GIS Research and Map Collection

Anastasios Gounaris Speaking at Ball State University

2012-01-24T13:54:00.000-05:00

Pilgrimage to Mount Athos, the Holy Mountain Tonight at Ball State University

Father Anastasios Gounaris, Pastor at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Carmel will speak about his journey to Mount Athos tonight in the Student Center Ballroom at 7:00 P.M. Mt. Athos is a peninsula in northwest Greece, home for Orthodox monks and dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The peninsula has a rich history dating back to the 11th century. Pastor Gounaris spent a week at Mt. Athos this summer and will speak about his experience. The event is free and open to the public.

Tuskegee Airmen Maps Available from Ball State University Libraries

2012-01-19T11:54:00.004-05:00

Red Tails: Tuskegee Airmen Map Available from Ball State University Libraries

The Ball State University Libraries’ GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) in Bracken Library provides cartographic resources rendering a variety of places, issues, and events for research and learning. The Atlas Collection also includes thousands of atlases with maps providing visual depictions of people, places and things.

This weekend a new movie, Red Tails, premieres about the heroism of the Tuskegee Airmen during World War II, and the Atlas of African-American History includes a map showing the locations of their missions (above, click to enlarge).

The atlas, written by James Ciment, provides research information about the Tuskegee Airmen and their history:

Ever since the rise of military aviation in World War I, African Americans had demanded admission and training as airmen. These demands were dismissed out of hand….It was not until 1939 that the government—in expanding the air corps generally—authorized expenditures for pilot training programs at several black colleges, including Tuskegee Institute, although only for support services and not for combat.

Still, resistance to the idea of black pilots persisted. Whites refused to serve with them and the army—which ran the air corps in those days—still did not believe that blacks could make effective pilots. Thus, the Tuskegee airmen continued to train long after whites were sent into combat and, when they were finally permitted into combat, they remained segregated units.

Not surprisingly, the extra training made them especially effective pilots. By war’s end, the all-black 332^nd bomber escort group—of which the Tuskegee airmen were a part—could claim a perfect record. In 1,578 missions and 15,552 sorties, they never lost a single bomber. The commander of the 332^nd, Benjamin O. Davis, would go on to become the nation’s first black three-star general.

Maps from the GRMC and Atlas Collection can be scanned and added as visual aids to papers and presentations. Contact the staff of the GRMC for more information about using maps in research and learning. Or visit Monday through Friday from 8:00 to 5:00.

Satellite Imagery of Wrecked Cruise Ship from Digital Globe

2012-01-19T07:24:00.000-05:00

Latest Satellite Imagery Shows Wrecked Cruise Ship

The satellite photograph shown above is from Digital Globe, a commercial imagery and geospatial products provider. The image shows the wrecked cruise ship, the Costa Concordia, that capsized off the coast of Tuscany, Italy, near the island of Giglio last Friday.

Digital Globe provides images from its high-resolution earth imaging satellites for use in mapping, analysis, and exploration.

Maps in the News: Nautical Charts

2012-01-17T10:52:00.000-05:00

Nautical Charts in the News: Giglio Island, Italy and Nome, Alaska

The GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) on the second floor of Bracken Library includes a large collection of nautical charts covering coastlines around the world available for research and learning. Nautical charts are maps of the surface of the sea that include known hazards and aids to navigation.

The top nautical chart (click to enlarge) shows the location of Giglio Island (Isola del Giglio), Italy, where a cruise ship ran aground on Friday. The depth of the water near the ship was about 100 meters. The coast of Italy is shaded gray.

The second nautical chart is a map of Nome, Alaska. Crews began transferring millions of gallons of fuel Monday from a Russian tanker to the iced-in city. The locations of fuel tanks in Nome can be viewed on the nautical chart.

Nautical charts from the GRMC can be circulated for two weeks or longer. The charts, however, should not be used for navigation.

For more information about these maps, please contact the GRMC Monday through Friday from 8:00 to 5:00.

Ball State University Libraries GIS Research and Map Collection Closed Monday, January 16

2012-01-13T14:40:00.001-05:00

The GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) will be closed Monday, January 16 for the Martin Luther King, Junior Day holiday. The GRMC will reopen at 8:00 A.M. on Tuesday, January 17.

Martin Luther King, Junior Map Available from Ball State University Libraries

2012-01-12T12:41:00.000-05:00

Ball State University Libraries Marks Martin Luther King, Jr. Day with Commemorative Map:

Journey of a King: Mapping the Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Junior

The GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) on the second floor of Bracken Library has created a map of the travels of Dr. Martin Luther King, Junior, to commemorate the national holiday. The map, Journey of a King: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Junior, (shown above, click to enlarge) depicts some of the places the civil rights leader visited during his lifetime. The map is based on locations documented in the book M.L.K.: Journey of a King by Tonya Bolden available from the General Collection in Bracken Library.

The map features photographs from the book and a timeline of important events in the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Junior. Dr. King also visited Africa, the Holy Land and Oslo, Norway to accept the Nobel Peace Prize.

The map is currently being displayed in the front window of the GRMC to correspond with a lobby exhibit on Dr. King.

A PDF-format version of the map is available from the Ball State University Libraries’ Cardinal Scholar at https://cardinalscholar.bsu.edu/handle/123456789/195146.

The map may be used for classroom lessons and presentations. The GRMC has a large-format plotter available for members of the Ball State University community to print off larger copies of the map.

Please contact the GRMC Monday through Friday from 8:00 to 5:00 at 765-285-1097 for more information about this map and other maps for exhibits and classroom lessons.

Maps in the News

2012-01-12T11:14:00.001-05:00

What's Happening? Maps in the News

Allyn Bacon Social Atlas of the United States map of the generations of the United States

Atlas of American Politics map of Mormon adherence distribution

Map of Nigeria from the Central Intelligence Agency

Map comparing the size of Syria and the United States, Central Intelligence Agency

The Strait of Hormuz

Geography Classes Using Ball State University Libraries' Maps

2011-12-12T11:04:00.004-05:00

Geography Students Learn about the Effects of Flooding Using Topographic Maps

Dr. David Call, Assistant Professor in the Department of Geography at Ball State University, teaches two sections of Geography 101: Earth, Sea, and Sky: A Geographic View. In the class, students learn about selected aspects of the physical environment and their relationship to human occupancy of the earth.

The final project for the students this fall involved learning about the effects of flooding on various environments around the United States. Dr. Call used topographic maps from the University Libraries’ GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) to show students how these environmental factors are depicted graphically on the maps.

Students used maps of New Orleans and Laplace, Louisiana, Chester, Illinois, and Natchez and Valley, Mississippi to study how the changing course of rivers affect state boundaries and land claims, how the city’s low elevation affects New Orleans, and how river deltas can be an excellent resource for fossil fuels. Dr. Call also uses topographic maps from the GRMC for another assignment about cities in relation to rivers and mountains and glacial landforms and transportation evolution.

The GRMC provides maps for professors, teachers, and students for presentations and classroom projects. Maps from the GRMC can be used for these special projects for the entire semester. All maps circulate for two weeks or longer. Please contact the GRMC at 765-285-1097 or email mgentry@bsu.edu for more information about using maps in the classroom.

Pearl Harbor Map Exhibit at Ball State University Libraries

2011-12-07T08:52:00.003-05:00

Pearl Harbor Maps Available from Ball State University Libraries

Ball State University Libraries’ GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) is featuring a special maps exhibit to mark the 70th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. National Geographic published a map to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the attack, and the map is being featured in the window of the GRMC on the second floor of Bracken Library.

The GRMC includes many maps about World War II—several actually produced during the war. This particular map (shown above—click to enlarge) includes an aerial photograph of Battleship Row and the Navy Yard taken three days after the Japanese attack. Oil from the sunken and damaged ships can be seen streaming through the harbor. The map details what happened to each of the battleships on that day, including a description of the 1,100 lives lost on the Arizona. The verso of the map is a map of the Pacific Theater of World War II.

The Atlas Collection also on the second floor of Bracken Library features many maps about World War II. The Atlas of Weaponry includes this map (above—click to enlarge) showing the wave of bombers that attacked the harbor on December 7, 1941.

Maps from the GRMC circulate for two weeks or longer. Atlases from the Atlas Collection circulate for 28 days or longer. For more information on using cartographic resources, please contact the GRMC at 765-285-1097 or email mgentry@bsu.edu.

Ball State University LIbraries Offers Indiana Hydrology GIS Datasets

2011-12-05T15:31:00.002-05:00

University Libraries’ GIS Research and Map Collection Offers Indiana Hydrology GIS Datasets

The University Libraries’GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) has recently compiled and made available a comprehensive collection of Indiana water-related GIS datasets. This new resource, available to those in the Ball State Community via the University Libraries LIBGIS data server, consists of nearly twenty datasets from multiple state and federal organizations and was created to make access to this data faster and easier by Ball State students, faculty, and staff.

Watershed, surface water, and groundwater data is created by multiple entities such as the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Wetland Inventory (NWI) and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR). Each of these departments has its own independent Web site for downloading data, which makes locating data a potentially time-consuming task. By compiling all the data created by these units into a centralized, accessible location on the LIBGIS data server, users are able to spend more time analyzing and creating maps with the data instead of searching for it on multiple Web sites.

The Indiana Water GIS Collection can be accessed on the LIBGIS server by mapping a network drive to \\LIBGIS\GCMC\data and navigating to the Indiana Water Data folder. Users will also have access to local county GIS datasets and ESRI International data when accessing the LIBGIS data drive. For instructions on mapping a network drive to the LIBGIS server, please see our tutorial entitled “Accessing GIS Data on the University Libraries’ GIS Data Server,” available online at http://tinyurl.com/GISTutorial.

The University Libraries also offer access to the Indiana Water Quality Atlas, a software application created by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, on all the public access computers in the GRMC. The Indiana Water Quality Atlas is a Web-based interactive mapping application created to provide access to a wide array of GIS data through a common interface for watershed management, land use planning, and water quality analysis purposes.

For more information about available GIS datasets on the LIBGIS server, or about using the Indiana Water Quality Atlas application, email Angela S. Gibson at ASGibson2@bsu.edu or call 765-285-1097.

Map of Tehran from Ball State University Libraries

2011-12-02T13:52:00.002-05:00

Maps in the News: Tehran, Iran

The Ball State University Libraries’ GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) has a large collection of maps and atlases of Iran and the Middle East. The collection includes new and historic topographic, tourist, geological, and street maps. The Atlas Collection includes several atlases of Iran, including geological maps of Persia compiled by British Petroleum Company in 1956.

The map shown above (click to enlarge) identifies the location of the former United States Embassy in Tehran. The map was published in 1978, so the street names of nearby Roosevelt and America and even Shahreza have been changed since the revolution in Iran.

Maps from the GRMC circulate for two weeks or longer. Atlases circulate for 28 days or longer. For more information, please contact the GRMC at 765-285-1097.

