loading . . . The World in an Archive: Preserving the Websites of Geographers, Cartographers, and Map Enthusiasts The Geographic and Cartographic Professional Societies and Organizations Web Archive preserves the websites of groups shaping our understanding of the world. In this interview, Carissa Pastuch discusses how the collection was built, what it includes and why preserving born-digital content is increasingly important for documenting the field of geography and cartography.
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**Please introduce yourself. What is your job at the Library of Congress, and what was your role in creating this collection?**
I am a reference specialist in the Geography and Map Division, where I provide reference, curatorial, instructional and outreach services, as well as collection development guidance, with a focus on materials related to the Middle East and North Africa. Much of my work as a Recommending Officer involves identifying historical, print maps for acquisition, but I also identify open access cartographic e-resources and oversee this web archive.
As Collection Leader for the Geographic and Cartographic Professional Societies and Organizations Web Archive, I have curatorial responsibility for the archived content in the collection. During the early stages of establishing the collection, my colleague in the Geography and Map Division, Meagan Snow, played a key role in getting the effort off the ground. She shared lessons learned and offered practical guidance based on her experience as a Collection Leader of the Geospatial Software and File Formats Documentation Web Archive. With Meagan’s guidance, I developed and submitted the collection proposal, created a spreadsheet to track content recommendations and submissions, and reviewed and approved those recommendations. I continue to manage the collection through both annual and ad hoc maintenance.
**Can you briefly describe the collection?**
The aim of the Geographic and Cartographic Professional Societies and Organizations Web Archive is to ensure the long-term preservation of online media related to geographic and cartographic professional organizations, societies, interest groups and agencies from around the globe. These groups use their websites to publish and disseminate important information about professional networks and governing bodies, including key practices and research, in the fields of cartography and geography.
The archive represents many types of cartographic and geographic organizations, including regional, national and international professional organizations; map societies; organizations for geographers and cartographers; and national mapping and geospatial information agencies. Collecting these sites aligns with the division’s strategy to acquire cartographic materials that document the work of distinguished cartographers and map publishers, illustrate the technical process of map making, track developments in thematic cartography, document historical non-Western cartographic traditions, document the development of geographic information system technology and preserve restricted-access materials. This collection will continue to grow as we identify and add more national mapping agencies and organizations.
Screenshot of the North American Cartographic Information Society website, as it appears in a March 2025 capture in our web archives.
**How did you select material to archive? Did you have any specific goals or considerations in mind when nominating content?**
First, I consulted Tony Campbell’s website, _Map History_ , which was discontinued in January 2026 (but is regularly archived by the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine)._Map History_ is an amazing tool, which I have used often to inform my reference work. It serves as a gateway to all things map related. On this site, I found a directory called “Map Societies around the World,” __ which identifies organizations in the field of the history of cartography within the non-profit sector. The website defines these organizations as groups that usually organize talks and meetings and likely produce a publication such as a newsletter or journal. “Map Societies around the World” was originally created by William C. Barrow in 1997 at the Cleveland State University Library. It was later managed by Peter van der Krogt, of Utrecht University (2005–2010), and is currently managed by James Speed Hensinger.
Next, I combed the Union of International Associations (UIA) _Yearbook of International Organizations_ to broaden the search to include more international non-profit sector groups. The UIA _Yearbook_ provides an overview of more than 45,000 active organizations from 300 countries and territories, including intergovernmental and international non-governmental organizations. I used the keyword search function to narrow down the list of organizations and identify additional candidates. I also reviewed the International Cartographic Association (ICA) list of members to identify any groups I may have missed.
Finally, I referred to the International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ISPRS) ordinary members list, organized alphabetically by country, to identify and add national mapping agencies. I used the structure of the six Library of Congress overseas offices—Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Cairo (Egypt), Jakarta (Indonesia), New Delhi (India), Nairobi (Kenya) and Islamabad (Pakistan)—as a framework to organize the identification and nomination of national mapping agencies by region.
