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THE STATE AND TRENDS IN THE COMPUTERIZATION OF CARTOGRAPHIC COLLECTIONS IN POLAND.
Wieslaw Babik, Polish Academy of Sciences, Cracow; Jadwiga Bzinkowska, Jagiellonian Library, Cracow, Poland

Abstract
Studies on the computerization of cartographic collections started in Poland at the beginning of the 70's. The application of microcomputers for the needs of cartographic information, however, occurred only at the beginning of the 80's. The elaboration and implementation of the pioneer work on the system of central cartographic information is the achievement of the Central Office for Geodesy and Cartography in Warsaw. Then followed work on the computerization of studies done by the State Cartographic Enterprise with special regard to the computerization of the Centre for Documentation and the Library. Meanwhile, during the last decade, scientific libraries are also preparing to introduce computers. All studies concerning the automation of information processes in the field of cartography have been started within the national system of scientific and technical information and organization "SINTO".

The extremely rapid development of new information technologies in the seventies and eighties of the present century was also in Poland an important impulse for the application of automation in information library procedures. At the beginning the activity was limited to mini- or microcomputers used on a small scale or just for testing purposes. Cartographic departments in libraries were no exception here and hence microcomputers were not easily applied. In Poland, computerization in the field of cartography began in central state institutions, responsible for the geodetic-cartographic sphere.

Studies on the automation of indexing procedures in Poland started at the beginning of the seventies. The leading role in the introduction of microcomputers in the geodetic- cartographic field was played by the Informatic Centre for Geodesy and Cartography (ICGC), founded within the institution of the Central Office for Geodesy and Cartography in Warsaw. The Centre had gathered a group of designers who worked out and implemented the Central Cartographic Information (CCI). To be exact, the decision calling into being the CCI was taken on Dec. 28th 1979.
Main trends in the research and development activities of the Centre included:

- methods of numerical and graphic presentation of geodetic cartographic data,
- studies on the usability and implementation of specialistic informatic equipment (software).

The Centre has been established as a leading institution in the field of automated information technology dealing with the acquisition, processing and rendering accessible the geodetic, cartographic, and photogrammetric data, as well as coordinating scientific research works, development works and implementation works in the range of geodetic and cartographic information. A nationwide system, called the System of Scientific and Technical Information and Organisation (SSTIO) has been instituted and was to comprise also the studies done by the ICGC. When our reality changed also the SSTIO system had to undergo several alterations and in 1989 it was renamed the National System of Scientific and Technical Information (NSSTI). There was a need to adapt the system to new economic and organizational conditions. Partly, however, the assumptions worked out for SSTIO remained unchanged. It must be said here that the standard library description for cartographers, for SSTIO has been prepared by the staff of the Institute of Scientific, Technical and Economic Information in Warsaw. This description has been based on the American system MARC. Polish description includes:

- a bibliographic description,
- information concerning the contents of the document and technical symbols enabling machine processing.

An additional profit is such that the above mentioned system will also enable printing catalogue cards and creating data base concerning maps and atlases belonging to the National Library Store (The National Library Store is constituted of the three largest libraries in Poland: the National Library in Warsaw, the Jagiellonian Library in Cracow, and the Library of the Ossolinski National Institute in Wroclaw).
Preparations are being made towards the establishment of a nationwide information network in the range of cartography, and two options are taken into account. One assumes the foundation of a central data base, the other - creation of a system of data bases connected by terminals.

Let us, however, get back to the details and explain the specific character of the development of our cartographic computerization. As it has already been mentioned, the resolution concerning the activity of CCI was made in December 1979. Since the CCI was subject to the Ministry of Spatial Economy and Building - its main task was to collect data about: topical maps, their scales, number of maps and territorial units covered by these maps. One of the first, very important studies done by the Centre was a publication in the form of tabular statement, entitled: "Information concerning the collected [items ?] in the Central Cartographic Information set of data referring to topical maps, as well as the state of preparation of topographic and administrative maps published by the Central Office for Geodesy and Cartography". The data base has been built with the help of a SIMD microcomputer, which the Centre has possessed since 1986. At present they have also another microcomputer, an XT/AT of the IBM class. (It is worth mentioning that the organization of information processes in Poland has been mainly based on the IBM PC microcomputers).

The current data base of the Centre is made with an IBM PC XT/AT and amounts to more than 12.000 map descriptions.
At present Central Cartographic Information is responsible for the registration of topical maps, that is - their listing and descriptions. The database includes:

- maps already described and stored in the Centre,
- maps which are currently being described, and
- maps stored in the local centres in voyvodships.