College of Architecture and Planning Gallery Exhibit

2011-12-01T11:23:00.001-05:00

CAP Gallery Exhibit: 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition

Unity & Utopia: The 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition is currently on display in the Ball State University College of Architecture and Planning Gallery. The photographic profile features photogravure plates selected from William Henry Jackson’s The White City (as it was) and Jackson’s Famous Pictures of the World’s Fair, published in 1894 and 1895. Both publications are part of the archival collections of the Drawings + Documents Archive.

Augmenting this photographic tour of the fair is a series of HD 3D animations developed by the Urban Simulation Team, School of the Arts and Architecture, UCLA. These images were created from original building, site, and landscape construction documents for the Exposition and present a fascinating and colorful contrast to the detailed black and white photography in the Jackson publications.

A larger copy of a bird’s-eye view map of the Exposition from the GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) is featured in the display. This map is part of the GRMC collection of similar maps from the Library of Congress’ American Memory Collection of cities and towns.

The exhibit is a joint project of the University Libraries’ Drawing + Documents Archive and the CAP Exhibits Program. It continues through Wednesday, December 7. The CAP gallery is located in Architecture Building room 121 and is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 to 4:30.

HIV/AIDS Maps Available from Ball State University Libraries

2011-12-01T09:56:00.001-05:00

World AIDS Day: HIV/AIDS Maps Available from Ball State University Libraries

World AIDS Day is held on December 1 each year as an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV, show support for people living with the condition, and to remember those who have died. The theme for the 2011 is “Leading with Science, Uniting for Action.” The first World AIDS Day was held in 1988.

Many of the atlases available from the Atlas Collection in Bracken Library feature maps that depict the AIDS crisis around the world. The Penguin Atlas of Women in the World published a map showing the number of adults living with HIV/AIDS as of 2006-2007. The map features a graphic showing the number of men and women living with the disease. More women than men in Sub-Saharan Africa have HIV/AIDS.

Another map from the atlas shows the availability to drugs fighting the disease in Sub-Saharan Africa. Less than 10% of the population in many of these countries is receiving anti-retroviral drugs as of 2005. Another graph depicts the estimated number of people who died each week from HIV/AIDS in 2005.

The Penguin State of the World Atlas also features a similar map. This map includes the percentage of people infected during 2007.

The Penguin Atlas of Human Sexual Behavior from the Atlas Collection includes a map showing the HIV/AIDS population. This map also depicts the countries where more women than men have the disease. According to this map, “By 2015, AIDS will reduce the life expectancy by 17 years in countries with high HIV prevalence” in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The Allyn Bacon Social Atlas of the United States features a map and chart describing the HIV/AIDS prevalence here in America. The map shows the number of persons living with the disease in 2002 and the Center for Disease Control spending in each state. The chart from the atlas shows the number of new diagnoses, which have actually declined since the 1990’s due to prevention and treatment improvements.

Atlases are great resources for maps, charts, photographs, and other graphics, and atlases can be easily scanned for use in papers or presentations. The Atlas Collection in Bracken Library includes thousands of atlases that feature maps about many significant world and regional issues. For more information about using maps as visual aids, please contact the GIS Research and Map Collection in Bracken Library at 765-285-1097 or use the online guide for using maps for papers and presentations at http://cms.bsu.edu/Academics/Libraries/CollectionsAndDept/GISandMaps/MapCollection/ResearchTools/DigitalMapResources.aspx.

Locating Indiana Christmas Tree Farms Using Online Map

2011-11-28T09:36:00.001-05:00

Mapping Christmas Tree Farms

Indiana ranks 11th in the nation with 200 tree farms producing almost 200,000 harvestable trees per year according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Indiana residents searching for a Christmas tree can now use an online map to locate the perfect tree. The Indiana Christmas Tree Association is a not-for-profit organization made up of growers and retailers promoting the use of real Christmas trees. The association’s Web page allows users to locate a tree farm in their area with a map at http://indianachristmastree.com/pages/locate.php.

Thanksgiving Hours at the GIS Research and Map Collection

2011-11-22T13:55:00.000-05:00

Thanksgiving Hours for the GRMC

The GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) on the second floor of Bracken Library will be closed on Thursday, November 24 and Friday, November 25 for Thanksgiving break. The GRMC will reopen at 8:00 on Monday, November 28.

Tobacco Atlas Available from Ball State University Libraries

2011-11-17T10:12:00.000-05:00

The Geography of Tobacco: Great American Smokeout

Today marks the 36th Great American Smokeout sponsored by the American Cancer Society. Ball State University Libraries' Atlas Collection includes a copy of The Tobacco Atlas published by the American Cancer Society and the World Lung Foundation and sponsored by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

The Tobacco Atlas "maps the history, documents the current situation, and predicts the future of the tobacco epidemic." The atlas describes the story of tobacco around the world--"the leading agent of preventable death." The atlas includes hundreds of maps, charts, graphs, and other illustrations depicting the current issues with tobacco use around the world. "If there is anything you want to know about tobacco, you can find it in The Tobacco Atlas" according to Bill Gates.

The maps above (click to enlarge) show the percentage of tobacco deaths in men and women around the world and the countries where children are exposed to secondhand smoke in their homes. This map shows countries in Eastern Europe where more than 90% of youth are exposed to secondhand smoke.

The first chart shows the percent of countries that ban smoking in restaurants as of 2007. Many local municipalities in the United States are currently implementing smoking bans in restaurants, including Indianapolis in an attempt to be smoke-free before the 2012 Super Bowl.

The United States has the leading female smoking population in the world, but India and China are gaining female tobacco users at alarming rates. Over six million women in India also use oral tobacco products in addition to cigarettes.

China leads the male smoking population. (There are actually more male smokers in China than the entire population of the United States). Again, India leads the way for oral tobacco use with over 97 million male users.

The Tobacco Atlas is available in the Atlas Collection on the second floor of Bracken Library. Atlases may be circulated for four weeks or longer.

Maps of Barbados at Ball State University Libraries

2011-11-11T10:39:00.003-05:00

Mapping Where in the World Is Matt Lauer?

The last stop is Barbados for Today Show host Matt Lauer’s weeklong journey for the segment Where in the World Is Matt Lauer? The GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) on the second floor of Bracken Library has been featuring maps from the collection for each of Lauer’s destinations.

The GRMC includes a varied collection of maps of Barbados and other islands of the Caribbean. The newest map depicting Barbados is a National Geographic map of the islands of the West Indies. The map shows major highways, tourist information, physical maps, and color illustrations on the verso.

Barbados is also included in a set of topographic maps of the West Indies published by the British Overseas Surveys Directorate. Several tourist and political maps of Barbados and the Caribbean are also available from the GRMC in both folded and flat format.

Special encapsulated and laminated maps are available for use in exhibit and presentations. Maps from the GRMC circulate for two weeks or longer. For more information, please contact the GRMC at 765-285-1097 or email mgentry@bsu.edu.

Ball State University Libraries Mapping Where in the World is Matt Lauer?

2011-11-10T11:14:00.001-05:00

Mapping Matt Lauer: Day Four: Jungfrau, Switzerland

This morning marks day four of the Today Show segment Where in the World is Matt Lauer? Lauer showed up today in Jungfrau, Switzerland, in the middle of the Bernese Alps near the border between Switzerland and Italy. The Ball State University Libraries’ GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) is following Lauer around the world by featuring maps of his destinations.

The map of the Alps shown above (click to enlarge) was published by National Geographic. The map shows the location of Jungfrau and gives the elevation of the mountain at 4,158 meters (13,642 feet).

The Columbia Gazetteer of the World describes Jungfrau as the highest point in Europe that is reached by railroad. The gazetteer explains that Jungfrau is part scientific post and part tourist resort with summer skiing and dogsled rides. A meteorological station is located nearby atop the Sphinx summit.

The GRMC includes a large collection of maps of Switzerland, including cities, regions, and tourist and topographic maps—both current and historical. The Columbia Gazetteer of the World is a great resource for information about geographic locations and is available as a reference item in the GRMC. Additional copies are available in the Atlas Collection and the Reference Collection of Bracken Library.

Kuala Lumpur Maps Available from Ball State University Libraries

2011-11-09T10:26:00.001-05:00

Mapping Where in the World is Matt Lauer? Day Three: Kuala Lumpur

Ball State University Libraries’ GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) is following the Today Show segment, Where in the World is Matt Lauer? Each day the GRMC will feature maps from Lauer’s current location. Day three of the journey takes Lauer to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and specifically the Petronas Twin Towers.

The GRMC includes a large collection of current and historic maps of Malaysia and Kuala Lumpur. The 2006 edition of International Travel Maps’ Kuala Lumpur map even includes a photograph of the Petronas Twin Towers on the cover. This map details points of interest, schools, hospitals, and parks. Roads are differentiated, and commuter train routes are shown. An inset map of the Kuala Lumpur transit system is included as well as a map of the region surrounding the capital. The portion of the map above shows the location of the Petronas Towers (click to enlarge).

The GRMC also includes several maps of other cities: Subang Jaya, Klang, Kuching, Petaling Jaya, Johor Bahru, Kuala Terengganu, Ipoh, Seremban, and Melaka are just some of the city maps available. Maps of states and territories of Malaysia are also available.

A large collection of historic and current maps of Malaysia and formerly Malaya are also available from the GRMC. Maps of Malaya and Western Malaysia date back to 1944. Maps of Malaysia Barat and Sarawak are also available.

Road Atlas of Malaysia, Street Directory Kuala Lumpur, and Heritage Mapbook of Peninsular Malaysia are available for research and learning from the Atlas Collection on the second floor of Bracken Library.

Maps of Malaysia are not yet fully cataloged and will not be listed in the CardCat system, so please visit or contact the GRMC for more information about these maps.

Atlas of Sports Available from Ball State University Libraries

2011-11-08T15:46:00.004-05:00

Frazier Versus Ali: Atlas of Sports Available from Ball State University Libraries

The Atlas Collection on the second floor of Bracken Library contains nearly 3,000 atlases available for research and learning. The Collection includes road and street atlases, but Ball State University Libraries focuses on acquiring cartographic resources specifically for use in the college classroom. In addition to useful maps, many of the atlases include numerous compelling charts, graphs, photographs, and other graphics that may be used as visual aids for papers and presentations.

The Atlas of Sports: Who Plays What, Where, and Why is a new cartographic resource available from the Atlas Collection. The charts shown above depict the value of the sport of boxing in history, with 700 million viewers watching Muhammad Ali versus Joe Frazier in 1975. Countries winning Olympic medals for boxing are also shown, with the United States leading. The atlas mentions that women’s boxing will make its debut at the London Games in 2012.

For more information about using atlases and other cartographic resources in the college classroom, please contact the GIS Research and Map Collection at 765-285-1097.

Madrid, Spain Maps Available from Ball State University Libraries

2011-11-08T13:33:00.004-05:00

Maps in the News: Where in the World is Madrid, Spain?

Today Show host Matt Lauer is travelling the globe this week for the “Where in the World is Matt Lauer?” segments. This morning Lauer revealed that he was in Madrid, Spain, for day two of his adventure. The GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) in Bracken Library will be following along with Lauer’s journey featuring maps of the destinations.

