Regional GIS User Groups: How-To's and Best Practices

Northwest Indiana GIS Forum An ad-hoc, informal users group for GIS professionals Provide a forum for people to network and learn from each other Report on what we’re doing and track the status of GIS in the Region Encourage data sharing and technology transfer among the membership

Leadership Co-Chairs: Tim Sutherland, Interim Director, IUN Library Becky McKinley, GISP Hammond Sanitary District GIS Manager Past Co-chair: Milo Anderson, EPA Region 5, Chicago

Core Members Cele Morris – IUN Lauren Rhein – Northwest Indiana Regional Planning Commission Kevin Miller – IDEM

Our Mission Catalog Spatial Data in N.W. Indiana Metadata workshops Online Metadata Compilation Tool Support LakeRIM GIS Revamp GIS Education and Training Free Intro to ArcGIS Training Workshops and Seminars Coordinate with IGIC and others to bring training to NW Indiana (i.e. Roadshows, HAZUS training) Promote the Free Exchange of Ideas about GIS and Data Sharing Open, free membership Keep members informed about IGIC initiatives and point out how they will effect us locally

Sample of Membership (over 300 on our listserv) Federal Army Corps of Engineers US-EPA USGS National Parks Service Department of Justice NRCS-USDA U.S. Attorney’s Office State Dept. of Transportation Dept. of Natural Resources Dept. of Environmental Mgmt. Homeland Security Indiana Geological Survey County & Regional Lake County Porter County LaPorte County St. Joseph County Elkhart County Kane County, IL NIRPC Municipal Hammond Gary East Chicago Dyer Schererville Whiting Munster Chesterton South Bend Mishawaka and many more Academia IU Northwest Purdue Calumet Purdue North Central Valparaiso University Purdue, West Lafayette IUPUI Not-for-Profits Save the Dunes The Nature Conservancy Association of Cities & Towns Geographers Network of Indiana Private Sector Woolpert The Sidwell Company Trimble Pangaea ESRI DLZ NIES Engineering Lawson-Fisher NIPSCO

Accomplishments Celebrating our ten year anniversary Boast over 300 members in our listserv Trained over 200 people in Intro to ArcView and then ArcGIS Won IGIC’s ‘Achievement in GIS’ award in 2006 Awarded a grant from the US-EPA Region 5 and two FGDC CAP grants Hosted dozens of workshops and seminars: Using TIGER and Census Data HAZUS 2005 Ortho Photography Vendors demos Many others

Where to Begin Identify (or become) a ‘champion’ who will keep the group going Involve local colleges/universities Don't limit your membership Take advantage of free resources Have fun!

Collaborations are Important! Benefits for Indiana University Northwest/Data Center and NWI GIS Forum Community Involvement Administration Assistance GIS Outreach and Training

IUN’s Involvement The University Promotes Collaboration with External Partners Initial Data Center/SPEA Support Geoscience Div. Business & Economics Div. Education

Administration Assistance IUN Helps to Provides a “Home” Website -

Administration – Other Support Meeting and Training Space 18 seat GIS Lab Meeting Notes Creation of Listserv Great Means of Communication

Funding the Mission Cataloging Data Means Metadata Content, Quality & Condition of Spatial Dataset Initial Funding from EPA Metadata Training Begins With the Help of the Indiana Geological Survey an Award Winning Online Metadata Tool !

TBA - An Improved Online Metadata Tool

2005 & 2007 Federal Geographic Data Committee Funding Participation with IGIC Road Shows More Metadata Outreach LakeRim Update

Other Ways IUN Helps GIS Classes offered by IUN Dept. of Geosciences and SPEA Resources through IU Bloomington Advantage of Software Licensing Educational Opportunities Collaborations with Indiana Geological Survey, IGIC, IDEM, NIRPC…..

The Northwest Indiana GIS Forum Thanks IGIC for Encouragement and Assistance! Becky McKinley Cele Morris