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The Future of GIS Services in Academic Libraries: Exploring the Next Step

This presentation explores the history, current focus, and changes affecting GIS services in academic libraries, with a focus on the University of Arizona Library. It also discusses trends in academic libraries, acquiring geospatial data, and the next steps in GIS services.

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The Future of GIS Services in Academic Libraries: Exploring the Next Step

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  1. The Future of GIS Services in Academic Libraries: Exploring the Next Step Christine Kollen, Geography & Maps Librarian, Social Sciences Team, University of Arizona Library Living the Future 6 -- April 6, 2006

  2. Outline • History of GIS in Libraries • Current focus • Changes effecting GIS in libraries • Trends in academic libraries • Changes at UA • Acquiring geospatial data • Beyond the Arizona Electronic Atlas • Next Steps Living the Future 6 -- April 6, 2006

  3. History of GIS in Libraries • Libraries see advantages in the early 1990s as GIS software becomes more user friendly • Partnership between ESRI (GIS software producer) and ARL -- ARL GIS Literacy Project (1992) provides training in GIS software and access to spatial data • Libraries are starting to provide web access to geospatial data to create maps and to provide access to data • Examples include: • Massachusetts Electronic Atlas (morphed into) the Harvard Geospatial Library • Washington State Geospatial Data Archive • Inside Idaho (University of Idaho) • University of Virginia GeoStat • University of Connecticut’s MAGIC collection • University of Arizona’s Arizona Electronic Atlas Living the Future 6 -- April 6, 2006

  4. UA Library’s GIS History • UA became involved with the ARL GIS Literacy Project and offered GIS services in 1996 • Developed GeoFac in 1998 in response to student requests for help with the software • Developed the Arizona Electronic Atlas in 2004 in response to student comments about GeoFac • Went from geospatial data on CD-ROM and access to GIS software through one designated computer to currently providing access from all computers in the Information Commons (Main, Science-Engineering, and Fine Arts Libraries) Living the Future 6 -- April 6, 2006

  5. What are other ARL Libraries doing? SPEC Kit on Spatial Data Collections & Services (Dec. 2005) reported: • Growth in no. of locations offering spatial data support on campuses • Shift to disciplines beyond geography • Challenges reported include: data collection and data licensing for digital data; processing and storage of electronic formats and online maps • Increase in responsibilities for cataloging & acquisition • Half report increase in reference & instruction • Most have seen an increase in spatial data users • Increase in use of digital spatial data • Some report decrease in GIS software consultation, students & faculty are pretty independent Living the Future 6 -- April 6, 2006

  6. Other Academic Libraries Survey of implementation and use of GIS in 128 smaller academic libraries • Out of 138 responses, 22 have adopted GIS in their library and 28 are planning to in the near future • The survey focused on hardware & software, staffing, levels of service, training, monetary support, and use in the implementation of GIS • Difficult to get started with providing GIS services without also obtaining outside funding Living the Future 6 -- April 6, 2006

  7. Campus GIS Environment • GIS services the Library provides strongly related to what GIS classes and services are available on campus and their needs • School of Natural Resources’ Advanced Resources Technology group has operated a GIS lab since 1988 • School of Social and Behavioral Sciences opened a GIS lab in 1999 • More classes are being taught that utilize GIS software – desktop GIS and internet applications Living the Future 6 -- April 6, 2006

  8. UA Advanced Resources Technology (ART) Group Part of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences • Units on campus with GIS spatial needs are coming to ART • Requests for application development – such as using hand-helds to gather field data • Newly approved GIS certification for graduate students (jointly administered between ART & Geography) • In classes, students are created ArcIMS projects Living the Future 6 -- April 6, 2006

  9. Center for Applied Spatial Analysis (CASA) • In the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences (SBS). Similar mission as ART but not as developed • Faculty and graduate students in SBS come to them for assistance/training Living the Future 6 -- April 6, 2006

  10. GeoVisualization Lab • New lab (fall 2005) in the Dept. of Geography and Regional Development • Combines research, teaching, and collaboration with the community • Lab is mainly for faculty that teach urban revitalization and public funding projects • Work with community groups to help them address an issue or problem • Help community develop GIS skills • Students in the classes develop ArcIMS sites Living the Future 6 -- April 6, 2006

  11. Current Focus at UA Library • Arizona Electronic Atlas • Acquiring geospatial data • Providing GIS software and data help Living the Future 6 -- April 6, 2006