Lauer opened his second segment specifically in Plaza Mayor. The GRMC includes a large set of maps of the city of Madrid. The tourist map (shown above—click to enlarge) shows Plaza Mayor in the center of this portion of the map. The map includes information about places of interest, photographs, and a map of the underground network. Other tourist maps of Madrid in the GRMC include maps of parks and museums, the metro system, and places of interest.

The pop-out map of Madrid from 2005 (pictured above) folds up into a convenient pocket-size resource. The map, published by Compass Map Group, opens to show central Madrid and street maps with a map of the Metro on the back.

The GRMC also has historic maps of Madrid, including historic reproductions of city plans from 1695 and 1812. An Army Map Service map of Madrid was published in 1943 during World War II. Historic topographic maps of the city and the surrounding area are also available for research and learning.
Maps from the GRMC circulate for two weeks or longer. Maps of Spain have not yet been fully cataloged in CardCat, so contact the GRMC to find everything available. For more information, please call 765-285-1097 or email mgentry@bsu.edu.

Native American Heritage Month at Ball State University Libraries

2011-11-08T10:01:00.002-05:00

Native American Cartographic Resources Available at Ball State University Libraries

November commemorates Native American Heritage Month. Ball State University Libraries is featuring an exhibit of Native American resources in the lobby of Bracken Library. The GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) on the second floor of Bracken Library includes a special exhibit for the month: Peopling of the Americas is a map published by National Geographic in 2000 depicting the history of the indigenous peoples of the Western Hemisphere.

Another important resource is the Historical Atlas of Native Americans, which is available in the GRMC and from the Atlas Collection in Bracken Library. Published in 2009, the atlas includes over 150 maps, photographs, and other graphics chronicling the history of Native Americans. Many of the maps are related to historical events that happened here in the Midwest. The maps and photograph shown above are just some of the available images from the atlas.

The GRMC includes a large collection of maps related to Native American heritage. For a list of some of the cartographic resources available in University Libraries, please review the GRMC subject guide for Native American history: http://cms.bsu.edu/Academics/Libraries/CollectionsAndDept/GISandMaps/MapCollection/ResearchTools/SubjectGuides.aspx

Maps from the GRMC circulate for two weeks or longer. Atlases circulate for 28 days or longer.

For more information, please contact the GRMC Monday through Friday from 8 to 5 at 765-285-1097.

Maps in the News: Namibia

2011-11-07T15:21:00.001-05:00

Maps in the News: Where in the World is Namibia?

Today Show host Matt Lauer is once again travelling the globe for the “Where in the World is Matt Lauer?” segments. This morning Lauer revealed that he was in Namibia, skiing on the sand dunes near Walvis Bay. The GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) in Bracken Library will be following along with Lauer’s journey featuring maps of the destinations.

A Central Intelligence Agency map above (click to enlarge) shows the size of the country of Namibia in comparison to the United States. A map depicting the Skeleton Coast is also available in the GRMC.

The Globetrotter Travel Map of Namibia features city maps of Windhoek, Keetmanshoop, Luderitz, Swakopmund, and Walvis Bay (shown). This map also includes regional climate charts and maps and photographs of places of interest (shown above). The map also includes an inset map of Etosha National Park.

The GRMC also includes a set of topographic maps of Namibia, maps of homelands and ethnic groups, maps of economic activity, and historical maps of Namibia as Southwest Africa. A new map of Namibia from International Travel Maps includes a vegetation classification diagram, relief maps and inset maps of cities.

The Atlas Collection on the second floor of Bracken Library also includes a road atlas of Namibia, the New Namibian School Atlas, First Atlas for Namibia, and Lonely Planet’s travel atlas of Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Namibia.

Maps from the GRMC circulate for two weeks or longer. Atlases circulate for 28 days or longer. For more information, please contact the GRMC at 765-285-1097.

Ball State University International Festival

2011-11-04T08:45:00.003-04:00

Amazing Taste and International Festival at Ball State University November 10

The Ball State University Rinker Center for International Programs, the Multicultural Center, the University Program Board, and Housing and Student Government are joining forces with Ball State Dining Services to sponsor this year’s International Festival. The event will be called “The Amazing Taste: Global Food Fair and International Fest,” and will be held in the Student Center on November 10 from 4-8 P.M. This year’s event will feature a street fair atmosphere with cuisine from more than 20 countries, cultural activities and displays, and live music and dancing. An international dance party ends the evening from 8-10 P.M.

The University Libraries’ GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) will be providing maps and posters for the country booths at the International Festival. Every week the GRMC provides posters for the Culture Exchange at the Rinker Center for International Programs, and many of these countries will be represented at this event. Some of the countries represented are Morocco, Scotland, Venezuela, Costa Rica, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Japan, Italy, and Brazil.

Ball State Dining Services will host an elaborate multicultural menu from around the world. Students can use their meal card for this event. Cost for the food fair is $7.55 for students, $8 for non-students, $5 for children ages 3-12, and free for ages 2 and under. Pre-purchasing of wristbands begins in the Student Center Tally on Monday, November 7. View the complete menus here: http://cms.bsu.edu/CampusLife/Dining/Specials/TheAmazingTaste/AmazingTaste2011Menu.aspx.

Access to the cultural displays and activities is free. Visitors can participate in salsa dance lessons, visit a New York City-style mock cosmo lounge, a photo booth, and a global fashion show. The fair will include live camels, Scottish dancers and bagpipes, the PanUSA steel drum band, the Ball State Belly Dance Club, and hip hop dancers. Visitors can also get henna tattoos, participate in a Capoeira lesson (Brazilian martial art), and watch Taekwondo demonstrations. The complete list of events is here: http://cms.bsu.edu/CampusLife/Dining/Specials/TheAmazingTaste/AmazingTaste2011PerformancesandActivities.aspx.

For more information about using maps and other resources from the GRMC for classroom displays, exhibits, and other special events, please call 765-285-1097 or email mgentry@bsu.edu.

November Map of the Month

2011-11-03T08:28:00.003-04:00

Ball State University Libraries’ Map of the Month: Historic Plymouth, Massachusetts

The GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) on the second floor of Bracken Library is featuring a map of historic Plymouth, Massachusetts, for the “Map of the Month” for November. The map, Historic Plymouth, Massachusetts, 1620, was published by the Plymouth Board of Selectmen. The map includes pictorial points of interest, an inset map of seaside Manomet, and an indexed map of Plymouth on the verso.

Maps from the GRMC circulate for two weeks or longer. For more information, please call 765-285-1097 or email mgentry@bsu.edu.

Haunted Maps Available from Ball State University Libraries

2011-10-27T12:28:00.001-04:00

Eerie, Indiana: Maps of Haunted Places Available from Ball State University Libraries

Former GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) student-assistant Casey Gentis created a special map for a spooky October 2006 map display in Ball State University Libraries. Gentis researched legends of haunted locations in Indiana and created a map of some of the sites. Former student-assistant Jenny Wyatt then re-created the map for digital format using Adobe Illustrator for a 2009 map display: Allegedly Haunted Indiana Map. The map is still a popular attraction of the Collection.

Gentis discovered, interestingly, that most Indiana college campuses are allegedly haunted. The map features stories about locations at Purdue University, the University of Notre Dame, Indiana University, Valparaiso University, St. Joseph’s College, Huntington College, the University of St. Francis, Earlham College, Franklin College, Hanover College, and Ball State University. A prevalence of haunted libraries can also be viewed on the map.

Allegedly Haunted Indiana Map is currently exhibited on the front windows of the GRMC on the second floor of Bracken Library. The map is also available in PDF-format from the University Libraries’ Cardinal Scholar repository at http://cardinalscholar.bsu.edu/handle/123456789/194225/. A map of haunted locations in the United States based on the Atlas of the Mysterious in North America from the Atlas Collection is also available from Cardinal Scholar at http://cardinalscholar.bsu.edu/handle/123456789/194229. The maps can be printed for display or research.

For more information about these maps, please contact the GRMC at 765/285-1097.

Baseball Maps Available from Ball State University Libraries

2011-10-27T09:15:00.002-04:00

World Series of Maps: Baseball Maps Available from Ball State University Libraries

As the World Series reaches its final games, the Ball State University Libraries’ GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) offers baseball fans and others a glimpse at some baseball-related maps. The GRMC includes a travel map locating all of the Major League Baseball stadiums. Also the Atlas of Sport available in the Atlas Collection features maps on the “American game,” including the map shown above (click to enlarge) depicting the number of high-school boys playing baseball in school leagues, with Iowa leading the nation.

The GRMC has also created custom maps related to the history of baseball. Black Diamonds: Negro League Baseball Teams, 1920-1949, (shown above) was created in association with the documentary Black Baseball in Indiana, a film created as an immersive learning project by students of Geralyn Strecker, Assistant Professor in the Department of English. This map shows the location of the Negro League teams in the United States. Photographs featured on the map are from the book Playing America’s Game by Michael L. Cooper. The map is available for use from the Cardinal Scholar repository at http://cardinalscholar.bsu.edu/handle/123456789/194506. Copies of the map can be printed on the large-format plotter in the GRMC (charged to Bursar’s account) for exhibits, classroom or personal use.

Another map, The Girls of Summer: All-American Girls Professional Baseball League Teams, 1943-1954, (click to enlarge above) commemorates the women who played professionally beginning during World War II. The map was created for Women’s History Month and is based on the book A Whole New Ballgame: The Story of All-American Girls Professional Baseball League by Sue Macy available from the Educational Resources Collections. This map is also available from Cardinal Scholar at http://cardinalscholar.bsu.edu/handle/123456789/194280. All maps are also available via interlibrary loan.

For more information about these or other cartographic resources, please contact the GRMC at 765-285-1097.

Muncie Mini-Marathon Course Map

2011-10-26T10:37:00.002-04:00

America’s Hometown Race: Muncie Mini-Marathon This Weekend

The Muncie Mini-Marathon will take place in the city and through the Ball State University campus beginning at 9 A.M. on Saturday, October 28. The course of the race (above map) begins near the Ball State campus and takes runners through historic Muncie. Participants will pass Beneficence, Shafer Tower, Minnetrista Culture Center, the Appeal to the Great Spirit statue, McCulloch Park, the Ball brothers’ homes, and the White River Greenway. (Drivers should be aware that these streets will be closed until noon Saturday).

The event is open to runners and walkers and also includes a 5K walk and run and a one-mile walk. To register or for more information, please visit http://www.munciemultisport.com/muncie-mini-marathon/.

Food-Related Cartographic Resources at Ball State University Libraries

2011-10-25T10:06:00.001-04:00

Mapping Fast Food

The Ball State University Libraries’ GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) on the second floor of Bracken Library updates its collection of cartographic resources to provide current information for research and learning. Maps and atlases that provide a variety of useful information on topical issues are acquired for the Collection.

One of the newest atlases available in the Atlas Collection is the Atlas of Food: Who Easts What, Where, and Why. The atlas contains maps about farming, agricultural trade, genetic modification, organic farming, restaurants, consumption, and other issues related to the global food system. The map above (click to enlarge) shows the amount of cereal produced in regions around the world. The atlas also includes charts and other graphics, including the graph showing the number of Wal-Mart stores in each region (above).

