Data Agreement

last updated Nov. 19th, 2024

Overview

Insofar as any data created on OldInsuranceMaps.net is copyrightable, users agree that their copyright is waived and CC0 is applied.

This policy is in service of these two core goals:

  • To create publicly accessible datasets that can be used by anyone for any purpose
  • To facilitate historical map georeferencing and mosaicking in an efficient and participatory environment

The platform also records the georeferencing-related actions that a user takes while interacting with it, and uses Plausible Analytics to collect general statistics about visitors to the site. No private user information is collected.

The rest of this page provides more detail on each of these categories.

Input data

The following pieces of information are created by users throughout the georeferencing process:

  • Boundaries of split regions within pages
  • Ground control points (GCPs) to facilitate the georeferencing process
    • A chosen transformation algorithm to be associated with these GCPs
    • A chosen projection to be targeted for the warping process
  • Masking boundaries to trim margins of layers

This data is exposed for download in certain parts of the application, but can also be furnished upon request, or accessed through the beta API.

Georeferenced maps

All source content from the Library of Congress digital collection is in the Public Domain. The geospatial datasets derived from the georeferencing process are likewise considered to be free of copyright.

All georeferenced maps are free for download and use of any kind, commercial and non-commercial alike. Credit should be given to Library of Congress, Geography and Map Division, Sanborn Maps Collection, and whenever possible, the usernames of those who georeferenced the maps should be added to a citation (these names can be found in the summary page for each map or layer).

Please take note: georeferenced material on OldInsuranceMaps.net comes with no guarantee of accuracy.

Usage metrics

Throughout the georeferencing process, a user's account is attached to each action they take and data they create. Aggregations or visualizations of this information (like the average time spent in the georeferencing interface, or the number of sessions completed within a given time period) may be published in articles or presentations, or made more visible within the platform in the future.

OldInsuranceMaps.net uses Plausible Analytics to collect general statistics about visitors to the site. Plausible is a privacy-focused alternative to other similar services like Google Analytics.