and Electronic Publishing
“Geospatial Collection Development Policies (GCDPs) in
Academic Libraries: a worldwide research”
Ifigenia Vardakosta
Sarantos Kapidakis
Laboratory of Digital Libraries and Electronic Publishing
Department of Archives and Library Science
{ifigenia, sarantos@ionio.gr}

2. Session Overview
Geospatial Collections Development Policies
Previous Studies
Objectives of the study
Methodology
Findings
Future work
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3. Geospatial Collections Development Policies (GCDPs) (1/2)
Collection development policies consist of a universal process
in the library world that permits the library to develop a
collection in correspondence with the information needs of
the user thus currently establishing various trends:
• the satisfaction needs of the users,
• the use of new technologies,
• the increase of the plans for cooperation,
• the forms of presentation of information,
• the increase of technological and financial resources
(Sanchez Vignau & Meneses, 2005)
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4. Geospatial Collections Development Policies (GCDPs) (2/2)
«Geospatial data collection development policies (GCDPs) differ
from traditional paper-map policies” (Erwin & Sweetkind-Singer, 2010)
• there is no uniform data model,
• geospatial data vary widely in the amount of information they
show,
• these data are being stored in relational geodatabases
requiring sophisticated storage and archiving schemes,
• geospatial imagery datasets are often quite large and
metadata may be voluminous as well,
• geospatial data may be produced over time,
• are subject to versioning because of updated information
being made available or to correct past errors in the data
(Janee, 2009 ; Erwin & Sweetkind-Singer, 2010)
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5. Previous researches in GIS in Previous researches in
Libraries CDPs in Libraries
 1999 (ARL) 53/64 libraries  1977 (ARL) 29% out of 70
were using GIS services libraries had written policies
2005 (Kinikin and Hench ) 1980 (Bryant) 43% of
22/138 libraries had some texts
 2005a (Kinikin and Hench) 1989 (Taborsky & Lenkowski)
11/21 58% had written policies
2006 (Gabbaldon and (some were mission
Repplinger ) 31/103 statements)
2009 (Good) 90% of univ. 1995 (Futas) 1/3 of
2011 (Vardakosta and Kapidakis) academic libraries in USA
95/133 didn’t have written policies
2007 (ARL) 98% of
libraries had a librarian
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6. Objectives of the study
1) How many libraries with GIS services have geospatial
collection development policies?
2) What kind of services they offer?
3) Do they use commercial or open source software?
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7. Methodology
• Lib-web-cats and Libweb directories for locating academic
libraries
• Academic libraries in universities which operate departments
whose curricula are based in the use of geospatial information
and GIS e.g. geography, earth sciences, environmental sciences
etc.
• From initial list excepted those libraries that prevent access or
there was an absence of translated pages in the english language.
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8. Sample : 160 Academic Libraries
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9. Libraries with GIS
Libraries with GIS
GIS from the Library
48/160 102
GIS from Department/Lab 120
10/160
100
Libraries with no GIS
80 48
102/160
60
40 10
20
0
LIBR/GIS GIS/DEP/LAB NO GIS
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10. 1) How many libraries with GIS services have geospatial
collection development policies?
11/48 had LIBR WITH GCDP
Geospatial Collection
Development Policies GCDP; 11
GIS LIBR; 48
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11. 2) What kind of services they offer?
• Infrastructure SERVICES
16/48
INFRASTRUCT. 16
• Remote Access
10/48
REMOTE ACCESS 10
• User Education
17/48
USER EDUCAT. 17
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18
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12. 3) Do they use commercial or open source software?
• Commercial Software
29/48
FOSS; 11; 28%
• FOSS
(supplementary)
11/29
COMM; 29; 72%
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13. RESULTS ACCORDING REGIONS
Libraries with GIS/Region
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14. Libraries with GCDPs/Region
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15. Services/Region
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16. GIS software / Regions
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17. Resuming results (1/2)
• Geospatial collections are not particularly developed by
academic libraries worldwide even if they serve academic
communities with geospatial interests.
• Geospatial Collection Development Policies are not used by
geolibraries.
• User Education is recognized as an important service.
• Commercial software covers the main needs of libraries.
• FOSS are used supplementary by libraries and not as the main
software for covering their needs.
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18. Resuming results (2/2)
• Canada is the geographic region that mostly incorporates
geospatial collection policies and GIS services in academic
libraries.
• Europe and Australia although they have developed geospatial
collections however they do not seem to follow specific policies.
• Middle East, Africa, Asia and South America are not familiar
with the development of geospatial collections.
• In Canada, Europe, Australia and New Zealand libraries selects
commercial software for providing services, although FOSS are
used supplementary.
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19. Future work
• What are the main characteristics of the existence
geospatial collections policies?
• Are there any homogeneity among policies;
• Are policies related to a well developed collection
and services?
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20. Thank you!!!
Any Questions??
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