The State of the World Atlas is another atlas that could be used to provide visual aids for papers and presentations. The atlas includes maps and graphics related to women’s issues, religion, war, the environment, education, healthcare and other current world topics. The graph above shows the number of McDonald’s restaurants added to regions around the world.

The GRMC also provides information about cartographic resources on the Internet for research, learning, and sometimes entertainment value. For example, McDonald’s announced the return of the “McRib” sandwich at select restaurant locations. This Web page actually maps the location of the popular sandwich around the country: http://kleincast.com/maps/mcrib.php.

For more information about these cartographic resources or how to use maps as visual aids, please contact or visit the GRMC Monday through Friday from 8:00 to 5:00.

Ball State University Libraries' Maps in the News

2011-10-24T15:47:00.000-04:00

Places in the News: Ball State University Libraries’ Maps of Turkey, Tunisia, Syria, Kenya, and Uganda

Ercis, near the Turkey epicenter, from the Lonely Planet Turkey Travel Atlas

Central Intelligence Agency map of Uganda ethnic groups

Nairobi, Kenya region from the Cultural Atlas of Africa

Tunis, Tunisia region

These maps are available from the GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) on the second floor of Bracken Library. The GRMC is open Monday through Friday from 8 to 5.

Ball State University Libraries Creates Custom GIS Maps

2011-10-24T14:24:00.001-04:00

Ball State University Libraries Offer Customized GIS Mapping

By Angela Gibson, GIS Specialist

Among all the unique services that the University Libraries’ GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) offers, customized map creation that meets specified scale, cartographic, and dataset requirements is one that is particularly appreciated by students and faculty. The GRMC regularly receives requests from students, faculty, staff, and community members to produce GIS maps using both public and personal datasets. The format for this data is Excel databases, addresses, GPS points, historic maps, Google KML files, and sometimes hand-drawn illustrations.

In the past year, the GRMC has provided valuable assistance in the form of customized GIS maps to grant proposals such as a Promise Neighborhood grant being sought by the Department of Elementary Education, and an Office of Institutional Diversity grant that used customized GIS mapping to relocate Indy’s historic Washington Street Park, which was the site of the first Negro League Baseball game and home of the Indianapolis ABC’s ball team.

The GRMC GIS Specialist has also worked annually with personnel to produce customized school district maps showing Indiana Advanced Placement Exam Score data released by the Indiana Department of Education. These maps have been posted at the Indiana Statehouse and used by the Indiana Commissioner for Higher Education in an effort to identify specific schools districts that may need extra assistance and to showcase districts that are excelling.

Both students and local community members request various GIS maps for class projects and inclusion into research papers. For example, graduate students in the Department of Biology have requested to have GPS data of water sampling points geocoded onto various different map backgrounds to highlight the relation of their sites to urban, residential, and rural land-use types, and to identify the specific watershed that contains each individual site.

Other customers have requested customized maps of a more recreational nature, such as maps that show the bathymetric contours of local fishing sites like Prairie Creek Reservoir and Summit Lake State Park, and elevation maps of favorite hunting and hiking areas.

For more information about having a GIS map created with your data, please contact the GRMC at 765-285-1097.

Rinker Center for International Programs Culture Exchange Program Today

2011-10-19T09:41:00.000-04:00

Rinker Center for International Programs Hosts Weekly Culture Exchange Program

The Rinker Center for International Programs hosts hour-long Culture Exchange presentations every Wednesday at noon in Student Center room 102. Each week a different country is highlighted, and presenters are typically natives who can offer an insider’s look into their country’s culture.

This week the presentation features Farah Alam teaching about the Diwali festival of South Asia. Diwali (Deepavali) is popularly known as “the festival of lights” and is an important one-day festival in Hinduism, Jainism, and Sikhism. Deepavali is an official holiday in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Mauritius, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname, Malaysia, Singapore, and Fiji (shown above). The Tally also features a dish inspired by the country presented every Wednesday.

Next week’s presentation will be given by Sophie De Hond about Netherlands. A presentation about the holy pilgrimage to Mecca will be on November 2. Countries featured for the rest of the semester are Pakistan, Peru, Bangladesh, and Libya.

The University Libraries’ GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) provides posters for the Culture Exchange every week. The posters feature maps and photographs from atlases depicting the culture of the country. These posters are available for use for other presentations, exhibits, or in classrooms from the Cardinal Scholar institutional repository at http://cardinalscholar.bsu.edu/. Just type in the name of a country in the search box on Cardinal Scholar to save or print a copy of the poster.

For more information, please contact the GRMC or the Rinker Center for International Programs.

Laura Ling Speaks at Ball State University

2011-10-13T14:34:00.002-04:00

Laura Ling at Ball State University: Mapping the Journey of Hope

Journalist Laura Ling presented “Journey of Hope” at Ball State University’s Pruis Hall last night. Ling recounted her time in captivity in North Korea and showed a video featuring footage from assignments in Mexico, Myanmar, Turkey, and other places around the world for the Current Network.

The National Geographic map of China (click to enlarge) shows the border with North Korea where Ling and journalist Euna Lee were captured along the Tumen River in March 2009. After being sentenced to 12 years of hard labor, Ling was allowed to return to the United States after diplomatic efforts by President Clinton.

During the presentation, Ling described North Korea as literally a “black hole.” She referenced seeing a satellite map of the world with South Korea lit up “like Las Vegas on steroids” and North Korea literally appearing completely dark on the map. Details from the National Geographic Earth at Night satellite map shown above graphically demonstrates this fact with both South Korea and Japan shown with white lights and North Korea nearly invisible.

These maps are available for research and learning in the GIS Research and Map Collection on the second floor of Bracken Library. Maps circulate for two weeks or longer. For more information, please call 765-285-1097.

Travel Maps Available from Ball State University Libraries

2011-10-12T12:03:00.001-04:00

Maps Available for Fall Break Destinations

The GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) on the second floor of Bracken Library offers over 140,000 maps for circulation. Some of the most popular maps in the collection include convenient travel maps of tourist destinations. Ball State students planning a weekend getaway for this weekend or for the upcoming fall break may wish to check out some of the maps of places around central Indiana.

This is the first weekend of the Parke County Covered Bridge Festival. This annual event is headquartered in Rockville and includes guided tours of the covered bridges and crafters, vendors, and entertainment. The GRMC has available two different maps featuring the covered bridges of Parke County. The map of Parke County (shown above) features points of interest and information about camping sites, horseback riding, and boat rental and canoeing on the Wabash River and at the Raccoon Recreation Area near Hollandsburg.

Another central Indiana location is Whitewater Memorial State Park in Liberty, Indiana. The park features a 200 acre lake, family cabins and camping, and nine miles of hiking trails from easy to rugged. The GRMC has maps of this and other state parks available for circulation.

Another resource available from the GRMC is Indiana State Parks: A Guide to Hoosier Parks, Reservoirs, and Recreation Areas by John Goll. This book features detailed maps and helpful information about visiting any of the state parks throughout Indiana and is an excellent guide for campers, hikers, fishermen, boaters, hunters, and nature lovers.

Maps from the GRMC circulate for two weeks or longer. And many of the travel maps are waterproof so they can be used on excursions.

For more information about these maps or any other resources, please contact the GRMC at 765-285-1097 Monday through Friday from 8:00 to 5:00 p.m.

Maps of Yemen and Palestine Available from Ball State University Libraries

2011-09-19T13:03:00.001-04:00

Maps in the News: Palestine and Yemen

Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas will seek United Nations membership from the Security Council, despite opposition from Israel and the United States. Yemen is also in the news this week as the country faces the worst violence in its uprising.

The GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) on the second floor of Bracken Library houses dozens of historic and current maps of Palestine and Yemen. The map shown above (click to enlarge) is a 1947 map of the Palestine Plan of Partition proposed by the United Nations Ad Hoc Committee “on the Palestinian Question.” The orange shading represented the Arab state, and the blue shading represented the Jewish state as of 1947.

Current maps of the West Bank and Gaza are also available from the GRMC, including a terrain model published by the Central Intelligence Agency and maps showing Israeli settlements. A map folio of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank is also available in the GRMC. A detailed aerial photograph of the Gaza Strip from 2007 is also available for circulation.

The GRMC also has a varied collection of Yemen maps, including nautical charts of the Gulf of Aden, the Red Sea, and the Arabian Sea. A map of the road networks of Yemen is available, as well as maps of Sana and Aden. The GRMC also has topographic maps of the Arabian Peninsula.

For more information about these resources, please visit the GRMC Monday through Friday from 8:00 to 5:00 or call 765-285-1097.

Hispanic Heritage Month Map Exhibit at Ball State University Libraries

2011-09-19T11:26:00.001-04:00

Mapping Hispanic Heritage: Exhibit at Ball State University Libraries

September 15 marked the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month in the United States. Seven Latin American countries declared their independence during the month of September, and Columbus Day also falls within this period of celebration.

A special map exhibit commemorating Hispanic Heritage Month is currently on display in the GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) on the second floor of Bracken Library, which coincides with a Hispanic Heritage book display in the lobby of Bracken Library. The exhibit features maps and images (click to enlarge above) from the Atlas of Hispanic-American History available from the Atlas Collection.

For more information, please contact the GRMC at 765-285-1097.

Miss Universe Map Available from Ball State University Libraries

2011-09-13T09:10:00.001-04:00

Beautiful Map: Miss Universe Map Available from Ball State University Libraries

Miss Angola was crowned the winner of the Miss Universe pageant in Brazil last night. The map shown above (click to enlarge) is from the State of Women in the World Atlas available in the GIS Research and Map Collection and the Atlas Collection in Bracken Library. The purple shading identifies countries who participate in the pageant, and the crowns represent past winners. The map offers a cultural lesson of why certain regions and countries of the world do not participate in the pageant. A related inset map displays countries where Avon beauty products are sold.

For more information about this atlas, please contact the GRMC Monday through Friday from 8:00 to 5:00 P.M.

Rugby and New Zealand Maps Available from Ball State University Libraries

2011-09-13T09:04:00.001-04:00

Rugby Map Available from Ball State University Libraries

New Zealand is hosting one of the largest international sporting competitions in the world, the Rugby World Cup through October. The current tournament model features twenty nations competing over a month in the host nation. The United States team is gearing up to play Russia on Thursday in New Plymouth and will play later in the month in Wellington and Nelson.

The map shown above (click to enlarge) shows the participants of the 2011 Rugby World Cup and the team rankings. A chart includes the former winners of the World Cup, noting that only once has the winner come from a northern hemisphere country. The final chart shows the size of the television audience and revenues for the international competition. The map is from the Atlas of Sport available in the Atlas Collection on the second floor of Bracken Library.

This GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) also includes maps of New Zealand that are available for research and learning. The collection includes detailed topographic maps, maps of national parks, geological maps, and tourist maps including maps of New Zealand cities. The Atlas Collection also includes road atlases of New Zealand, a cultural atlas, a historical atlas, and an atlas called New Zealand in Maps.

