[apologies in advance for duplicate messages - i received a "rejected posting" to this message the first time around - a.]
This is a potential feature we've been thinking about for our finding aids as well.
The USGS / GNIS (U.S. Geologogical Survey / Geographic Names Information System) website http://geonames.usgs.gov/pls/gnispublichas a search function for place names and contains a unique i.d. number, longitude and latitude coordinates, and a link to an individual feature report. That report then provides links to a variety of mapping sources, including GNIS in GoogleMaps, USGS National Map Viewer, MapQuest, Expedia, and Yahoo Local maps. If the URIs used by the GNIS are stable, I'm thinking they could become external pointers within the tag that leads to the USGS report, which then leads them to choose a tool to map that location. For example:
<geogname rules="lcsh">
Chatham (N.J.)
<extptr linktype="simple" actuate="actuatenone" show="shownone"
href="http://geonames.usgs.gov/pls/gnispublic/f?p=gnispq:3:::NO::P3_FID:875378 >
</geogname>
I haven't tried this out yet, but do you think it would work?
-Alison Hinderliter
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Alison Hinderliter - [log in to unmask]
Manuscripts and Archives Librarian
The Newberry Library
60 W. Walton St.
Chicago, IL 60610-7324
(312) 255-3694
FAX (312) 255-3646
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