ARCHIVING AND PRESERVING CARTOGRAPHIC DATA: THE CYBERCARTOGRAPHIC ATLAS OF ANTARCTICA

D.R.F. Taylor

Director, Geomatics and Cartographic Research Centre, Carleton University

fraser_taylor@carleton.ca

In the digital era the challenge of effective archiving and preservation of cartographic data and cartographic products is great. For a variety of both technical and administrative reasons large quantities of cartographic digital data has been lost. Taylor has referred to the last two or three decades as the “digital dark ages” where all we have left are fragments of digital map products or written descriptions of them. The digital maps themselves are no longer available. The Cybercartographic Atlas of Antarctica is a new digital map product. It represents a new form of online multimedia and multisensory cartographic products. During the creation of the Atlas special efforts were made to ensure that it was properly preserved and archived. The Atlas was a case study for the InterPARES 2 project and international study of the challenges of authenticating and preserving interactive digital information. This paper will describe how the Atlas dealt with the preservation challenges which apply to all digital cartographic products to ensure interoperability for both the present and the future.