Maps from the GRMC may be circulated for two weeks or longer. Atlases may be circulated for 28 days or longer.

For more information about these resources, please contact the GRMC at 765-285-1097.

Tour of Muncie Via Bike on September 17

2011-09-08T09:59:00.001-04:00

Bike Tour of Muncie Set for September 17

Ball State University and other community supporters are sponsoring the Tour of Muncie via bicycle on September 17 beginning at 9:00 A.M. This is the second year for journey through Muncie that allows participants to learn about some interesting spots from their bikes.

This year six tours will be led by experts on the area, including Green City Infrastructure, Natural Areas, Community Gardens, Historic Places, Weird Muncie, and Ball State University Green Tour. Routes are 7-10 miles long, start downtown, and are suitable for most cycling abilities.

The Ball State tour will feature stops at the geothermal heating and cooling stations, the new Glick Art Glass Center, Christy Woods, and the Ball State Recreation Center and Outdoor Pursuits Equipment Rental and Resource Center.

The Weird Muncie tour (map shown above—click to enlarge) highlights strange places in Muncie including the Castle House, Algier’s Barber Shop/truck/house, the “Letters for David Letterman” mailbox, and the Muncie Inn swimming pool garden.

Participants can ride in morning and afternoon tours. Lunch will be served downtown at noon. A mini bike lap race and bike toss competition will also be held. An after-event party will be held at the Fickle Peach at 4:00. All participants will receive an event t-shirt, water bottle, and reusable shopping bag.

The Tour of Muncie event headquarters will be located in the parking lot behind the Fickle Peach on Walnut Street downtown. To register for the rides or for more information about the tour, please visit http://sites.google.com/site/tourofmuncie/home.

Ball State University Libraries' High School Football Map Exhibit

2011-09-06T10:38:00.001-04:00

Maps in the News: High School Football Map

The Ball State University Libraries’ GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) on the second floor of Bracken Library is featuring a “Maps in the News” exhibit on high school football in America. The map (above, click to enlarge) shows the number of high-school boys per 1,000 in population playing football in school leagues as of 2009. The map is from the Atlas of Sport by Alan Tomlinson from the Atlas Collection.

Atlases circulate for 28 days or longer. For more information about maps and atlases available from the GRMC, please call 765-285-1097.

Hurricane Maps Available from Ball State University Libraries

2011-08-26T07:48:00.001-04:00

Hurricane Maps Available from Ball State University Libraries

As the Atlantic coast prepares for Hurricane Irene to make landfall, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is constantly updating maps of its path. Ball State University Libraries’ GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) on the second floor of Bracken Library houses a number of maps and atlases depicting hurricanes and other natural hazards.

The map above (click to enlarge) shows Hurricane Isabel from September of 2003, the last major hurricane to strike the coast of the Carolinas. This map is from the World Atlas of Natural Hazards by Bill McGuire published in 2004. The atlas includes maps of historic events and their impact, hazard management, and future prospects for natural hazards.

The GRMC also includes maps of the relative water depth of New Orleans just after Hurricane Katrina, world maps of the most intense tropical storms, and a map of the Caribbean that includes a hurricane log.

Maps from the GRMC circulate for two weeks or longer. Atlases circulate for 28 days or longer. For more information, please contact the GRMC at 765-285-1097.

Maps of Libya Available from Ball State University Libraries

2011-08-22T16:04:00.001-04:00

Maps in the News: Tripoli, Libya

The Ball State University Libraries’ GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) on the second floor of Bracken Library houses a large collection of historic and modern maps of Libya, including maps of the capital city of Tripoli. The Atlas Collection also includes resources of Africa and the Sahara region including Libya.

The maps shown above are available in the GRMC. The topographic map of the region of Tripoli (click to enlarge) was published by the Army Map Service in 1942 during World War II. The street map of Tripoli (Tarabulus) displays green spaces in the coastal city. The map of the region between Tripoli and Surt along the coast is from the National Geographic Africa Adventure Atlas. Tripoli is described as a tourist destination in the 2008 atlas: A thoroughly modern city, with tall contemporary structures, a well-planned infrastructure and latter-day tourist traps, the old section was built on the original site of ancient Oea….The most impressive mosque in the city is the stately Karamanli Mosque off Green Square which, in turn, is guarded over by the most recognized landmark in Tripoli: the Old Castle—known locally as Assai al Hamra—overlooking both the harbor front and the ancient medina….As long as you observe the traditions and customs of the locals and reserve judgment on the political situation, it may prove to be one of the safest and most enjoyable destinations in North Africa.

For more information about these maps and atlases, please contact the GRMC at 765-285-1097 Monday through Friday from 8:00 to 5:00 P.M.

Ball State Univeristy National Road Project

2011-08-18T09:40:00.003-04:00

National Road Farmhouse To Reopen as Heritage Site
(Provided by J.P. Hall, Indiana Landmarks)

The National Road Heritage Site at the Huddleston Farmhouse promotes public awareness of one of the first significant national engineering achievements in American transportation. The Huddleston Farmhouse is on the National Road (US Highway 40) at the western edge of Cambridge City. Indiana Landmarks will reopen its 1841 Huddleston Farmhouse in September with an entire floor of new exhibits focused on the historic National Road, from the pioneer era to the present. The new exhibits will debut on September 10 with a free open house from 10 A.M. to 4 P.M. in conjunction with Cambridge City’s Canal Days festival.

The exhibits tell the 200-year story of the National Road from its start in Cumberland, Maryland, in 1806 through Indiana in the mid-1820’s to its end in Vandalia, Illinois. The new exhibits allow visitors to hear from a covered wagon traveler about the conditions on the road, the food they ate, and where they found lodging. Visitors will experience the road surfaces over time, from a bumpy mud track dotted with tree stumps to brick, concrete, and the current asphalt.

Children can try out the straw-filled mattress like the ones pioneers used on the floor of the travelers’ kitchens. At an interactive wall-sized map, visitors can click on places from Maryland to Illinois to learn more about sites to visit on the National Road today. A simulation allows tourists to drive along the road viewing important National Road landmarks of the past.

Indiana Landmarks received a National Scenic Byways Grant to create the new exhibits, which were produced by Split Rock Studios in collaboration with the Ball State University Department of Telecommunications and the Indiana National Road Association. The project also received support from private donors across the state.

Nancy Carlson, Associate Professor in the Department of Telecommunications, coordinated a student team to create the documentary completed in 2009 as an immersive learning project from the National Scenic Byways Grant from the Federal Highway Administration. Carlson and her students researched stories from residents who lived near the National Road in Indiana, which stretches from Richmond to Terre Haute near Indiana Highway 40. According to Carlson, “no one has told the many human stories of building the road, living along it or traveling across it.” The GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) and University Libraries provided maps, books, and other research resources for the project. The documentary, Movers and Stakers: Stories along the Indiana National Road, is available from the Educational Resources Collection in Bracken Library.

For more information on the National Road Heritage Site at Huddleston Farmhouse, contact J.P. Hall at 317-822-7937 or visit www.indianalandmarks.org. For more information about the maps of the National Road, please contact the GRMC at 765-285-1097.

Back-to-School Resources from Ball State University Libraries

2011-08-15T15:41:00.002-04:00

Back-to-School Resources from the GIS Research and Map Collection

Students and faculty returning to the Ball State University campus will be able to access important classroom resources created by the GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) from the University Libraries’ Cardinal Scholar institutional repository. Cardinal Scholar allows users to access these invaluable resources from any location with Web availability.

Teachers and student teachers headed back to the classroom can find numerous games, posters, lesson plans, map worksheets, cartographic tutorials, and other resources in Cardinal Scholar. These classroom resources were developed specifically for K-12 teachers. Access the Cardinal Scholar by visiting the University Libraries main Web page or directly from http://cardinalscholar.bsu.edu/. To find all of the available resources from the GRMC in Cardinal Scholar, click on “Communities and Collections” on the left side of the page. Scroll down to the Information Technology section, and the GIS Research and Map Collection will be under University Libraries. On the GRMC collection home page click on “browse by title” in the middle of the page. This lists all the titles in the collection. For a more specific search, you may also type in a subject, such as “Africa” or “game.” Users can click on the title of the resource and save it for use in papers, presentations, or other research or print any of the games and maps.

Students and other researchers writing papers or preparing presentations may consider using maps from the GRMC or the Atlas Collection as visual aids to add interest and impact. These collections include maps and other cartographic images that visually depict numerous current issues. The new online guide, Using Maps and Atlases as Resources for Papers, Posters, and Presentations, details how cartographic images can enhance research. The guide can be accessed from Cardinal Scholar at http://cardinalscholar.bsu.edu/handle/123456789/194308.

The State of the World Atlas Images is a poster available from the GRMC in Cardinal Scholar that gives examples of the different maps, charts, photographs, and other images available from atlases in the Atlas Collection or the GRMC. This poster was created using a single atlas, The Penguin State of the World Atlas, which is available in the Atlas Collection and the GRMC and displays numerous topics like war, child labor, obesity, smoking, women’s issues, and the environment. This resource can be accessed from Cardinal Scholar at http://cardinalscholar.bsu.edu/handle/123456789/194313.

The GRMC has two large-format color plotter printers available for printing some of the large maps or posters, and a large-format laminator is also available. (The GRMC charges printing and laminating directly to the Bursar). Students and faculty can create posters to use in presentations and print them in the GRMC. A guide to creating posters is also available on Cardinal Scholar at http://cardinalscholar.bsu.edu/handle/123456789/194312.

Faculty, students, and other researchers using maps and atlases can also find information about citing these resources in Cardinal Scholar using the Guide to the Citation of Maps and Atlases. This guide describes the format for citing cartographic resources and provides examples from University Libraries. The guide can be accessed at http://cardinalscholar.bsu.edu/handle/123456789/194310.

For more information about any of these classroom resources, please contact Melissa Gentry at 765-285-1097 or email mgentry@bsu.edu.

Maps of World Refugees Available from Ball State University Libraries

2011-08-15T11:11:00.002-04:00

Maps in the News: World Refugees

The map shown above is part of a feature on world refugees from The State of the World Atlas. The atlas was created by Dan Smith in 2008 and is available from Ball State University Libraries’ GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) or from the Atlas Collection on the second floor of Bracken Library.

The map shows some of the areas of the world affected by the 14 million refugees worldwide. The bright red countries at the top host from 100,000 to one million refugees. The darker red countries on the bottom map show countries that have over one million internally displaced people—people who have fled their homes but remain in their own countries. For example, Colombia has 3 million internally displaced people, while Iraq has 1.8 million. These maps were created using data from 2006.

The atlas explains that “unsatisfactory and inconsistent statistics” exist to describe the plight of refugees. “While a well-respected independent U.S. organization counts 99 countries as hosting refugees, the U.N. identifies 163 host countries.” The population of refugees includes Palestinians, Iraqis, Afghans and people from countries in Africa, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, and Somalia.

For more information about using atlases, please contact the GRMC Monday through Friday from 8:00 to 5:00 at 765-285-1097.

