National Air Photo Library (NAPL) Online
Karen McEwen, Geomatics Engineer, Centre for Topographic Information,
Natural Resources Canada
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The National Air Photo Library (NAPL) holds an extensive collection
of aerial photos of Canada dating back to the 1920s. The collection
consists of approximately 6 million photos and also includes the
related flight report and index map information.

The archival process has recently begun in partnership with Libraries
and Archives Canada (LAC) and funding from Management of Government
Information (MGI). The process required an assessment of the various
NAPL photo collections and related material in order to develop an
action plan to scan and process large volumes of information while
following the LAC guidelines to create a new Digital Photo Library (DPL).

As the aerial photo holdings of the library are scanned the information is
now currently being made available for viewing through the existing NAPL
On-Line internet tool, which is currently available for clients and staff to
search and locate desired aerial photography. The upgrade of the current
NAPL On-Line internet tool will allow for access to archival search criteria
along with the existing search methods for the aerial photo collection and
the related report information. The transition to a Digital Photo Library is
complex and new ground for the National Air Photo Library.