GIS and the GCMC: An Introduction to New Services

from University Libraries

Kristin Partlo, Information Services LibrarianAngie Gibson, GIS SpecialistJack Yun, GCMC GA

Definition of GIS

Geographic Information SystemsAn 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 + yearsIn libraries by late 1980’s, early 1990’sPresence and use increased in recent years

Decreased priceMore digital U.S. Government dataGIS Literacy ProjectIncreased presence on campuses

Why GIS in the library?

Access to geographic information across formatsAllows patrons to use digital data in the libraryAccommodates 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.

The Five Points of GIS

What is Not GIS?

GPS – Global Positioning SystemA static map – paper or digital

Maps are often a “product” of a GISA way to visualize the analysis

A software package

GIS Layers

Real World

An abstraction of the real world

What is GIS?

Data – Two Basic Types

Raster – Grid“pixels”A location and valueSatellite images and aerial photos are in this format

Vector – LinearPoints, lines and polygons“Features” (house, lake, etc.)Attributes

• Size, type, length, etc.

Lines/Arcs/Routes(Streets)

Areas/Polygons/Regions(Land uses)

Points (Retail stores)

Real-world entities are abstracted into three basic shapes

Data – Vector

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 PoliceEnvironmental – Monitoring and ModelingBusiness – Site Location, Delivery SystemsIndustry – Transportation, Communication, Mining, Pipelines, HealthcareGovernment – Local, State, Federal, MilitaryEducation – 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

Applications Data Maps Charts Reports

Animations

Project Files Image File

Internet (HTML)Hardcopy Map

GIS Data

tolltag_custs.sxd

MapsGraphs

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 Available8 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 AvailableSoftware

Microsoft Windows XP Professional version 2002ArcGIS 8.3ArcView 3.3Geomedia Professional 5.1Microsoft Office XP- Word, Excel, Access, PowerPiontRoxio Easy CD Creater 5Adobe Reader 6.0WinZip

Future PeripheralsHewlett Packard B/W laser PrinterFlat Bed ScannerHP 1055CM Large Format Plotter

Some Typical Library Activities:

CollectingOrganizingProviding AccessReference Assistance and InstructionForming Partnerships

Anticipated Services

Data ProvisionTechnical AssistanceGIS InstructionReference AssistanceA 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 partnershipsSelecting & organizing online resources on Web siteHosting data locallyReference assistance

Technical Assistance

Fully functional lab with space for students to save projectsHelp reformatting, projecting, setting scaleIn general, helping patrons already familiar with GIS to work through glitches

Anticipated Services

Data ProvisionTechnical AssistanceGIS InstructionReference AssistanceA 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.