Resources for Georeferencing
Most often, georeferencing is done in a geographic information system (GIS) such as QGIS or ArcGIS. Koerner Library Research Commons offers a workshop on Georeferencing with QGIS. You can follow this workshop asynchronously to georeference your historical map. See also the QGIS offical lesson on georeferencing, or UMass Amherst’s workshop. If you are more comfortable with ArcGIS, see their official overview and documentation. While the interface this demo uses is very old, pbcgis has some good tips for georeferencing with ArcGIS.
Non GIS options
- Map Warper is free and open-source georeferencing platform you can use on the web. See tutorial here.
- IIIF
- David Rumsey Map Collection Georeferencer
- You can also display historical maps with kightnlab
- Allmaps
Where to find Target Layers
- Natural Earth Data provides free and open source geospatial data for world geographic features at three scales.
- Download Open street map from online or through QGIS with Quick Map Services plugin
- Administrative Boundary files for Canada
- BC Municipalities
Finding Historical Maps
- Maps and Atlases at UBC - Most of the UBC Library print map collection, as well as atlases and gazetteers, can be found on Level 2 of Koerner Library
- David Rumsey Map Collection
- Old Maps Online
Scanning your historical maps
The following information is provided by Alex Alisauskas, Humanities & Social Sciences Librarian (Maps/Geospatial Data) at Koerner Library.
UBC students, faculty, and staff can scan paper maps from the Koerner Library map collection using a large-format colour scanner. There is no charge for scanning maps, but UBC Library does reserve the right to deny scans of certain material, including maps in deteriorating physical condition.To ensure that scans are allowed to be used further in publication, research, or other modes of sharing, please contact Copyright Services.
The scanner is available to use on an appointment basis. Please email the library for more information or to schedule an appointment at library.gis@ubc.ca.
Materials from RBSC may also be scanned at RBSC’s discretion, and likely at a cost. Scans larger than 11″ x 17″ need to be referred to other UBC Library departments where different fees may apply. A cost estimate can be provided before proceeding. Contact rare.books@ubc.ca for more information.