MAPPING OUR COLLECTIONS October 2012
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MAPPING OUR COLLECTIONS October 2012 Report prepared by the NSLA Maps Project Group Project Managers: Maggie Patton, State Library of New South Wales Martin Woods, National Library of Australia Mapping Our Collections by National and State Libraries Australasia is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License CONTENTS Background 3 1. Reporting and statistics 3 2. Collection growth 4 2.1 Collecting policies and practice 4 2.2 Government deposit 5 2.3 Non-government deposit 5 2.4 Purchased acquisitions 6 2.5 Donations 6 2.6 Collection overlap and collaboration 6 3. Collection description 6 3.1 Cataloguing practice 6 3.2 Supplementary practices 7 3.3 Content and discovery 7 4. Series mapping 8 4.1 Nature and extent of holdings 8 4.2 Control and access 9 5. Disposal 9 6. Managing backlogs 10 7. Maps in digital format 11 7.1 Collection policy and practice 11 7.2 Control and access 11 8. Collection guides 12 9. Physical infrastructure 12 9.1 Storage facilities 12 9.2 Housing and handling 13 10. Access to maps 14 10.1 Digitisation 14 10.2 Onsite delivery models and requesting 14 11. Professional development and communication 15 11.1 Staff development 15 11.2 Formal education 16 11.3 Communication 16 RECOMMENDATIONS 16 2 Background In February 2012 the NSLA Executive endorsed the establishment of the NSLA Maps Project. The project group aimed to provide base line data for comparison of activities across NSLA libraries; identify key issues affecting the development and management of map collections; and propose a series of recommendations for improved processes and services. In June 2012 a draft survey was circulated to project members for comment and clarification. In August of that year, a workshop was held at the State Library of New South Wales to discuss the outcomes of the survey and develop a number of key statements and recommendations for consideration by NSLA. Present at the workshop were representatives from National Library of Australia Northern Territory Library Service State Library of New South Wales State Library of Queensland State Library of Victoria State Library of Western Australia NSLA Project Office Below are the key findings and recommendations from the survey data and discussions at the Workshop. 1. Reporting and Statistics There is a general lack of consistent data to assist with Map collection management and to usefully compare activities across NSLA Libraries. For example, there is considerable variety in the way in which libraries report acquisition and processing of maps, and a degree of ‘guesstimation’ underpinning most collection figures. Only a few libraries undertake regular stocktakes or have completed drawer counts to provide base data for planning map activities or to gain knowledge around the physical condition of the collections. The inconsistency in data collection is demonstrated in the range of responses to the question - What is the estimated size of your hard copy map collection? The responses included ‘150,000 sheets’, ‘Between 2,000 and 2,500 items’, ‘62,000 maps and atlases (not globes)’, ‘60 shelf metres approximately’. Only 20% were ‘very confident’ of their response. The tallies were derived from a range of approaches including Physical map count, catalogue searches and some estimations. Based on adding annual totals to a figure first obtained from old annual reports for the library, we have 327 catalogued maps; approximately 1000 recently (in the last fortnight) deposited aerial maps; approximately 1000 uncatalogued maps deposited in December 2011 (estimate based on average no. maps per cm x height of pile in cm) 1000 cabinets/units x 10 drawers ea x 100 maps per/drawer A drawer count was undertaken c. 2002, along with addition of annual stats for acquisitions and donations Rather like archival collections maps may be catalogued individually, may be part of a large series or are contained within an archival collection with minimal description, providing little indication of sheet numbers. One library noted: ‘Limitation is that the majority of archival record groups are not catalogued to piece level, and not all record groups have series listings.’ 3 Collecting and comparing client inquiries is also complex due to the variety of arrangements around service delivery. Map inquiries can range from requests for a known item to complex inquiries involving a range of maps, to any general inquiry which has a place or spatial aspect. Inquiries may be handled by map specialists or by general staff with limited knowledge of map collections. Not all libraries keep separate statistics on map inquiries and the complexity of inquiries is underestimated. Recommendation A standard set of map statistics is required to assist in collection management and advocacy around map collections. Set up a subgroup to investigate statistics currently collected, analyse gaps and possible solutions. The group could also investigate the use of Reftracker to collect comparative statistics