Map and Geospatial Curators Group Meeting – Mapping the Future: Collaboration & Advocacy
Wednesday 21- Friday 23 May |Harokopio University of Athens, Athens, Greece
The Map and Geospatial Curators Group will meet in Spring 2025 to discuss the current state of our profession, explore ways to organize ourselves more effectively and share perspectives on our Group’s future. This will be an opportunity to exchange ideas, address challenges, and identify potential collaborations that can strengthen our community. Your insights and participation will be invaluable in shaping the direction of our profession and ensuring its continued relevance. We are also organizing visits to collections in Athens.
We welcome proposals for presentations, panels, that explore the vital role of collaboration and advocacy in securing the future of map libraries and collections. As artificial intelligence reshapes the information landscape, budgets tighten, and professional networks become more important than ever, we must work together to ensure our collections remain accessible, valued, and well-supported.
We seek proposals that address the following themes or other topics of interest to map librarianship:
Advocacy & Outreach – Strategies for demonstrating the enduring value of map libraries and collections to administrators, stakeholders, and the broader public.
Collaboration Across Borders – Successful partnerships between institutions, disciplines, and professionals that strengthen map collections and services.
AI & Geospatial Data – The opportunities and challenges AI presents for map and geospatial data librarianship, from ethical concerns to enhancing access and discovery.
Funding & Budget Realities – Creative approaches to sustaining and growing collections despite financial constraints.
Rebuilding Professional Connections – Strengthening our professional networks, mentoring early-career librarians, and fostering community in a changing world.
We welcome proposals from librarians, archivists, curators and other professionals working with maps and geospatial data. Submissions may include traditional conference papers, lightning talks, panel discussions.
Submission Deadline: April 18, 2025
Submit Your Proposal here: https://forms.gle/gAPHXKdDCvwfHuwX7
We will let you know about acceptance of your presentation by the following week – April 25
We also are collaborating with the Journal of Map and Geography Libraries to host a special issue of the journal focused on the themes of this conference. Interested participants can choose to submit their paper, which would be due around the end of August – more details to come!
Join us as we chart a path forward together!
Map and Geoinformation Curators Group (MAGIC) 