diff --git a/src/plugins/lib/libmapservice.py b/src/plugins/lib/libmapservice.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..80b9eb9f7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/plugins/lib/libmapservice.py
@@ -0,0 +1,99 @@
+#
+# Gramps - a GTK+/GNOME based genealogy program
+#
+# Copyright (C) 2009       Benny Malengier
+#
+# This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+# the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
+# (at your option) any later version.
+#
+# This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+# along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
+# Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307  USA
+#
+
+"""
+Google Maps map service. Open place in maps.google.com
+"""
+
+#-------------------------------------------------------------------------
+#
+# GRAMPS modules
+#
+#-------------------------------------------------------------------------
+from gen.plug import PluginManager, Plugin
+from PlaceUtils import conv_lat_lon
+import GrampsDisplay
+
+class MapService():
+    """Generic base class for map services
+       A service is a singleton, we only need one to exist
+       Usage is as a callable when used 
+    """
+    
+    def __call__(self, database, items):
+        """Callable class, usable as a function. This guarantees the class is
+           instantiated once when a service is registered. Afterward only calls
+           occur 
+           database: Database to work on
+           items: list of tuples (place_handle, description), where description
+                  is None or a string to use for marker (eg 'birth John Doe')
+        """
+        self.db = database
+        self.items = items
+        self.url = ''
+        #An instance is called, we display the result
+        self._calc_url()
+        self.__display()
+        self._free()
+
+    def _get_first_place(self):
+        """Obtain the first place object"""
+        place_handle = self.items[0][0]
+        
+        return self.db.get_place_from_handle(place_handle), self.items[0][1]
+        
+    def _all_places(self):
+        """Obtain a list generator of all place objects
+            Usage: for place, descr in mapservice.all_places()
+        """
+        for handle, descr in db.get_handles():
+         yield self.db.get_place_from_handle(handle), descr
+    
+    def _lat_lon(self, place, format="D.D8"):
+        """return the lat, lon value of place in the requested format
+           None, None if invalid
+        """
+        return PlaceUtils.conv_lat_lon(place.get_latitude(), 
+                                       place.get_longitude(), format)
+
+    def _calc_url(self):
+        """Base class needs to overwrite this, calculation of the self.path"""
+        raise NotImplementedError
+
+    def __display(self):
+        """Show the url in an external browser"""
+        GrampsDisplay.url(self.url)
+    
+    def _free(self):
+        """Allow garbage collection to do it's work"""
+        self.items = None
+
+
+#------------------------------------------------------------------------
+#
+# Register the library
+#
+#------------------------------------------------------------------------
+PluginManager.get_instance().register_plugin( 
+Plugin(
+    name = __name__, 
+    description = _("Provides base functionality for map services."),
+    module_name = __name__ 
+      ))