on inquiries. Action Nominations required to participate in the working group 2. Collection growth 2.1 Collecting policies and practice The survey indicated considerable variation in collection size across collections, from less than 2500 up to over a million items held. The overwhelming majority are printed maps collections. No library is certain of total map numbers. Methods of providing these figures were estimates, either derived from adding annual figures to previously estimated baselines, or figures based on a survey of average number per drawer. The degree to which maps were included within library Collection Development Policies was highly variable, from brief generic mentions to detailed specifications of map collecting practice. Overall, collection growth, like the relative sizes and budgets of the collections surveyed, was also variable. All but one of the libraries reported one staff person or less dedicated to map acquisition responsibilities. Aerial photographs, though not identified in the survey preparation phase and therefore not specified for responses, were nevertheless raised as significant map related material for several libraries surveyed. These tend to be counted at box level or by meterage, with very limited online access. As aerial photographs are attracting greater user interest there may be value in scoping what libraries hold, how they are managed and made accessible. All but one library reported over 50% of its maps collection as comprising maps relating to its home territory. Six respondents reported that maps relating to ‘other states or territories’ make up less than 25%, with three of these reporting less than 15%. Seven libraries reported that ‘Overseas’ maps make up less than 15% of their total holdings, and of these five reported less than 10% as Overseas. In terms of collecting intentions for these categories, while all reported the intention to continue collecting printed maps relating to their state or territory, only four considered they would be collecting Australian maps not related to their state or territory, or overseas mapping. NLNZ reported it would no longer be collecting large scale Australian or UK mapping, particularly that available in digital format. All libraries reported that maps in digital format currently make up less than 5% of map holdings while eight libraries considered they would continue to collect in this category. [See also the later section devoted to Digital format.] Rare and significant are reported at 15% or less of total for all but one library, with all collecting such heritage materials. It is possible that ‘Rare and significant’ may require definitional discussion, as the line is drawn several ways. 4 In terms of recent acquisition (past three reporting years), there is a great deal of variation evident both year to year and across libraries, presumably dependant on local factors. It is noticeable that in the past three years there has been a decrease in libraries acquiring less than 100 maps per annum, so that in 2011/12 there was only one library in this category, with a commensurate increase in libraries collecting 201-500 or more maps per annum. It was notable that only 20% of libraries are ‘certain’ of their annual acquisition numbers for maps over the past three years, including 2011/12. Of the four nominated categories for acquisition – donations (46%) and government deposit (32%) made up the lion’s share. Most responses were in the range of 20-30% Government deposit as a percentage of total acquisition, with SLWA exceptional at 75%. Donations were more variable, with NT and ACT having almost all maps donated, NLA, SLSA and SLV approx 63% donated, SLNSW and NLNZ approx 25-30% donated. SLQ indicated 5% donated and SLWA 10%. Non-government legal deposit (18%) was highly variable across libraries, with SLV, SLNSW and SLQ indicating 25-30% total acquisition in this category, while SLSA, SLWA, NLA, and SLWA around 15% each. TAHO indicated 100% ‘Donation’; however this was an interpretation of government deposit. Of overall relevance, only two libraries indicated a reduction in acquisition growth over the past 10 years, with two reporting ‘no change’. To put it in the positive, eight of the libraries reported no change or an increase in map acquisition over this period. Three libraries reported increases of over 50% in the past three years. It was expected that results might show that the advent of digital mapping would exert downward pressure on paper map acquisition, however this doesn’t seem to be borne out by the figures. There may be specific reasons such as absorption of special map library collections (and subsequent redistribution of maps); however no single overriding reason emerged during the Workshop. The trend to digital mapping while affecting certain categories of maps doesn’t yet seem to have exerted significant downward pressure on acquisition of printed mapping. 2.2 Government Deposit Government deposit was the second largest category of collecting activity, comprising about 40% across all libraries.