Google My Maps → Omeka S: Is there any way to import markers as Items?

Omeka S
1

Hello everyone,

I’m working on a project in Omeka S using the Mapping module (v2.2.0), and I’m looking for the best way to integrate data from a Google My Maps map.

The goal is not simply to embed the map in an Omeka S page. I know that this can be done.

What I would like to achieve is something different:

  • Convert every marker in a Google My Maps map into an Item in Omeka S.

  • Preserve, whenever possible:

    • title;
    • description;
    • latitude and longitude;
    • layer/group information;
    • any other useful metadata available in the exported map.

  • After the import, each marker should become a normal Omeka S Item, georeferenced through the Mapping module, so that it can be searched, related to other resources, used in sites and exhibits, etc.

So far, I understand that:

  • The Mapping module does not directly import Google My Maps.
  • Embedding the Google map is not sufficient for this project because the markers need to become actual Omeka S Items.

Before implementing a custom importer, I’d like to ask whether there is already a solution available.

Specifically:

  1. Is there any Omeka S module capable of importing Google My Maps, KML, or KMZ directly?
  2. Has anyone implemented a workflow that converts Google My Maps markers into Omeka S Items?
  3. Is there an existing plugin, extension, script, or community project that accomplishes this?
  4. If not, what approach would you recommend for a project with a large number of markers?

Any suggestions or examples of similar projects would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

2

If your markers in Google My Maps are simple points with metadata (title, description, as you mentioned above) then you could export from Google My maps in CSV format and then use the Omeka S CSV Import module to import the objects as items in Omeka.

If you need to do this repeatedly as a data feed, you may need something more sophisticated. You don’t have to build an Omeka module for this: it may serve your purpose to write a Python script to read the My Maps data (e.g. as KML or CSV) and to create or update the items in your Omeka installation via the Omeka REST API.