Historical Air Photo Digitization Project University of Waterloo Map Library

Abstract

The University Map Library (UML) at the University of Waterloo developed an onlinecollection of digitized and georeferenced aerial photography of the Kitchener-Waterlooarea from the 1930s and 1940s. Using GIS technology, the air photos were digitizedwith geographical coordinate tags for use in GIS software programs including onlinemapping applications such as Google Earth (GE). By creating and offeringdownloadable georeferenced images compatible with popular mapping tools, the airphotos have gained significant popularity and utilization by not only regular library usersbut by community groups, organizations and corporations who have never used libraryresources before. The integration of modern technology with traditional paper mappinghas proven to be both a method of preservation and a means of increasing and varyingutilization of the collection.