Institut Cartogràfic i Geològic de Catalunya

Preserve your resources and increase visibility

"We chose and implemented CONTENTdm as the most comprehensive solution to enable us to store, manage, and deliver our digital collections to the web. CONTENTdm needs less tinkering to install than other solutions."

Noelia Ramos
Librarian, Institut Cartogràfic i Geològic de Catalunya

The Map Library of the Institut Cartogràfic i Geològic de Catalunya (ICGC) holds as many as 320,000 maps, 60,000 books, and 350,000 aerial images. "Our mission is to preserve the delicate, precious maps from damage and to increase the visibility of the institute's public cartographic collections," stated Noelia Ramos, Librarian at the ICGC. Because of this, the ICGC wanted to find a way of publishing their antique maps and aerial photographs online.

With the support of the Consortium of University Libraries of Catalunya (CSUC), who were already evaluating CONTENTdm^®, the antique maps and aerial photographs were the first two ICGC collections to be created and published on the CBUC site. Following the publication of these two collections, the ICGC found that CONTENTdm allowed them to make an online catalog of maps and images, digitize them for the future incorporate metadata that they had from other systems, and search and retrieve multilevel, geo-referenced documents.

"We now hold regular open sessions to introduce and talk about new collections, and our first step with any questions about maps is to refer them to our new digital Map Library."

ICGC staff established a new and easy process to catalog and digitize the material and then export metadata and then upload it to the server. The catalog went live in 2007, and so far, the institution has seen their mission achieved. They have also signed agreements with other public and private institutions to scan and display their old maps in the ICGC digital library, so that more people are able to view these hidden gems.

"We [now have] almost 76,000 published images and more than 64,000 downloads per year. The Map Library of Catalonia is open to the public and users can look up the cartographic collection and archive in person, but it would be impossible to deliver this amount of information without the digital platform that CONTENTdm has provided," said Noelia.

Services used by Institut Cartogràfic i Geològic de Catalunya

CONTENTdm

Map showing location of Institut Cartogràfic i Geològic de Catalunya

Library at a glance

Founded in 1916 (IGC) and 1982 (ICC) and responsible for the geodesy, cartography, and geology of Catalonia
Joined together in 2014, the Institut Cartogràfic de Catalunya (ICC) and the Institut Geològic de Catalunya (IGC) to create the Institut Catrogràfic i Geològic de Catalunya (ICGC)
The Map Library holds as many as 320,000 maps, 60,000 books, and 350,000 aerial images