GIS Presentation at the Indiana State Fair

2011-08-11T11:06:00.002-04:00

GIS Goes to the Fair

The Indiana Geographic Information Council (IGIC) will be offering a presentation highlighting GIS initiatives at the Indiana State Fair next Wednesday, August 17 from 12:30 to 2:00 P.M. in the Normandy Barn (click to enlarge above map). The presentation will explain how the growing geographic information infrastructure and technology is helping make Indiana a leader in precision farming, alternative energy, economic development, homeland security, and infrastructure and environmental management.

Jim Sparks, State of Indiana Geographic Information Officer, Phil Worrall, IGIC Executive Director, and others will discuss and demonstrate some of the latest high-tech GIS data and technology advances in the state. Presentation topics include an introduction to IGIC and GIS for Indiana; demonstrations of statewide data programs, including orthophotography, LiDAR, and broadband mapping; and previews of new initiatives across Indiana, including the new IndianaMap Viewer.

Attendance to the presentation is free with a paid admission to the State Fair. Admission to the State Fair is $8. For more information, please contact IGIC at info@igic.org.

Maps of London Available from Ball State University Libraries

2011-08-10T14:29:00.002-04:00

Maps in the News: London

Researchers interested in studying the geography of London, England will find dozens of maps of the city in the Ball State University Libraries’ GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) on the second floor of Bracken Library. The maps range in scope from historic maps to reproductions to current street and tourist maps. And the Atlas Collection also includes many street finders and guides, as well as atlases of the history of London in maps.

A pictorial map of the detailing the history of the city included in the collection features images throughout the city and coats of arms. The GRMC also includes historic reproductions of views of the city in 1413, 1500, 1560, 1616, 1647, and 1749. Another reproduction shows the plan of London designed by Sir Christopher Wren. The National Geographic map Shakespeare’s Britain also features London.

Numerous tourist and guide maps are included in the collection, as well as railway and bus route maps, throughway maps, maps of theaters and cinemas, and maps of London’s postal districts. The London Crafts Map details the location of artists and other craftsmen around the city. A pictorial map of London architecture includes the locations of landmarks with building diagrams. There are also detailed maps of Westminster and other areas of London.

The GRMC created a map called Storybook England that includes works of children’s literature, including many associated with London. And the GRMC’s My Fair Lady Map of London was created to show English students the locations of sites from the play/movie.

The GRMC also includes a copy of Ben Jonson’s London: A Jacobean Placename Dictionary and The Oxford Literary Guide to Great Britain and Ireland. These reference books provide details about the history of places in London.

For more information about these maps, please visit the GRMC Monday through Friday from 7:30 to 4:30.

Maps of Somalia Available from Ball State University Libraries

2011-08-10T13:26:00.000-04:00

Maps in the News: Somalia

The Ball State University Libraries’ GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) on the second floor of Bracken Library includes a collection of maps of Somalia and its capital city, Mogadishu. The collection also features historic maps of this region of Africa formerly known as the Somaliland Protectorate (1956 map) and Somalia and Djibouti (1977 map).

The GRMC has general maps of Somalia produced by the Central Intelligence Agency, maps showing roads, and topographic maps of the country at various scales. Maps depicting the country’s land use and natural resources, population, and ethnic groups (shown above) are also included in the collection. A chart on the map shows the clan families of Somalia and major subclans.

The satellite map of Mogadishu (above) at 1:50,000-scale was published in 1992 by the Centre Geographique Interarmees. The red circles on the map mark the locations of hospitals at that time.

Maps of Somalia have not yet been cataloged and will not appear in the University Libraries’ CardCat system, so contact or visit the GRMC for more information about the maps. The phone number for the GRMC is 765-285-1097 or email mgentry@bsu.edu.

Delaware County Aerial Photographs Available from Ball State University Libraries

2011-08-04T09:13:00.001-04:00

The View from Above: Aerial Photograph Collection Added to Digital Media Repository

A new collection of aerial photography is now available on the Ball State University Libraries’ Digital Media Repository at http://libx.bsu.edu/. The Roger Conatser Aerial Photograph digital collection currently contains over 1500 aerial views of Muncie and Delaware County, Indiana, taken by Muncie resident Roger Conatser in 2005. The collection will grow to include aerial photographs from 1985 through 2005.

The Roger Conatser Aerial Photograph digital collection documents the landmarks and landscape of Muncie and Hartford City. The digital images of Muncie include the central business district, Ball State University, Ball Memorial Hospital, churches, schools, agricultural areas, shopping centers, the White River, Cardinal Greenway, the Minnetrista Cultural Center, parks, industrial sites, and major roadways. The courthouse square, agricultural and residential areas, industrial parks and major roadways of Hartford City are also included in this collection.

For more information about the Digital Media Repository, please contact the Archives and Special Collections at 765-285-5078.

Maps of Syria Available from Ball State University Libraries

2011-08-03T15:45:00.001-04:00

Maps in the News: Syria

The Ball State University Libraries’ GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) has a significant collection of maps of Syria and the Middle East. The maps include both historic maps of the country and the region and new, updated maps.

The image shown above (click to enlarge) is from a historic pictorial map of Syria from 1943 called “Illustrated Syria.” The map depicts agricultural and industrial products and places of interest, including parts of Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon, and then Palestine. An inset map shows main roads, air routes, railroads, pipelines, and political divisions. The map text is written in English and Arabic.

Other maps of Syria in the collection include tourist maps, maps of archaeological sites, road maps with images of sites of interest, economic activity maps, and land use and population maps. A unique tectonic sketch map showing oil wells and petroleum exploration from 1978 was produced by the Foreign Scouting Service. Four sets of topographic maps of Syria at varying scales are also available. Newer maps showing administrative divisions and relief show the changing borders of the region, and many of the maps include the Golan Heights. City maps of Syria are also featured in the collection, including a reproduction of a bird’s eye view map of Damascus from 1575.

The Atlas Collection on the second floor of Bracken Library also includes resources on Syria and the Middle East. The Historical Atlas of Syria and the Lonely Planet Atlas of Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon are available for circulation for one month or longer.

Maps from the GRMC circulate for two weeks or longer.

For more information, please contact the GRMC Monday through Friday during the summer from 7:30 to 4:30 P.M.

Ball State University Libraries Map of the Month

2011-08-03T14:33:00.003-04:00

Looking Back: Back to School in 1978
Ball State University Libraries’ Map of the Month

The map of the month for August in the Ball State University Libraries’ GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) is a map of Ball State University in 1978 (click to enlarge above). The pictorial map features all sorts of activities happening around the campus. The map offers an interesting glimpse of life at Ball State during that time and a chance to review all the new buildings and other changes to the campus.

A copy of the map is available in the Digital Media Repository. For more information about this map, please contact the GRMC at 765-285-1097.

University Libraries: Planned CardCat Downtime

2011-07-29T09:06:00.001-04:00

Ball State University Libraries’ Catalog Upgrade

As part of a planned systems upgrade, CardCat, the University Libraries' online catalog, will be unavailable between 9:00 a.m. on Monday, August 1, and the evening of Wednesday, August 3.

During this systems upgrade, the following CardCat services will be unavailable:

• Searching for items owned by the University Libraries
• My Library Account (including online renewals)
• Hold and Recall requests
• CardCat links from WorldCat, MultiLink, and MultiSearch

Users will be able to:

• Check out items, including course reserves
• Renew items in person
• Turn in items

Users researching maps, atlases, and other cartographic resources during this time may visit the GIS Research and Map Collection for assistance, and all maps and atlases can still be circulated.

We appreciate your patience and understanding while CardCat is unavailable. If you have any questions about library services or your library account during this time, please contact the Library at 765-285-5143 or via email at libemail@bsu.edu.

New Resources in Ball State University Libraries' Atlas Collection

2011-07-26T11:18:00.005-04:00

Historical Atlas of Weaponry, poisonous gas attacks map

Atlas of Sports: Who Plays What, Where, and Why, high school baseball map

Los Angeles in Maps, Hollywood

Los Angeles in Maps, Wrigley Field

Atlas of Food: Who Eats What, Where, and Why, meals eaten out in a year chart

What's New in the Atlas Collection?

The Ball State University Libraries’ Atlas Collection and the atlases included in the GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) cover a wide-ranging list of topics and themes and geographic locations from all over the world. The Atlas Collection houses over 2,500 atlases, including volumes from nearly every country of the world—many in the native languages.

The thematic atlases in the Collection cover topics from many different disciplines, including political science, art, education, health, women’s issues, literature, and recreational activities depicting topics in cartographic form like world tobacco use, obesity, women in government, rainforest loss, illiteracy, wealth distribution, and even golf, fishing, and surfing. The Atlas of Fantasy actually includes maps of fictional places.

Atlases offer more than just maps for research and learning: charts and other images provide graphic descriptions of numerous issues. And atlases are an excellent tool because their smaller size allows for convenient reproduction of the maps for research and learning. Topical maps from atlases can be easily scanned and inserted into papers and presentations for the classroom.

Some new atlases recently added to the collection include the Routledge Atlas of the Holocaust, Illustrated Atlas of Wildlife, Atlas of Transatlantic Slave, and Atlas of Human Rights.

The Historical Atlas of Weaponry is an excellent new resource for history and military science students. The atlas includes 180 maps detailing the use of weaponry around the world dating back to prehistoric times. Maps of important battles are also shown, including Pearl Harbor (shown—click to enlarge).

Atlas of Sports: Who Plays What, Where, and Why by Alan Tomlinson is another interesting new resource in the Atlas Collection. The atlas includes maps about the economics of sports, international sports politics, and country profiles. Sports from around the world are included.

Los Angeles in Maps by Glen Creason is a new atlas describing the cartographic history of the city from the colonial era to the present. Over 70 map reproductions and other historical documents detail the discovery of oil in Los Angeles, the rise of Hollywood (shown), the streetcar system, earthquakes, urban sprawl, and sports history, including a map of Wrigley Field (shown).

The Atlas of Food: Who Eats What, Where, and Why by Erik Millstone and Tim Lang features maps covering a broad range of topics related to the food industry. Maps, charts, and other illustrations in the atlas describe issues of feeding the world and unequal distribution, organic farming, fast food, pesticides use, changing diets, disease, and world trade.

To investigate the scope of the Atlas Collection, perform an "Advanced Search" in the Library CardCat online catalog: Simply type a topic or geographic place, and choose "Atlas Collection" in the location field. Or type the topic or geographic place and the word "atlas." Atlases can be circulated for 28 days or longer.

For more information about using atlases, please contact Melissa Gentry in the GRMC at 765-285-1097 or email mgentry@bsu.edu.

Disappearing Muncie Exhibit in Ball State University Libraries

2011-07-25T10:11:00.001-04:00

Disappearing Muncie: Ball State University Libraries’ Exhibit Depicts Lost Architecture and Heritage

The featured exhibit in the Archives and Special Collections in Bracken Library is Disappearing Muncie: Our Lost Heritage. The exhibit illustrates the changes in Muncie`s downtown during the first half of the twentieth century. The exhibit was made possible by resources from the Ball State University Archives and Special Collections and the Drawings and Documents Archives. Photographs from the W. A. Swift, Spurgeon-Greene, and Otto Sellers collections will be on display, as well as architectural drawings, ephemera, and newspaper articles.

