Geographical Library Reference online data / Statistical resources

1. Geographical Library Referenceonline data / Statistical resources BY KACIE WEIPER

2. The importance of Online Data / Statistical resources in the library SATISFYING PATRONS’ RESEARCH NEEDS: Online data/statistical resource sites are instrumental in providing geographical information to your library’s patrons. Data/statistics provide the raw material to support any geographical research. The ability to identify key sites for your patron’s geographical research needs is essential to any reference librarian. LIBRARIANS MAKE COMPLICATED RESEARCH LESS COMPLEX: Librarians help sort through the endless geographical resources on the internet. Patrons depend on librarians for guidance and advice on what resources to use. The abundance of geographical information available requires librarians to know the difference between what makes a good or bad resource.

3. What makes a good online data / statistical resource? CURRENCY: It is essential that online data/statistics be up-to-date. Data and statistics can change daily. Fortunately, many online resources allow for frequent, sometimes daily or even hourly updates. RELIABILITY: When researching on the internet it is important to establish trustworthy sources. Educational institutes and government entities, usually .edu or .gov sites, should be safe. .org sites could go either way. It is good practice to always research the author or organization providing the information. AVAILABILITY: As online resources, they should be generally easy to access as long as you have a computer and the internet. However, not all resources will be free. Depending on your situation and institution, the resource you choose may or may not be available to you. RELEVANCE: Certain sites are best utilized for specialized topics. For example, the NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center website is best suited for meteorological research. Determine what type of information your patron is looking for and work from there.

4. Types and categories of data/statistical information TYPES: Examples of the types of geographical data/statistics needed by patrons: • Factual/census/statistical data by geographical region such as location names, population, ethnicity, income level, or government info • Geospatial or cartographic data used for GIS (geographic information systems) and LIS (land information systems) • Meteorological data CATEGORIES: It might be helpful to organize geographical into 3 regional groups: • International • National • Provincial and local AND NOW FOR A FEW EXAMPLES…

5. U.S. Census bureauhttp://www.census.gov/geo/ TYPE: Factual/census/statistical data CATEGORY: National The United States Census Bureau provides facts, statistics, maps, and charts on the nation’s population, economy, and business. They are perhaps best well-known for conducting a census of every living person in the United States every ten years. The site offers a variety of interactive internet data tools such as The American FactFinder, QuickFacts, and DataFerrett. PROS: • As part of the United States Department of Commerce, it is a reliable, extensive source of information on the world’s people and economy • The site is well-organized and categorized for simple to in-depth research needs • Data is updated regularly and provides the most accurate U.S. census possible / the homepage has live updates including the current world’s/nation’s estimated population CONS: • A majority of the data is limited to the U.S. only

6. U.S. department of the interiorGeo.data.govhttp://geo.data.gov/geoportal/catalog/main/home.page TYPE: Geospatial/cartographic data CATEGORY: International Geo.data.gov offers an impressive array of maps, government data, and geospatial services. It provides access to over 400,000 downloadable datasets and metadata information produced by over 172 agencies in the Federal Government. You can search its three catalogs of data utilizing a variety of file formats to view results. PROS: • It offers a variety of helpful “extras” such as RSS Feeds, Widgets, Data Mining and Extraction Tools • The U.S. government is a trustworthy and reliable source for information • Information is free and more easily accessible by the general public due to President Obama’s Open Government Initiative in 2009 CONS: • Even with its recent renovations, the website is still lacking a simple user interface

7. CIA World factbookhttps://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/ TYPE: Factual/census/statistical data CATEGORY: International/National The CIA World Factbook provides information on the history, government, people, economy, geography, communications, transportation, military, and transnational issues for 267 world entities. It provides various world maps and flag information. It is an excellent source of basic factual/statistical information on the countries of the world. You can easily compare different categories of information about each country simultaneously. PROS: • Updated weekly - extremely current information • Data comes from a trustworthy, highly respected government agency • Free and easily accessible on the internet; also available in print form • Easy to navigate, use, and understand by anyone – the information is easily searchable by a country drop-down menu CONS: • Information is restricted to national-level information on countries; patrons in search of state/province-level information would need to look elsewhere

8. National Climatic data centerhttp://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/ TYPE: Meteorological data CATEGORY: International NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center is the ultimate source for weather and climate data. It provides charts, maps, summaries, professional publications, global surface data (annual, monthly, and hourly), and historical climate and weather data. PROS: • Information is updated regularly – records range from Paleoclimaticdata to centuries-old journals to data less than an hour old • NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) is a reliable government resource established as far back as 1807 • Information is free and easily accessible on the internet to anyone CONS: • For the layman, the site can be complicated and difficult to find specific information. The mass amount of information can be intimidating if you don’t know how to sort through it

9. THE world bankhttp://data.worldbank.org/ TYPE: Factual/census/statistical data CATEGORY: International The World Bank provides information on the financial and economic situation of countries across the world. The World Bank is made up of five international organizations that provide financial and technical assistance to countries in need. It’s easy to utilize its many searchable and downloadable information via its Data Catalog, Microdata, and DataBank. PROS: • The site is dedicated to providing free and accessible information to the public • The site is incredibly user friendly with access to various databases and catalogs - Data can be searched by country, topic, and indicator CONS: • Social data is only collected on a yearly basis or even less often while some economic and financial data may be monthly or quarterly • Much of the data comes directly from developing countries which are still in the process of improving their capacity, efficiency, and effectiveness with collecting data

10. Local geographical resources There are many sites that focus on a particular geographical location or place. Research the local data sites for your desired topic. For example, the Detroit metro area offers a few of the following websites for geographical research: State of Michigan Data Data Driven Detroit The Center for Urban Studies SEMCOG – Southeast Michigan Council of Governments

11. And many, many more! The rest is up to you • The internet provides access to endless geographical data and statistical information. This presentation has named just a few of the best reference sources available. It is up to you determine which sources best fit your patron’s needs. • Remember to evaluate each and every online resource you come across. Ask yourself these questions: • Is it from a reliable source (eg. .edu or .gov sites)? • How frequently is the information updated (yearly, monthly, daily, hourly)? • Are you or your patron able to access the information freely or easily? • Is the source satisfying your patron’s specific research needs? GOOD LUCK!