collecting-map-data.md

Introduction to Collecting Map Data

Overview

Just to make sure I've got the right idea, you think this first tutorial should explain:

• Why should historians collect map data from their own research?
• How should historians organize their map data in a structured format?
• How can historians create and edit map data files from scratch?
• How can historians use or adapt existing map data sources?

Related Resources

• Historical GIS Research Network

Examples of map data for historians/preservation

Sources:

• Awesome Data Repositories/Services for Historians - Local Preservation School (Google Sheet - open for comments)

Specific examples:

• DC Cultural Tourism Heritage Trails

Tools for working with map data

Database tools

• SpatialLite
• Spatial data in SQLite (2008)
• Airtable

Adding geodata

• geomancer - Add geographically-related data to any spreadsheet.

Converting data from one format to another format

• mapshaper
• toGeoJSON turns KML & GPX into GeoJSON
• is that a csv you've got there? want a geojson?

Additional tools

• Open Street Map
• Open Historical Map

Introduction to map data

• School of Data: A Gentle Introduction to Mapping

What is Open Data?

Open data is data that can be freely used, reused and redistributed by anyone - subject only, at most, to the requirement to attribute and sharealike.

So you want to publish some open data? Simple Open Data has helpful hints to make it simple and effective.

Organizing map data

How should your data be organized?

• Data Management for the Humanities – UCLA Library Research Guides
• The Quartz guide to bad data - An exhaustive reference to problems seen in real-world data along with suggestions on how to resolve them.

How should your data be structured?

Consider if there is an open data standard that works for you:

• ...houses? Use the House Facts standard
• ...archaeological resources? Make it compatible with Open Context
• ...cemeteries? Use the Open Gravestones standard
• ...airports? Use the OurAirports standard
• ...monuments or murals? Follow the Cataloging Cultural Objects standards
• ... etc.

See also:

• standards for family history
• web schema for historical data)
• Family History Information Standards Organisation
• Documenting Events in Metadata

More about data standards

• Open Government Data Guide - Note: this may be dated but is an engaging resource.

Collecting new map data

• Aerial survey
• Field survey
• Transcribing primary sources
• Coding interviews or oral histories
• Retracing historical routes of travel

Field survey tools

• School of Data: Mobile Data Collection
• KoBo Toolbox
• Field Papers
• Collector for ArcGIS

Finding existing map data

Sources for additional map data

• Finding Spatial Data – Geospatial Historian
• Datahub
• United States Cities Open Data Census
• Open Data Index

Sharing your map data

• Open Knowledge Data Packager - The Data Packager is a web app for creating and publishing Tabular Data Packages.