GIS Data in the UW Libraries and Beyond Spring 2007

Overview Libraries Services Data collections How to find data Washington State sources Regional sources State statistical sources (briefly) Census sources Federal sources And how to find it if you don’t see it… Metadata

Libraries Services GIS Service Policy: "The Libraries provides UW students, faculty and staff with access to geographic information systems (GIS) software and data owned by the Libraries…When requesting data, please leave a 48-hour turnaround (work days only) to receive data... (con’t)

Libraries Services (con’t) “Library staff are available to meet one-on-one with UW students, staff and faculty, and to assist in retrieving data. Please contact GIS staff via at ”

Objectives Provide access to GIS and desktop mapping software Identify, acquire and provide access to digital geospatial and statistical data Help patrons determine their data needs and assist with locating data Help patrons incorporate data into projects

Library staff work with Students, staff, faculty From any campus department Geography, Urban Planning, Geology, Forest Resources, Public Health, English, History, and others Public

Software & Equipment UW Libraries GIS Lab – G004 Suzzallo Library ArcGIS 9.X (ArcView, Arc/Info, older versions), others Encarta, MapPoint, Streets & Trips, etc. 20 Machines can be used for data consultation and time for basic manipulation before taking data away Access to color printers, plotters

Collections Collection focuses on Seattle, Puget Sound, Washington State Also collections for the United States, international data, individual countries Data is listed in catalog Ask if you can’t find it. It might be on order, or be able to be ordered.

GIS Data Types of GIS data Social and economic data - Census data, demographics, government information (local, state and federal) Physical-environmental data - geology, hydrology, etc. Can include streets, parcel data, rivers, lakes and drainage, soils, geology, air quality information, median household income, etc.

Data formats Vector (points, lines, polygons) e.g., bus stops, streets, parcels Raster (cells) e.g., digital elevation models Image, e.g., digital aerial photography, digital raster graphics Statistical, e.g.,.dbf files, Excel, Access,.csv,.txt, e.g., assessor’s files

Digital Raster Graphic (DRG)

City of Seattle

Digital Orthophoto

Data producers Local governments Examples: City of Seattle, King, Pierce, Thurston, Snohomish counties Federal government USGS, USFS, US Census WA State DNR, DOT, Ecology Various regional and other organizations, e.g., Puget Sound Regional Council

Data Restrictions Some is restricted by license agreement to UW students, staff and faculty only Full use for academic & research purposes Permissions needed for publishing (includes the Web)

Restrictions Much is public domain (anything from US government, for example) Can be used for any purpose No matter the purpose, make sure your citations are correct: Cartographic Citations: A Style Guide, by Suzanne M. Clark, Mary Lynette Larsgaard, Cynthia M. Teague. On the Maps Reference Shelf at GA C

Finding GIS data Introduction to: Finding data in UW catalog Other UW data sites Washington State sources State statistical sources (briefly) Regional Sources Census sources Federal Sources And how to find it if you don’t see it listed…

Acquiring data Download Purchase Data sharing Regardless, be aware of: Licensing and restrictions Public domain vs. private

Washington State sources UW Libraries Catalog, Keywords Name of the area you’re interested in, plus “computer file” and “maps” e.g.: seattle and computer file and maps Much public domain data is available through UW, via interlibrary loan or direct download

Washington State resources Washington State Geospatial Data Archive. Data available for downloading, includes Washington DEMs, Washington geology, Seattle, King County, etc. Primarily Arc/Info, ArcView formats

Washington State resources Washington State Geospatial Clearinghouse, wa-node.gis.washington.edu wa-node.gis.washington.edu Like a library catalog Links to WA-created metadata, some downloadable data Connects to international (searchable) network of metadata nodes Other state clearinghouses Eg, Alaska ( and Georgia (

Washington State resources Subject-tree guide to subjects in library Map Collection homepage Data contacts page for Washington State wagda.lib.washington.edu/datacontacts/ wagda.lib.washington.edu/datacontacts/

Washington State sources GIS Data Depot, Terraserver, terraserver.microsoft.com (photos can now be used in GIS, instructions: wagda.lib.washington.edu/data/doqs.ht ml)terraserver.microsoft.com wagda.lib.washington.edu/data/doqs.ht ml

Washington State sources Department of Transportation, g/default.htm g/default.htm Office of Financial Management, Ecology, Health, WA GAP,

Washington State sources To purchase: WA Department of Natural Resources USGS: earthexplorer.usgs.govearthexplorer.usgs.gov Contact various counties directly (some sell data, some give it away free, some seek data swaps)

State statistical data Good first source for many topics: access.wa.gov access.wa.gov Various US government sites, for example Government Publications (Libraries) CSSCR, Center for Social Science Computation and Research,

Regional Data Sources Examples of water/fish-related information: Interior Columbia Ecosystem Management Project, Streamnet, Fish Passage Center,

Census GIS data on the web Population data Housing data Census geography data in general TIGER/Line data in particular

Federal Sources Different agencies with different foci: FCC, BIA, affairs.htmlhttp:// affairs.html USF&W, Branches within agencies. (USGS, EPA): USGS global land characterization, ndcover.html ndcover.html ington/framework.html ington/framework.html US EPA data management and analysis

Federal Sources Specific, individual reports, such as USGS Open File Reports, National Soil Survey Center (USDA), NEPAnet, National Environmental Policy Act National Map Seamless Data Distribution System

Finding GIS data on the web Directories and search engines: (directory) (search engine) (also, and many others)

Search engines Keywords: name of the area you’re interested in, plus terms like: GIS, Shapefile, Coverage,.e00, Download, Data Example: washington state and gis Example: Salmon and gis and washington state Salmon and gis and pacific northwest Salmon and gis

Local GIS groups Central Puget Sound GIS User Group, List as well as monthly meetings. The Northwest GIS User Group (formerly ESRI-NW) yearly conference

International GIS groups ESRI-L, ArcView-L Invaluable for technical assistance and data questions (some support requires paid access). See support.esri.com/support.esri.com/ Many other lists available, some software- specific, others discipline-specific. See lists.directionsmag.com/discussion/ for lists and searchable archives. lists.directionsmag.com/discussion/

Other sources Commercial vendors (ESRI, of course) Ask local GIS users and other colleagues Research groups, nonprofits, other colleges/universities Libraries, academic and otherwise

Listservs Arcview-l ESRI-l MapInfo-l GIS in public health Many, many more. See the list of lists at with searchable archives and subscription information for eachwww.directionsmag.com/discussion

Organizations / (search Your Speciality, conference proceedings) ESRI-NW, Pacific Salmon Information Network, etc. Other vendors, Other associations’ conference proceedings

After downloading… Unzipping ( Importing, changing format ml ml Check your software’s translation capabilities Attaching attribute information Remember to use your software’s help files! Some more help: wagda.lib.washington.edu/help/faq.html wagda.lib.washington.edu/help/faq.html

Metadata Metadata is “data about the data” Shows lineage, data quality, methods, modifications, etc. Helps determine “fitness for use” It’s imperative to get this for every data set you download! Clearinghouse & USGS DEM ExampleExample

Needs Assessment Lists a few points to consider before you start looking for data Write these down and take a document to the map librarian – easier for them to understand what you want, when you have a good idea of what you want Ask for help:

Other GIS help on campus Main UW GIS site at Software and analysis questions to Data questions to