Mapsco has been building maps since 1952. Even when maps were built by hand using paper, pen and ink, there were three major phases. Each phase required three different skill sets: Research, Drafting, and Lithographic Pre-Press. Early Mapsco cartographers had to have all three skill sets. As the company grew, cartographers began to specialize in one of these three areas. We had researchers, draftsman, indexers, a designer (for cover art), cameramen (to take the art to film), and strippers or layout specialists to align and register the film to go to outside printing vendors. Often the same person performed more than one of these operations. The camera operator was also instrumental in doing custom enlargements of map areas in black and white needed by customers.
In the new millennium, Mapsco now calls its map making department the Production Department. All maps are now being digitized on PCs by Cartographers using information in digital and paper formats supplied by Geographic Research Analysts. The Cartographers also have the capability via Cadscript software to layout and set the data for publication so that it can be sent to the printer for direct-to-plate printing.
Research
Mapsco Street Guides and Atlases are published on a one or two-year cycle but are derived from continually updated databases. The Research Department is responsible for acquiring all data needed to update each database. One of the primary sources of data for the street atlases are subdivision plats, which are available to the public for a fee from local County Clerks. Another one of the primary sources of data are shapefiles, which contain digital data for streets and municipal boundaries and are obtained from various city and county agencies. School information is obtained from school districts, postal data from the USPS, and park information from parks departments. In addition, the Researchers conduct extensive field research, especially in fast-growing, poorly mapped, or unincorporated areas, in order to correct errors in data obtained. Mapsco also uses aerial photos to determine areas of brand new development that may not have been recorded in the County Clerk’s office. All data obtained is cataloged and indexed in formats easily usable by the Cartographer.
Cartography / Graphics
The Cartographers are responsible for placing the newly acquired data from Research into the graphics used to make the Mapsco products. The placement of the data is done primarily through the usage of digital source files or scanned images of the paper subdivision plats. Our software, Cadscript, provides us the ability to develop a particular graphical look for our product by defining attributes in the Symbology and Ordering tables. It takes a great deal of skill and dedication to produce polygons, label features, and get every item in the right place and properly attributed in the graphic format. Once the database has been updated, then the Cartographer can figure out the data extraction (layout), and external features or grids to the map, and work with the person laying out the digitally derived index (usually formatted separately by desktop) to provide digital files for printing.
Desktop Design / Indexing
During the latter part of a production, covers are designed, and all non-map pages are created by a Desktop Design Specialist, usually via Illustrator, Photoshop or InDesign software. The marketing staff controls much of the design content. Indexes are extracted from database files populated by the Research staff during updates, and laid out in Quark or InDesign.
Quality Control / Print Coordination
Quality Control is a function of each and every member of the Production Department here at Mapsco; it is a very integral part of our process. Quality control checks start at the very beginning of the research efforts, followed by graphics and continue right through the printing process of each and every Mapsco product made. Along with making the products, there must be a coordinated effort between the printer and Mapsco. Members of the Production Department fill this role known as Printer Liaison. Duties include obtaining quotes, scheduling press time, performing press checks, and scheduling the final delivery of the products.
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