Holdings in the Afriterra Collection
The AFRTITERRA Free Library stands squarely on the principle of Focus, and holds Cartography as the innovative tool to visualize new solutions for our current needs and those not yet seen. By cost efficient means, the following are specific methods of operation to achieve the stated goals and those of the National Geographic Standards.
- Preservation
Project: Methods for Archival storage of the original rare
specimens
- 5000 rare maps
- Deacidification and cleaning
- Repair of tears and folds
- Mylar individual protective sheath placement
- Environmental
and security controls in toxin-free storage
- Digital
Conversion Project
- 5000 rare maps
- Ultra-high-resolution digital photography
(50 megapixel and above, 400-600 dpi) - GIS-Geographic Information Systems applications
- Permanent off-site storage of digital archives
- On-line (Internet) access with full-resolution viewing capability
- Cartobibliography
Database Project
- 5000 rare maps
- Cataloguing a description of individual maps and books into a relational database.
- Entry and search fields for author/cartographer, publisher, date, region, size, scale, language, and more.
- Use of free and open-source software; contribution of developed software to the open-source community.
- Integration with existing library catalog systems, such as OCLC WorldCat.
- On-site
Methods of Use for Education and Research
- Access at no charge
- Gallery exhibit viewing
- Class field-trip viewing
- Class Instructor demonstration
- Librarian research and lectures
- Personal
research time with tilt-table, magnifying glass and zoom camera
- Extended
Methods of Use for Education and Research
- Traveling exhibits and posters of original early maps of Africa
- Visiting slide lectures
- Visiting Fellowships
- Digital zoom and GIS on-line links
- Sharing of Digital archives
- On-line
Database and Catalogued Cartobibliography searchable by date, region,
topic, author, language, and more.
- Acquisition
Initiatives: Expanding base of material to further a definitive
perspective on Africa.
- Invited Partners Endowment for “The Cartographic Completeness Fund”
- Ascendancy position for private and institutional donations focused on early Africa
- Want-list development for important unobtainable items
- Network of 100 private commercial-dealer searches and catalogs
- On-line mining of topical search engines
- Auction
monitoring
- Forwarding
Initiative: Giving of material to other institutions to enrich
the local content.