During its peak, downtown was vibrant and bustling with many multi-storied structures, an illustrious courthouse, hotels, several movie theaters and opera houses. However, decades of structural decay and an increased need for more parking led many of these structures, including the Delaware County Courthouse, to be demolished.

The Sanborn Fire Insurance maps of Muncie available from the Archives and Special Collections are another invaluable resource detailing lost architecture of the city. The map shown above from 1887 shows the location of the courthouse at that time (click to enlarge). One of the opera houses can be seen in the block just south of the courthouse. Other now nonexistent shops and businesses can also be viewed on the map, including a billiards hall, cigar and hat shops, agriculture implements, a carriage factory and marble works, and boarding house. The Sanborn maps of Muncie are available from the Digital Media Repository on the University Libraries Web page.

The aerial photograph shown above is part of the historic collection in the GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) and is of the northernmost part of downtown Muncie in 1941. The existing Muncie Fieldhouse can be seen near the river. However, the Minnetrista Golf Course along the river has disappeared. The aerial photograph provides evidence of the freeways on the golf course. The photograph of golfers on the course is from the W.A. Swift collection in Archives and Special Collections.

This featured exhibit will be available through the middle of August. For more information about the exhibit or any of the resources, please contact the Archives and Special Collection at 765-285-5078. For information about the maps, please contact the GRMC at 765-285-1097.

Oslo, Norway Maps Available from Ball State University Libraries

2011-07-22T15:09:00.001-04:00

Maps in the News: Oslo, Norway Maps Available from Ball State University Libraries

The Ball State University Libraries GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) on the second floor of Bracken Library includes a large collection of maps of Norway and Scandinavia. The Oslo map shown above (click to enlarge) is an inset map from a 2009 Insight Travel Map of Norway from GeoGraphic Publishers.

The collection includes city maps of Norwegian cities, CIA maps of the country, vegetation and land use maps, and a set of topographic maps of the country. The Atlas Collection also includes road atlases and map books of Norway.

Maps of Norway and Scandinavia have not been fully cataloged and may not appear in the Libraries’ CardCat system, so contact the staff of the GRMC for more information about maps available at 765-285-1097.

Ball State University Libraries Release New Cardinal Scholar Institutional Repository

2011-07-22T13:51:00.001-04:00

University Libraries Release New Version of Cardinal Scholar Institutional Repository

by Michael G. Szajewski, Archivist for Digital Development and University Records

A new version of Cardinal Scholar Institutional Repository, a project of the University Libraries, is now available for searching and community contributions. It utilizes DSpace digital asset management software to enhance access to resources uploaded to the repository, and it is designed to encourage further contributions to the repository through its streamlined and simplified uploading process.

Designed as a user-deposit system, Cardinal Scholar allows university community members to contribute to its collection of digital assets. In order to organize its assets better, the new Cardinal Scholar has been divided into two communities: Ball State Theses and Dissertations, and Ball State University Records and Publications. In addition to the repository’s new organizational structure, Cardinal Scholar includes many additional improvements to facilitate access and encourage user contributions. For example, the new repository allows a user to login using his or her Ball State username and password, no longer requiring a separate set of credentials. Once a user is logged-in, the new repository’s streamlined, simplified upload procedure allows the person to upload and provide information about a document in two simple steps.

When describing an item, users may now choose from a broader range of fixed terms, allowing categorization of uploaded documents to be completed more easily and with greater specificity to enhance search precision. Cardinal Scholar’s search interface has been improved, too, as the repository home page now includes an advanced search option to allow users to construct search queries of increased complexity. Furthermore, Cardinal Scholar 2.0 provides improved searching ability at the community and collection levels.

Visit the new Cardinal Scholar page at http://cardinalscholar.bsu.edu/. For more information, visit Cardinal Scholar Frequently Asked Questions, http://cardinalscholar.bsu.edu/bsu/faq.jsp, or contact Michael G. Szajewski, Archivist for Digital Development and University Records, in the Archives and Special Collections at 765-285-5078.

(The map shown above, Storybook England, features popular children’s literature from England. The map is available in Cardinal Scholar from the GIS Research and Map Collection).

John Dillinger Gang Robberies Map Available from Ball State University Libraries

2011-07-22T08:30:00.002-04:00

Public Enemies: John Dillinger Gang Robberies Map Available from Ball State University Libraries

The GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) created the map Public Enemies: Robberies of the John Dillinger Gang (click to enlarge above) based on information from a book by Bryan Burrough, Public Enemies: America’s Greatest Crime Wave and the Birth of the FBI, 1933-1934 (available from the General Collection of Bracken Library) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation Historic Famous Cases Web page. The movie Public Enemies starring Johnny Depp is also based on the Burrough book.

John Dillinger was a legendary bank robber from Indiana who became America’s first “Public Enemy Number One.” The map marks the locations of reported robberies of Dillinger and his gang beginning with a robbery in Daleville, Indiana in the summer of 1933. Other events related to Dillinger are also featured on the map, including the location of his death in Chicago on this day—July 22—in 1934.

A copy of the map is available in PDF-format from the Ball State University Libraries’ Cardinal Scholar repository at http://cardinalscholar.bsu.edu/handle/123456789/194224. The map is available for circulation for two weeks or longer. Additional printed copies of the map may be obtained from the GRMC weekdays from 7:30 to 4:30. Contact the staff for more information at 765-285-1097.

Ball State University Cardinal Kids Camp Mapping the World

2011-07-19T08:26:00.001-04:00

Ball State University Cardinal Kids Camp Colors the World (Map)

The Ball State University Cardinal Kids Camp kicked off its “Around the World” week coloring world maps from the University Libraries’ GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC). Cardinal Kids Camp is a summer program managed by the Office of Recreation Services that provides children weeks of activities including games, arts and crafts, tours, and swimming. The campers range in age from preschool to age 13. Each year the GRMC coordinates some special learning projects for the campers and organizes a visit to Bracken Library with Educational Resources Collections staff for other games and activities.

Many of the activities used for Cardinal Kids Camp and other youth activities are available from the GRMC on the University Libraries' Cardinal Scholar institutional repository at http://cardinalscholar.bsu.edu/. For more information about using maps in the classroom or for special learning activities, please contact the GRMC at 765-285-1097.

Obesity in America Map from Ball State University Libraries

2011-07-08T08:47:00.002-04:00

Growing Pains: Obesity in America Map

According to a report from the Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, obesity rates in the United States have climbed at least 90 percent in 17 states from 1995. Nine of the ten states with the highest obesity rates are in the South, with Mississippi leading at 34.4 percent, followed by Alabama and West Virginia. These states also lead the nation in diabetes and high blood pressure, showing how obesity rates can be related to other health issues and healthcare costs.

The above maps (click to enlarge) are from the Penguin State of the World Atlas by Dan Smith available in the Ball State University Libraries’ GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) and Atlas Collection. The maps show the percentage of adults who are obese. In the 1996 map, no state had an obesity rate above 20 percent. Five years later in 2001, only Mississippi had a rate over 25 percent, but many states had crossed over the 20 percent obesity mark. And in the span of ten years in 2006, only Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Colorado remained below 19 percent.

These maps clearly depict the growing problem of obesity in America, and also show how maps can be an important visual aids for explaining data. Maps offer an excellent way to communicate complex data visually. The GRMC developed an online guide about using maps and atlases as visual aids for academic papers and presentations on the Digital Map Resources section of the GRMC Research Tools Web page at http://cms.bsu.edu/Academics/Libraries/CollectionsAndDept/GISandMaps/MapCollection/ResearchTools.aspx.

For more information about these maps or using maps in presentations and papers, please contact the GRMC at 765-285-1097 Monday through Friday.

Ball State University Libraries Independence Day Map Exhibit

2011-07-01T13:57:00.001-04:00

Not So Independent: GIS Research and Map Collection July Map of the Month

The July “Map of the Month” exhibit in the Ball State University Libraries’ GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) is the American Associations with Britain map (click to enlarge) in honor of Independence Day. The map was published in 1970 by British Travel to mark the 350th anniversary of the sailing of the Mayflower.

A map of Great Britain and Ireland is shown with links to people and places in American history and culture: The Southwark Cathedral in London has a Harvard Memorial Chapel commemorating John Harvard, founder of Harvard University in Massachusetts, who was born nearby. Skibo Castle in Scotland was the home of Andrew Carnegie in his later years. Memorials of Presidents Washington, Lincoln, Franklin Roosevelt, and Kennedy are located throughout London. Birthplaces of prominent Americans and ports of departure of explorers of early America are also shown.

Maps from the GRMC circulate for two weeks or longer. For more information about this map, please contact the staff at 765-285-1097.

Holiday Hours at Ball State University Libraries

2011-07-01T13:03:00.000-04:00

Holiday Hours at the Ball State University GIS Research and Map Collection
The GIS Research and Map Collection will be closed on Monday, July 4 and will reopen at 7:30 A.M. on Tuesday, July 5.

New Cartographic Materials in the Ball State University Libraries

2011-06-24T15:28:00.002-04:00

Strange Maps and Cartographic Curiosities Featured in Ball State University Libraries

The Ball State University Libraries’ GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) is constantly adding new materials to its collection to provide interesting and useful resources for research and learning. One of the newest materials available is Strange Maps: An Atlas of Cartographic Curiosities by Frank Jacobs. This atlas is described an “an intriguing collection of more than one hundred out-of-the-ordinary maps, blending art, history, and pop culture for a unique atlas of humanity.

This new atlas begins with historical maps created inaccurately or with misconceptions—for example, California as an island. A section of literary-themed maps includes a map of the world in 1984 according to the George Orwell novel. Hand-drawn maps relate the art of cartography. Maps depicting historical events, political parodies, and maps as propaganda are also featured.

Other interesting maps include “Eisenhower’s Interstate System,” “Europe, If the Nazis Had Won,” and “If Land Was Sea and Sea Was Land.” An entire section of the atlas is devoted to maps of Manhattan. The map featured above (click to enlarge) was painted by Aaron Meshon as “NYiCy,” as a wrap around a children’s magazine featuring his favorite ice cream treats in the city.

Strange Maps is available in the GRMC Monday through Friday from 7:30 to 4:30 P.M. For more information, please contact the staff of the GRMC at 765-285-1097.

Summer Maps at Ball State University Libraries

2011-06-21T09:54:00.003-04:00

Summertime Maps from Ball State University Libraries

The Ball State University Libraries’ GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) marks the first day of summer with a map featuring interesting travel destinations around the state of Indiana. The map shows the locations of state parks and forests, diners, animal farms and zoos, a wine tour, and even a giant sundial for travelers interested in a unique summer getaway. (Click to enlarge).

The map is available for reproduction from the University Libraries’ Cardinal Scholar repository at http://cardinalscholar.bsu.edu/handle/123456789/194204.

The poster “What I Did Last Summer: Art of Recreation Maps” was created for an exhibit and features summer-themed artwork from maps in the GRMC. Many of the maps, atlases, and guides available from the GRMC are excellent cartographic resources for summer travelers.

