GIS and the GCMC: An Introduction to New Services from University Libraries Kristin Partlo, Information Services Librarian Angie Gibson, GIS Specialist Jack Yun, GCMC GA

Definition of GIS Geographic Information Systems An organized collection of computer hardware, software, geographic data, and personnel designed to efficiently capture, store, update, manipulate, analyze, and display all forms of geographically referenced information.

History of GIS & Libraries GIS around for 20 + years In libraries by late 1980’s, early 1990’s Presence and use increased in recent years Decreased price More digital U.S. Government data GIS Literacy Project Increased presence on campuses

Why GIS in the library? Access to geographic information across formats Allows patrons to use digital data in the library Accommodates the addition of GIS and spatial analysis to many academic curricula

What is GIS? ...More Than Just Software GIS is a System of computer software, hardware and data, and personnel to help manipulate, analyze and present information that is tied to a spatial location . Spatial location – usually a geographic location Information – visualization of analysis of data System – linking software, hardware, data Personnel – A thinking explorer who is key to the power of GIS. ...More Than Just Software

The Five Points of GIS

What is Not GIS? GPS – Global Positioning System A static map – paper or digital Maps are often a “product” of a GIS A way to visualize the analysis A software package

An abstraction of the real world What is GIS? GIS Layers Real World An abstraction of the real world

Data – Two Basic Types Raster – Grid Vector – Linear “pixels” A location and value Satellite images and aerial photos are in this format Vector – Linear Points, lines and polygons “Features” (house, lake, etc.) Attributes Size, type, length, etc.

Points (Retail stores) Areas/Polygons/Regions Data – Vector Real-world entities are abstracted into three basic shapes Points (Retail stores) Lines/Arcs/Routes (Streets) Areas/Polygons/Regions (Land uses)

Data- Raster Aerial Photo of O and 7th Street, Washington, D.C.

Types of questions GIS can answer: Which parcels are owned by John Doe? Which of John Doe’s parcels are within 1 mile of a highway and valued over $100k? What is the shortest path between all of John Doe’s properties? What is the quickest path between all of John Doe’s properties?

Who Uses GIS? Emergency Services – Fire and Police Environmental – Monitoring and Modeling Business – Site Location, Delivery Systems Industry – Transportation, Communication, Mining, Pipelines, Healthcare Government – Local, State, Federal, Military Education – Research, Teaching Tool, Administration Wherever Spatial Data Analysis is Needed

How GIS affects you everyday. GIS in Delaware County Policy Making – Both the City of Muncie and Delaware County have sophisticated GIS systems that are instrumental in policy making, and planning of our community. Emergency Management- The Delaware County Emergency Management Office uses GIS for determining where to place tornado sirens, tracking smoke plumes, and are currently developing a GIS based 911 system. The Muncie Sanitary District – Uses GIS to manage, monitor and plan out their lines. Various Utilities – phone, water, electric, cable, satellite

Where Do We Get The Data? Digitized Maps CAD / Survey / Field Sampling of Attributes Video Tabular Data / Databases Scanning in Maps Remote Sensing and Aerial Photography GPS

The Output Animations Applications Data Maps Charts Reports

Hardcopy Map Internet (HTML) Project Files Image File GIS Data Project Files Image File

Graphs Maps Reports

Animations Old Rag Mountain, VA flyby Click on image to view animation

Online Applications National Atlas GIS Atlas for Indiana Hamilton County Map Room

Geospatial Center/ Map Collection

GCMC – What’s Available 8 GIS Workstations -Intel Pentium 4 Processor, 3.0 Ghz -1.00 GB of RAM -130 GB Hard Drive -CD/CDR/CDRW/DVD Combo Drive -ZIP 750 Drive -2 LCD Flat Monitors per Station 1 Public Workstation -Intel Pentium 3 Processor, 500 Mhz -256k of Ram -37 GB Hard Drive -DVD/CD-ROM Drive -Zip 250 Drive

GCMC – What’s Available Software Microsoft Windows XP Professional version 2002 ArcGIS 8.3 ArcView 3.3 Geomedia Professional 5.1 Microsoft Office XP- Word, Excel, Access, PowerPiont Roxio Easy CD Creater 5 Adobe Reader 6.0 WinZip Future Peripherals Hewlett Packard B/W laser Printer Flat Bed Scanner HP 1055CM Large Format Plotter

Some Typical Library Activities: Collecting Organizing Providing Access Reference Assistance and Instruction Forming Partnerships

Anticipated Services Data Provision Technical Assistance GIS Instruction Reference Assistance A physical space with the equipment and staff necessary to locate, acquire, and use information provided by our collection

Data Provision Provide access to locally collected and produced data through partnerships Selecting & organizing online resources on Web site Hosting data locally Reference assistance

Technical Assistance Fully functional lab with space for students to save projects Help reformatting, projecting, setting scale In general, helping patrons already familiar with GIS to work through glitches

Anticipated Services Data Provision Technical Assistance GIS Instruction Reference Assistance A physical space with the equipment and staff necessary to locate, acquire, and use information provided by our collection

A Real Life Example: A landscape architect student has an assignment to create a landscape plan for a city block in downtown Muncie…. He’s going to need an aerial photo, a topographic map, parcel lines, ROW, and any other information he can get. Where we come in: First, we can give him hard copy topo maps, aerials and parcel lines. But, he wants them all to be at the same scale, so that he can design over them. Also the data isn’t current…he needs the most current information possible. So, we suggest that he use GIS. We give him the contact information of the Delaware County GIS office to get permission to use the data. Then he simply uses one of our GIS lab stations to pull up all the data he needs regarding his study area using our GIS software. He can then overlay the necessary data, all at a specified scale, and displayed to best fit his needs. He can then print off his map, or do his design work on the computer using GIS.