地圖圖書館的功能與地圖發展

地圖與書籍文獻一樣，長久以來就擔負著資訊保存的重要使命，所不同的是地圖記載的爲空間資訊。以往由於地圖數量少，且不易獲得，故不似書籍廣爲流通，因此早期圖書館中均未收藏地圖。直到西元15世紀，歐洲的活版印刷術開始發展，使得地圖因大量生產而易於傳播，此時地圖的蒐集就由王公貴族的個人喜好，移轉爲圖書館的典藏，而正式的地圖圖畫館也就因而產生；此後地圖就日漸發揮其空間資訊傳輸與教育的功能。但因其種類繁多，且性質特殊，而一般圖書館員又多缺乏完整的地理與地圖知識，故對地圖的保存、分類、編目、擺設等，都造成困擾，因此專業的地圖圖書館是非常必要的。由於地開對於軍事作戰之重要性，因此兩次世界大戰開創了地圖圖書館的黃金時期，而在今日的資訊化時代，環境問題日趨嚴重，其對空間資訊需求日趨殷切，因而地圖圖書館更扮演著「空間資訊服務」的重要角色，今(80)年4月國立中央圖書館正式成立與圖室，爲國內首座專業的地圖圖書館，因此本文即在探討地圖圖書館的各項功能及共與地圖發展的關聯，目的即期盼國人了解其重要性，而重視地圖教育，政府也能認同而加強其功能，使得地圖圖書館能正常而完整的發展。

關鍵字

地圖圖書館；地圖文盲；媒介物；地圖圖書館館員；庫存計劃；特種圖書館

並列摘要

Map is the records of spatial information, and it has the same responsibility of maintenance of human culture with the written materials for centuries. Since the scarcity of quantity, map were not prevailing and commonplace like books. so it always beyond the collection of library. Until the Invention and development of printing press in the fifteenth century, map-production has increased vastly, and easy disseminated. Since then, the role of map collecting transfered from the noble to formal collection of library, map design and education progressed increasingly. However, maps are many kinds. It characterized distinctly as with its nature; furthermore, moat librarians are lacking of perfect knowledge on geography and cartography, so it always causing troubles on maintenance, classification, cataloguing and arrangement of map collections Regarding this, the professional map library is indispensable. For the Immense value of spatial information that maps contributed to the war operation, so the ”Golden era” of map librarianship originated by the two World Wars consistently. Today, environmental problems prevailing worldwidely, it needs spatial Information mostly than ever before, and the map libraries will play an important role of ”Cartographic Information services”. The National Central library of R.O.C. has setting up the Map Collection Room In April 1991, which is the first map library domestically. The purpose of this paper is to depict the important functions of map library and its relationship to cartographic development, let the society and government agencies conceive its value, and support its development thoroughly.