INFS 321 Information Sources Session 7 Geographical Sources Lecturer: Prof. Perpetua S. Dadzie, DIS Contact Information: pdadzie@ug.edu.gh College of Education School of Continuing and Distance Education 2014/2015 2016/2017 godsonug.wordpress.com/blog
Session Overview At the end of the session, the student will be able to : Explain what geographical sources are and state the different types Indicate uses and characteristics of geographical sources Slide 2
Session Outline The key topics to be covered in the session are as follows: Topic One : Uses and characteristics of geographical sources Topic Two : Selection and Evaluation Process of geographical sources Slide 3
Reading List Kumar, Krishan (2006) Reference Service 5 th ed. Delhi: Vikas Publishing House; Chapter 15 Slide 4
Topic One GEOGRAPHICAL SOURCES Slide 5
Uses and Characteristics To help one locate places General locational questions - 3 categories current events, recreation and business Recreation important part of many lives and travel more common than in the past. Many interested in information, not only on the local state or national park, but also on cities and regions all over the world. Business travel more common and the information required to answer these questions is related to travel literature Slide 6
Types of Geographical Sources 3 large categories: Maps, Atlases, Globe; Gazetteers and Guidebooks Maps representation of certain boundaries of the earth divided into flat maps, charts, collections of maps in atlas form, globes Cartographers - general maps, for reference purposes present storage problems but libraries Prof. P.S.Dadzie, should DIS not forego them entirely Slide 7 in favor of
Types of Geographical Sources 2 Atlas volume consisting of collection of maps Three groups : Current, Historical and Thematic. Current atlases for up-to-date information on geographical and political changes in the world Historical atlases - necessary for the study of boundary changes, military campaigns and early exploration Slide 8
Types of Geographical Sources 3 Thematic, or subject atlases emphasize a specific subject or region Examples include national atlases, population atlases and geological atlases. Major disadvantage of the atlas - its small scale and inability to depict many geographical regions with sufficient detail. Globe : spherical representation of earth. Considered representation relatively of earth accurate Slide 9
Types of Geographical Sources 4 Gazetteers geographical dictionary of places arranged alphabetically list of geographical names and /or physical features, appended to atlas or published as separate volume Two types of gazetteers: locational and descriptive Locational - provide information precisely locating feature either by atlas page and grid index or by more precise latitude Slide 10
Types of Geographical Sources 5 Descriptive - provide some or all of the above information, but also describe the place Description -include brief history, commodity production, population and altitude Almost every atlas includes gazetteer as an appendix to locate place names Atlas town, gazetteers cities, administrative useful for locating divisions major and Slide 11
Types of Geographical Sources 5 Questions requiring information beyond scope of normal world atlas will require more detailed volume such as a gazetteer. Columbia-Lippincott, Chambers World Gazetteer, National Gazetteer of the United States of America, Slide 12
Types of Geographical Sources 6 Travel Guides: Handbook for travelers that gives information about city, region, country, museum etc To inform traveler what to see where to stay where to dine how to get there Travel Books: Bradt s Travel Guide: Ghana Slide 13
Topic Two SELECTION & EVALUATION OF GEOGRAPHICAL SOURCES Slide 14
Selection Process Needs of the users & community Cost of geographical sources size and storage requirements Collection development guideline, whether collecting for ready reference materials or for indepth research purposes Selection tools include : Publishers Weekly, Choice, Base line, Guide to US Map Resources
Selection & Evaluation Scale and Projection - Scale -the ratio of the distance on the map to the actual distance in the real world on the face of the earth Scale - most important elements of a map. Defines amount of information that can be shown as well as the size of the geographic area. Maps must be drawn to scale; verbal scale (1 inch equals 4 miles); a representative fraction (1:253,440) large-scale maps are normally 1:100,000 or larger; medium-scale maps are between 1:100,000 and 1:1,000,000; and smaller scale maps are 1:1,000,000 or smaller Slide 16
Selection & Evaluation 2 Map projection -method used to display the surface of a sphere upon a plane without undue distortion. Color and Symbols Color -used on maps to show political boundaries, eg France, green; Germany yellow and Italy blue Color -used on many government maps to show standard types of information Color -used to show land heights, ocean depths or gradients on a thematic map. Symbols - allow map to communicate its information to the reader. Each atlas should Prof. P.S prioe, DvISide a key or index to its symbsolidel1s7.
Selection & Evaluation 3 Publisher/Authority - purchase quality maps from reputable dealers eg. national mapping agencies - Geological Survey, Ordnance Survey. Commercial maps, Rand McNally, C.S. Hammond, DeLorme, John Bartholmew Indexing/Place Names - index lists all place names that appear on the map; reference to the exact map, latitude, longitude and grid information. Currency - world changing provide current information. World atlas five years old portrays obsolete historical information purposes. Many - should changes be used occur for annually; Slide 18
Electronic Options Maps and atlases being offered on diskettes, and as CD-ROMs Web sites offer maps Additional library equipment, personal computers with large hard drives, CD-ROM drives, Zip drives, scanners and colour printers Eg. Centennia view the boundaries of Europe and the Middle East from the year 1000 C.E to the mid- 1990s provides variety of international and domestic document information in map form Slide 19 electronic maps are issued on CD-ROM-
Important General Sources General World Atlases Times Atlas of the World, The New International Atlas Historical Atlases The Times Atlas of World History Thematic Atlases The National Atlas of the United States of America, We the People: An Atlas of Aŵerica s EthŶic Diversity, Slide 20
Important General Sources 2 Other Geographical Sources contain information not found atlases, gazetteers and maps The Standard Highway Mileage Guide for aŷsweƌiŷg ƋuestioŶs such as how faƌ is it fƌoŵ? Background Notes brief authoritative pamphlets on selected countries and geographical entities, and includes information on history, geography, culture, government, politics and economics. Slide 21
Activity Visit any library of your choice and examine The Columbia Gazetteer of the World Slide 22
References Kumar, Krishan (2006) Reference Service 5 th ed. Delhi: Vikas Publishing House Ch. 15 Katz, A. William (2002) Introduction to Reference, Work Vols. I ch. 11 Slide 23