  12. Changes that are effecting GIS in Libraries • GIS is evolving to a federated technology – will be distributed and federated • Organized in metadata catalogs requiring interoperability and content guidelines • Increased availability of online geospatial data especially for the United States – as an example the release of the U.S.Geological Survey National Map • GIS for the Nation – participants from NGOs, federal, state, local & universities Living the Future 6 -- April 6, 2006

  13. Changes that are effecting GIS in Libraries (cont.) • Online interactive mapping, such as MapQuest • Google’s release of Google Earth and Google Map’s APIs • Integration of GIS into non-geography classes Living the Future 6 -- April 6, 2006

  14. What trends do other ARL Libraries see? • Overall demand is growing • Increase in spatial data acquisition and user demand for GIS reference services • Increase in conversion of analog materials to digital • Increase in acquiring foreign digital geospatial data Living the Future 6 -- April 6, 2006

  15. What are other ARL Libraries planning? • Explore data acquisition & discovery strategies • Add more staff • Change in Service goals – assistance in locating data, selecting the appropriate use of spatial data instead of how to use the software • Promote GIS to users from disciplines new to GIS • More BI and GIS projects, larger web presence through ArcIMS projects • Collection development policy for acquiring geospatial data • Tools to facilitate collaboration between data users, scholars, and the community. • Investigate usability of geospatial tools for searching Living the Future 6 -- April 6, 2006

  16. Map Libraries in Transition • Conference sponsored by Cartographic Users Advisory Council was held last May • Wonderful opportunity for Geography, Map, & GIS Librarians to come together to hear talks focused on maps/spatial data, to discuss issues of common concern, and how we can collaborate • One result was to develop a map scanning registry • How can the individual organizations work more effectively together? • Hold this conference more frequently Living the Future 6 -- April 6, 2006

  17. Future Direction & Needs of GIS at UA campus • GIS certification for graduate students • GeoServ – portal to three UA sites: ART, CASA, Arizona Remote Sensing Center • Add Atlas later if concept is proven • Add Arizona state agencies • Data needs include online access to spatial data of Mexico and current street level data for Arizona with geocoding abilities Living the Future 6 -- April 6, 2006

  18. Needs Assessment of the Arizona Electronic Atlas Needs assessment as part of Atlas Business Plan last year • Emphasis on community outreach -- translating research that we do at the University into a language that the public can understand. • Go beyond mapping to develop mechanisms or tools to help users make decisions Living the Future 6 -- April 6, 2006

  19. Atlas Needs Assessment (cont) • Data and data-related needs for research: • More local data, federal data, border data (into Mexico) • More collaboration and networking across various departments on campus to obtain datasets • Develop static maps that could easily be used in classes • Develop more interdisciplinary map themes in the Atlas such as Environmental Justice • Resource that helps teach geographic concepts such as scale, projection, use of color Living the Future 6 -- April 6, 2006

  20. Changes at the UA Libraries • UA Libraries this past year has reorganized in order to be more flexible and able to deal with changes in the environment • One of our new cross-functional teams, Delivery & Access investigated how the Library should deal with data sets and is also administering a fund for new and continuing Digital Initiatives Living the Future 6 -- April 6, 2006

  21. Future Directions at the University of Arizona Library • Move from providing assistance with GIS software (most students no longer need help) • Provide online access to spatial data • Continue to provide access to mapping Arizona data through the Atlas • Going beyond the Atlas – more collaboration on campus through new initiatives • Digitizing aerial photography Living the Future 6 -- April 6, 2006

  22. Acquiring Geospatial Data • Faculty and students in general are requesting that more and more information be available online • A lot of U.S. geospatial data is available online • Exceptions include current streets and local data • Majority of information published by the federal government is available online – maps are not • Country data is needed • Deciding what to purchase (take into account the cost and licensing) • Spatial data for Mexico and other Latin American countries Living the Future 6 -- April 6, 2006

  23. Decision Support Tools & Translating Science for the Public • Move to go beyond ArcIMS applications such as the Atlas to create more of a decision support tool • Need to translate science occurring at the universities into information the public can use • Example: Geography’s GeoVisualization Lab and use of CommunityViz • Example: Arid Land’s WALTER site Living the Future 6 -- April 6, 2006

  24. New Initiative • Need outside funding to move forward with the Atlas • Importance of collaborating with other units on campus • Importance of identifying units with similar interests and challenges • ClimateView • How is the approach to ClimateView different than the Atlas? Living the Future 6 -- April 6, 2006

  25. What’s Next? • Work with groups on campus to integrate the use of ClimateView into the curriculum • Move on to other topics of importance to the campus and the state • Continue developing these modules that work with the Atlas and provide key learning modules Living the Future 6 -- April 6, 2006

  26. Questions? Living the Future 6 -- April 6, 2006

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