GIS Data in the UW Libraries Fall 2009

Overview 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 Our GIS Service Policy: The Libraries provides UW students, faculty and staff with access to GIS software and data owned by the Libraries. When requesting data, please leave a 48-hour turnaround (work days only) to receive data. 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 or at (206)

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

Software & Equipment ESRI Site License ArcGIS Desktop 9.3 Map Collection, Suzzallo Library, Basement 2 computers Use for minute data consults and time for basic manipulation before taking data away GIS Lab, Suzzallo Library, Ground floor GIS assistance available during academic quarters Hours: M-Th 3:30-7 pm 20 computers Fri 1-4 pm group work OK GIS Lab, Suzzallo Library, Ground floor ArcGIS installed in General Access Computer Labs Mary Gates Hall (ArcGIS 9.2) Odegaard Undergraduate Library (ArcGIS 9.2)

Geospatial Data Collections Collection focuses on Seattle, Puget Sound and Washington State. We also collect for the United States, international data, individual countries. Data is listed in UW Library catalog. Ask if you can’t find it.

GIS Data Types of information Census data, demographics, government information (local, state and federal) Information of a more “physical” nature: geology, topology, hydrology, etc. Can include streets, parcel information, rivers, lakes and drainage, soils, geology, air quality information, median household income, etc. Imagery

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, GeoTIFF Statistical, e.g.,.dbf files, Excel, Access,.csv,.txt, e.g., assessor’s files

Digital Raster Graphic (DRG)

City of Seattle

Digital Orthophoto

Satellite Imagery North American Landscape Characterization (NALC) derived from Landsat – thumbnail image courtesy Harvey Greenberg, ESS

Data producers Local governments Examples: City of Seattle, King, Pierce, Thurston, Snohomish Counties Federal government agencies USGS, USFS, US Census WA State agencies Dept. Natural Resources, Dept. of Transportation, Dept. of Ecology Various regional and other organizations Puget Sound Regional Council

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

Data Restrictions Much data is in the public domain anything from a US federal government agency, for example Local, state, tribal and foreign national governments may NOT provide public domain access to digital data Data in the public domain 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 Style guides on web linked to Finding Geospatial Data resource pageFinding Geospatial Data resource page

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

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

Finding GIS data Introduction to: WAGDA – WA Geospatial Data Archive & other UW data sites Finding data in UW catalog Metadata Search portals State statistical sources (briefly) Regional Sources Census sources Federal Sources And how to find it if you don’t see it listed…

Washington State resources Washington State Geospatial Data Archive. Data available for downloading, includes Washington DEMs, Washington geology, Seattle & King County data layers, Puget Sound imagery, etc. Primarily ArcGIS, ArcView formats

Searching for Data UW Libraries Catalog, catalog.lib.washington.edu catalog.lib.washington.edu Keywords Name of the area you’re interested in, plus “electronic resource” and “maps” or “gis” e.g.: seattle and electronic resource and gis Much public domain data is available through UW, via interlibrary loan or direct download

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 GeoData.gov Harvests data from metadata clearinghouses

Searching for Data Geography Network (free & fee) Terraserver, GIS Data Depot, Google Earth – downloading imagery requires subscription

Searching for Data 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) WAGDA provides a contact list for WA counties

Attribute Data w/geographical component Good first source for many topics: access.wa.gov access.wa.gov Various US government sites, for example

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

Census GIS data on the web Washington State Census data Census geodatabases on WAGDA (2000 and 1990) Census geodatabases on WAGDA Geographic and demographic data TIGER data (shapefiles) tigerline/index.html tigerline/index.html

Federal Sources Different agencies with different foci: FCC, USF&W, Branches within agencies. (USGS, BLM): USGS global land characterization, BLM OR/WA Data Library,

Search Engine or Portal? Search Engines Portals The GeoCommunity GIS Lounge Data Warehouse

Search Using Google 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 and download

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

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 & ExampleExample

Needs Assessment Lists a few points to consider before you start looking for data Needs Assessment is online Can bring form into Libraries; helps us understand your needs as we get started looking for data. Can save you time. Ask for help:

Other GIS help on campus Main UW GIS site at Software and analysis questions to UW Departments, courses, and facilities for GIS education & research

GIS in the Libraries Map Collection GIS Graduate Staff Assistant – Yan Jiang GIS Laboratory – ground floor, Suzzallo Library in Government Publications area GIS Assistance available 17.5 hours/week during academic quarters – closed summer quarter