**What are some of the highlights?**
There is the Road Map Collectors Association dedicated to the collection and preservation of historic road maps. It was formed in 1996 by enthusiasts who had been meeting occasionally to trade maps with each other. Today, it has grown into a member-led club with several hundred members in the US, Canada and Europe. Its members are primarily interested in folding road maps, road atlases and street guides from the automobile age, particularly those distributed by gas stations, state/provincial governments, automobile clubs and various commercial publishers, as well as related cartographic documents.
One of the oldest organizations in the collection is the Royal Geographical Society (RGS), which was founded in 1830 to advance geographical science. RGS supports geographical research, education, fieldwork and expeditions and advocates on behalf of the discipline by supporting geographers in professional practice and promoting geography to public audiences. The history of RGS was closely allied in its early years with colonial exploration in Africa, the Indian subcontinent, the polar regions and central Asia, and it enshrines such famous names as Livingstone, Stanley, Scott, Shackleton, Hunt and Hillary. RGS’s purpose remains the same today as when first founded, namely the “advancement of geographical science.”
Screenshot of the Royal Geographical Society website, as it appears in a March 2025 capture in our web archives.
The RGS’s Russian counterpart, Русского географического общества (Russian Geographical Society) brings together specialists in the field of geography and related sciences, as well as enthusiastic travelers, ecologists and public figures. It was founded in 1845 by the highest order of Nicholas I and has been led by representatives of the Russian Imperial House, scientists and statesmen. It has made a significant contribution to the study of European Russia, the Urals, Siberia, the Far East, Middle and Central Asia, the Caucasus, Iran and New Guinea, as well as other countries and territories.
Something a little geographically closer to the Library of Congress is the Washington Map Society (WMS), which was established in 1979 as an organization of people interested in cartography, its history, and collecting maps, both old and new. WMS is dedicated to the understanding and enjoyment of maps of all kinds. Its current members hold interests in cartography, cartographic history, collecting maps and modern cartographic concerns. WMS organizes lectures, field trips and its quarterly publication, _The Portolan,_ for its members to actively explore the world of maps.
And one final highlight is the Society of Woman Geographers, which aims to create a global community to foster meaningful and inclusive connections, share knowledge, encourage research and exploration, and provide mentorship and support for a network of bold researchers, scientists, explorers and change-makers. The organization supports the limitless potential and curiosity of these people as they work to create positive impacts in the stewardship, study and exploration of human culture and the natural world.
**What challenges have you faced in creating this collection?**
The linguistic component of this collection has been the biggest challenge so far. I wanted to include a broader range of international agencies in the collection, and this meant finding and nominating agency websites from other nations and language groups, including languages not written in the Latin script. I thought through a standardized format to apply to every website title. Did I want to include the original language? (100%!) Add a Romanized version? (Yes!) And did I want to include an English translation of the original title? (Absolutely!)
Furthermore, many national mapping agencies operate in countries where multiple official languages are used. In these cases, we captured the sites and titles in each language used.
Screenshot of the National States Geographic Information Council website, as it appears in a March 2025 capture in our web archive.
**Why do you think web archiving is important for documenting this subject? How do you imagine researchers, now or in the future, might use this web archive?**
The groups represented in this collection document the work, practices, standards and policies of the fields of cartography and geography, which are likely to change over time. Mapping agencies are the custodians of a country’s geographic information and record and share data essential to national security and development. The publication and dissemination of geospatial information, professional standards and maps have shifted from physical to digital formats. As mapping agencies and organizations adopt geospatial and digital technologies, it is important to document how their work evolves. It is important to capture and preserve these guidelines and standards when and where they are produced. This collection captures guidelines and standards at the time and place of their publication and preserves organizational records of groups that are at risk of merging with other organizations or dissolving altogether. This web archive collects various iterations of online content published and disseminated by professionals in the fields of geography and cartography. https://blogs.loc.gov/thesignal/2026/06/the-world-in-an-archive/
