Maine GeoLibrary

Network officially sanctioned by the Legislature by which data custodians or their designees organize, catalog, and provide access to public geographic information to all levels of government and to the public.

Maine Office of Geographic Information Systems

Containing the GIS data layers

Further Information

For further information on GeoArchives, including detailed documentation of the original project, contact the Maine State Archives at 207-287-5790.

GeoArchives

A Collaborative Project Between the Maine State Archives and GeoLibrary Board

In May 2004, the National Historical Publications and Records Commission initiated the GeoArchives records access project by funding a grant to:

create standards in order to designate a select set of Maine State Geographic Information System (GIS) records as archival,
develop, in partnership with the GeoLibrary, an internet-based GeoArchives system prototype, and implement it for a selected set of archival GIS records, and
amend Archives Advisory Board, GeoLibrary, and Information Services Policy Board rules to recognize and enforce the implementation of the new standard(s) and prototype throughout Maine government.

Purpose and Goals

This project is an "Electronic Records Program Development Project." We believe this is "an opportunity to test and refine the results of research and to develop innovative approaches to archival administration of electronic records." And it will "apply results of recent research and test their feasibility in various organizational venues or develop innovative programs." Several agencies in Maine State government create records of permanent value on geographic information systems (GIS). The Maine Library of Geographic Information (GeoLibrary), has awakened an understanding of the need for broad standards to enhance interoperability. The project will take advantage of this opportunity to accomplish the following goal: create a digital system, based on current archival research and recommended standards, to be known as the Maine Archives of Geographic Information (GeoArchives), for maintaining State of Maine GIS records having permanent value. Development will also be based on the guidelines in the Maine State Archives Digital Records Management Plan: 1999-2003, and on the expertise of Maine's GIS professionals. The GeoArchives will insure that State or local government archival records held by the GeoLibrary, as well as other archival GIS records held by State agencies but not integrated into the GeoLibrary, will be retained permanently and will be accessible to researchers through the GeoLibrary.

Significance

Given the widespread development and use of digital geographic data, preserving spatial data in digital form is increasingly important to document the historical evolution of human activity and to provide useful research access. Current initiatives in Maine State government include developing GIS standards for the new Library of Geographic Information and moving all of State government to a common GIS operational standard. This project will inform this process and guide its results to increase the likelihood of long-term preservation of significant spatial data in electronic form. A major early GIS application documented the outbreak of, and responses to, the Spruce Budworm epidemic in Maine's forests during the 1970's. This included locations of infestations and applications of treatments. Such infestations are cyclical and will undoubtedly become the focus of public debate again. However, these records are NOT available, having been prematurely destroyed. No state has developed a strategy to integrate its Geographical Information Systems records with the dual goals of improving long-term access and increasing the chances for permanent retention of archival records. Several developments in Maine State government suggest the time is ripe to pursue these goals, which are consonant with the development of the GeoLibrary. A "Needs Assessment" conducted as a precursor to legislation authorizing the "GeoLibrary" reported that the multiple GIS programs needed a single system to reduce duplication and provide better access. Problems of incompatible formats and standards were noted. The "data needs" mentioned implied a preservation solution. The GeoLibrary and the Maine Office of GIS have the technical capacity, the legal authority, and the history of inter-agency cooperation to accommodate many of these needs. Informed by the need for archival retention of selected records and recent research in this area, they will be key allies for the Maine State Archives to gain intellectual control of these records.