Summing up, Central Cartographic Information provides current information in the range of topical maps concerning the area of Poland, done on the scale of 1:10 000, as well as other scales, mainly worked out after 1945. The information includes the following elements:

- name of the author,
- title of the map,
- its area,
- scale,
- editor,
- number of edition,
- place of storage,
- year of validity,
- number of copies,
- qualification of contents elements and suitability for registration.

Information concerning the data base of the ICGC is published in the yearly magazine - "Register of Central Cartographic Information". The publication includes topical lists of maps coming within the information system, as well as instructive remarks enabling the formulation of questions.
The data base of CCI is constantly updated. The record of each map includes information about its:

- title,
- file number,
- author,
- place of storage,
- topic 1 (i.e. the main topic),
- year of preparation,
- cartographic background,
- voyvodship,
- year of description.

Summing up, the range of maps included in the data base comprises: first - maps referring exclusively to the area of Poland (i.e. maps in its present political frontiers), secondly - all maps, regardless of the scale - as well the small-scale maps (for the whole country) as the large-scale maps for the needs of engineering. Classification of these maps, i.e. their topical division is worked out by the ICGC and is to be used exclusively for its needs. It is not a formal topical classification because it does not fulfil the logical requirements conditioning a scientific classification of collections where the criteria of completeness and homogeneity are requisites of correct classification.

The above mentioned information system of the Informatic Centre for Geodesy and Cartography in Warsaw is, so far, the only implemented and working system in this field. Another system, prepared for the National Enterprise of Cartographic Publishers in Warsaw, has been applied in practice only partially. The Informatic Centre has worked up an indexing-retrieval system for this institution, strictly speaking its library, but the project is still waiting for realization. It is a very important project as, so far, the National Enterprise of Cartographic Publishers (NECP) is a monopolist in the field of map preparation and publication. Assumptions of this system consider reliance on the classification of maps and atlases used in the library of the NECP. The retrieval parameters of maps in this system correspond to: geographic area (i.e. physiographic and political), scale, contents, editor, date of publishing. Detailed information concerning maps and atlases is elaborated with the help of descriptors put in the classification scheme. Descriptors that constitute the scheme are the features of cartographic materials distinguished in classification by alphanumeric code denotations. The retrieval system is based on the, so called, inversion files. Each record of map description includes the following data:

- title,
- date of publication,
- editorial form,
- colours,
- scale,
- contents,
- unit of physiographical division,
- unit of territorial division.

Description of atlas includes:

- title,
- file number,
- place of storage,
- editor,
- contents,
- language version,
- date of publication,
- type of binding,
- number of volumes,
- size,
- indexes,
- unit of physiographical decision,
- political division according to classification scheme.

Due to the lack of money this system has not been realized. The NECP has, however, implemented a system concerning its publications, called "Archives". In this retrieval system the process has been based on the structure of the file number, title, file number, editorial number, size, and other data like: language, print, binding, number of copies, price, year of publication, scale, authors. All these elements are comprised in a special classification of maps edited by the NECP.

Bibliography (translated from Polish)

1. Assumptions for the technical design of the system called Central Cartographic Information. Module: topical maps and atlases. Prepared by G.Urbankowski. Warsaw 1989 (manuscript).
2. Babik W.: The application of microcomputers in Poland to collecting and retrieval systems on cartographic materials. Cracow 1990 (manuscript).
3. Babik W.: Pragmatic model of lexical material organization for faceted classification of cartographic materials. Paper presented on 7th International Conference of LIBER. Paris, Sept. 24-28, 1990.
4. Grabowska B.: Central Cartographic Information. Polish Cartographical Review 1983 Vol. 15, No 3, pp. 133-134.
5. Indexing system for maps and atlases for the needs of the library of the National Enterprise of Cartographic Publishers. Studies of the Informatic Centre for Geodesy and Cartography. Warsaw 1975 (manuscript).
6. Problems of cartographic information and documentation in the National Enterprise of Cartographic Publishers. Prepared by W.Krolikowski. Warsaw 1974 (manuscript).
7. Project of an information system for topical maps. Prepared by M.Baranowski. Warsaw 1979 (manuscript).
8. Schnayder E.: Automation of catalogues of Polish cartographic collections. Papers of the first All-Polish Conference of Librarians and Cartographers. Warsaw, Nov. 7-8, 1977. Ed. by B.Krassowski, Warsaw 1979, pp. 45-54.
9. Topical division of maps for the needs of the information system for topical maps. Studies of the Informatic Centre for Geodesy and Cartography. Warsaw 1989 (manuscript).
10. Universal format for library machine-readable data record. A project for the System of Scientific and Technical Information and Organisation. Warsaw 1977. ISTEI Reports No 3.

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