On July 19th  2010 the Jagiellonian Digital Library based on dLibra software officially started. This digital library is partially sponsored by the European Community from the funds of European Regional Development Fund for the Operational Programme ‘Infrastructure and Environment’ for years 2007 – 2013, Priority 11. “Culture and Cultural Heritage” Action 11.1. “Protecting and preserving cultural heritage of supra-regional importance”.

Looking at first publications it is worth noticing two different ways of maps presentation. One of them uses Zoomify, which has been used before in Kujawsko-Pomorska Biblioteka Cyfrowa. The example of the map presented this way is Mappa szczegulna [!] Woiewodztwa Płockiego i Ziemi Dobrzynskiey… The second way of presentation is based on The Google Maps Image Cutter mechanism developed by Centre for Advanced Spatial Analysis – University College London. The example can be Karta pocztowa Królestwa Polskiego przez K. Widulińskeigo Sekretarza Jeneral(nego) Poczt wydana na r. 1827.

Viewing maps with any of these methods does not require installing any additional software. Zoomify based on flash technology seems to be a bit slower than Google solution using JavaScript. However, two different publications were used to compare both solutions and this opinion might not be objective. Beside that, the functionality of both Zoomify and The Google Maps Image Cutter is similar. More advanced versions of Zoomify are payable but its free basic version supplies enough functionality to successfully present maps on digital library pages. The Google Maps Image Cutter is all free.

We encourage digital libraries to use both solutions. It should increase the attractiveness of the presented maps or drawings.