Maps from the GRMC may be circulated for two weeks or longer, and atlases circulated for 28 days or longer. For more information about these resources, please contact the GRMC at 765-285-1097 Monday through Friday.

Tobacco Maps Available from Ball State University Libraries

2011-05-31T13:27:00.003-04:00

World No Tobacco Day: Global Tobacco Maps Available from Ball State University Libraries

The World Health Organization will celebrate World No Tobacco Day on May 31. The day was created to raise awareness to the dangers of smoking and start a discussion of what can be done to prevent tobacco-related deaths around the world.

This year, more than five million people worldwide will die from tobacco-related conditions, and according to the American Lung Association, 448,000 people die from tobacco-related diseases in the United States.

The maps above (click to enlarge) are from The Tobacco Atlas, available from the Atlas Collection in Ball State University Libraries. The atlas, now in its third edition, is completely updated and revised in 2009. The atlas was published by the American Cancer Society and the World Lung Foundation. The atlas shows the prevalence of tobacco, reviews health risks, charts the costs of tobacco, and describes the tobacco industry in nations around the world.

The top map depicts the proportion of adult deaths due to smoking in men and women. The red countries, including the United States, have a percentage of above 25% for men. According to the atlas, “smokers die an average of 15 years earlier than nonsmokers.” Unfortunately, tobacco-related deaths are on the rise in developing countries, and “if current trends continue, tobacco will kill seven million people annually by 2020.”

The second map shows annual cigarette consumption per person. The United States falls into the 500-1,499 category and consumes 357 billion cigarettes per year. “In 2007, smokers in China consumed 37% of the world’s cigarettes.”

The third map displays the percent of males who smoke cigarettes in the eastern hemisphere. A chart shows the top twenty male smoking populations. Note that the number of male smokers in China alone compares to the total population of the United States.

This atlas is available for research projects and papers, and the maps can be scanned for visual aids. The atlas circulates for 28 days or longer.

For more information about this or any other topical atlases from the Atlas Collection, please contact the staff of the GIS Research and Map Collection at 765-285-1097.

GIS Research and Map Collection Closed for Memorial Day

2011-05-27T08:35:00.000-04:00

The Ball State University Libraries’ GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) in Bracken Library will be closed on Memorial Day, Monday, May 30. The GRMC will reopen on Tuesday, May 31 at 7:30 A.M.

New Materials in Ball State University Libraries: Railway Maps of the World

2011-05-27T08:25:00.008-04:00

New Materials in Ball State University Libraries: Railway Maps of the World

The maps shown above are printed from a new book available in the Ball State University Libraries’ GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) on the second floor of Bracken Library. Railway Maps of the World by Mark Ovenden is similar to his earlier publication, Transit Maps of the World, already available from the GRMC. The book includes over a hundred illustrations of historic and modern-day rail maps of North and South America, Asia, Africa, Europe, and Oceania and details the history of railways.

The map of Germany shows rail routes with exaggerated landmarks made for the 1960’s rail tourists. The “Uganda Railway” poster is from 1908. Ovenden notes that the Uganda Railway “never ran through Uganda, but rather British East Africa, which is modern-day Kenya.”

The map of Los Angeles is from the Library of Congress collection and shows the streetcar lines of the early city. The city was “laid out specifically for public transit,” so the closing of the lines forced thousands of suburbanites to begin using automobiles during the 1950’s and 1960’s.

The 1920’s poster of the famed Orient Express shows a view of Istanbul and a stylized map of the routes from London and Paris to Turkey. The Trans-Siberian Railway provides “the world’s longest continuous rail passenger journey, Kiev to Vladivostok (11,085 km),” and the line crosses seven time zones. The map shown is a 1916 map showing railway services in each direction.

Railway Maps of the World and Transit Maps of the World are available for research in the GRMC. The GRMC is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. during the summer.

Maps in the News from Ball State University Libraries

2011-05-26T15:30:00.001-04:00

Maps in the News: A Gallery of Maps

The Ball State University Libraries’ GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) contains over 140,000 maps available for research and learning. The maps featured above are some that have been used this week due to various events in the news:

The first map of the United States depicts the annual incidence of tornadoes in the United States and is from the Atlas of Natural Hazards. (Click to enlarge the maps). The latest topographic map of Joplin, Missouri, shows part of the area where a deadly tornado struck last weekend.

The blue map shows the city of Deauville, France, site of this week’s G8 Summit. This historic topographic map was published by the United States Army Map Service in 1944. The map was surveyed by the government of Great Britain during World War II using a military grid, and important streets and building are named—including casinos, hippodromes, cinemas, and a stadium.

The bright yellow map shows part of Irish Family Names Map: Arms and Mediaeval Locations published by Bartholomew Maps in 1984. This map includes a list of family names and illustrations of family shields. Moneygall, the home village of President Obama’s ancestors, is located in County “Offaly,” shown in the center of the map.

The map of Yemen shows the distribution of ethnic and religious groups and key tribal areas of the country. This is an inset map on a map of Yemen published by the Central Intelligence Agency in 2004.

A map of the Middle East from The Israel Historical Atlas depicts The Six Day War, which changed the borders of Israel in 1967.

Maps from the GRMC circulate for two weeks or longer. Atlases from the Atlas Collection circulate for 28 days or longer.

New Travel Materials Available in Ball State University Libraries

2011-05-19T15:53:00.000-04:00

New Travel Materials in the GIS Research and Map Collection

The Ball State University Libraries’ GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) has added new travel materials just in time for the summer.

For local travel information the 2011 Indiana Travel Guide and Indiana Recreation Guide are available for circulation. Golfers can use the Indiana Golf and Travel Guide for information about courses around the state, and the 2011 Indiana Festival Guide details hundreds of festivals. A new map of the Knobstone Trail, Indiana’s longest footpath, is also now available in the GRMC as well as a new set of state park maps including the Dunes, Harmonie, and Patoka Lake.

Travelers to the nation’s capital can now find new maps of several attractions. The GRMC has new maps available of the Smithsonian complex, the National Cathedral, and parking maps for Reagan National Airport. A new map of nearby Monticello is also available for circulation.

Travelers to Paris and New York will also find new maps in the GRMC. Maps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Louvre’ and the Estate of Versailles are now available for circulation.

Many of these maps were gifts from Jacqueline Luzar Nelson and Justine Payne, Ball State University alumnae.

Maps from the GRMC circulate for two weeks or longer. For more information, please visit the GRMC during summer hours from 7:30 A.M. to 4:30 P.M.

Black Baseball in Indiana Documentary Premieres April 27 in Muncie

2011-04-26T15:23:00.003-04:00

Ball State University Black Baseball in Indiana Documentary Premiere in Downtown Muncie

The Ball State University Virginia B. Ball Center for Creative Inquiry is presenting a documentary about Negro League Baseball tomorrow, April 27, at the Cornerstone Center for the Arts in downtown Muncie. The doors open at 6:30 P.M., and the film showing begins at 7:00. The premiere is open to the public, and admission and concessions are free.

The film, Black Baseball in Indiana, was produced by fourteen Ball State students participating in a seminar exploring the league’s rich history in the state of Indiana. The students wrote a book of essays and produced this film featuring Indiana’s African American teams, players, and ballparks.

The group travelled thousands of miles interviewing leading Negro League historians, surviving players from the Indianapolis Clowns, and two of the team’s batboys. These interviews form the core of the film, supplemented with hundreds of historic photographs and vintage footage from archives around the nation.

Students from the class used road maps from the era from the GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) in their research of the league. The GRMC also created a map of the Negro League teams. The map is available for use from the Digital Media Repository at http://cardinalscholar.bsu.edu/1413/ or may be checked out from the GRMC.

For more information about the documentary, please contact the Virginia Ball Center at 765-285-0117.

Maps for Earth Day Available from Ball State University Libraries

2011-04-22T09:26:00.004-04:00

Earth Day: Environmental Resources Available from Ball State University Libraries

Today is Earth Day, and the GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) on the second floor of Bracken Library includes many resources for researchers studying issues of the environment. The Map Collection includes flood plain maps for numerous areas, topographic maps for areas around the world, soil surveys and maps from counties around the country, Gap Analysis electronic resources for land cover, forest types, and other factors, maps of important farmlands in counties around the United States, natural gas and other energy maps, and national and state park and forest maps.

The Atlas Collection also includes a number of resources about the environment. The maps shown above are from the atlas One Planet, Many People: Atlas of Our Changing Environment, which was published by the United Nations Environment Program in 2005. Atlases in the collection cover a broad range of environmental issues, including endangered species, polluted waters, urban development, and soil degradation (shown above). Atlas of Contemporary America: Portrait of a Nation, Atlas of the Great Barrier Reef, Atlas of Wildlife, and Atlas of Global Development also include maps about the environment.

For a complete list of environmental topographic resources, researchers can access a study guide on the GRMC Web page. For more information, please contact the GRMC at 765-285-1097.

Map of Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill Location Available from Ball State University Libraries

2011-04-20T16:40:00.004-04:00

Maps in the News: Gulf of Mexico—A Geography of Offshore Oil Map Available from Ball State University Libraries

Today marks the one-year anniversary of the explosion of the BP Deepwater Horizon oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. The explosion killed 11 men working on the rig and ultimately leaked five billion barrels (206 million gallons) of oil into the Gulf, making this oil spill 19 times larger than the Exxon Valdez spill.

The National Geographic Society published a map about the Gulf of Mexico and the oil spill last year. The map, Gulf of Mexico: A Geography of Offshore Oil, shows the locations of oil platforms, wells, and pipelines on one side with information about the economy of oil in the Gulf of Mexico. The verso of the map is called The Gulf of Mexico: Layers of Life and depicts the rich habitats of “one of the most ecologically and economically productive bodies of water in the world.” Birds, animals, and marine life are shown in their coastal and marine ecosystems. The map shown above is a map of seafloor environments and marks the spread of oil along the coast up until July 25, 2010.

This map is available for research and learning from the Ball State University Libraries GIS Research and Map Collection. The map circulates for two weeks or longer.

Negro League Baseball Teams Map Available from Ball State University Libraries

2011-04-15T14:23:00.005-04:00

Black Diamonds: Map of Negro League Baseball Teams Available from Ball State University Libraries

On this day in 1947 Jackie Robinson made his debut in Major League Baseball playing for the Brooklyn Dodgers. Robinson’s start marked the long-awaited end of segregation, which forced players to participate in a separate Negro League Baseball.

The Ball State University Libraries’ GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) created this map (above, click to enlarge) showing the locations and names of the Negro League Baseball teams. The map is based on the book The Complete Book of Baseball’s Negro Leagues: The Other Half of Baseball History by John Holway. Photographs on the map are from Playing America’s Game by Michael L. Cooper, which is available from the Educational Resources Collections in Bracken Library. The map was made in coordination with a special collaborative project with Geralyn Strecker, Assistant Professor in the Department of English. The base map is a 1931 road map, so researchers can imagine the routes travelled by the teams during that era of history. This map circulates for two weeks or longer and is available through interlibrary loan.

For more information, please contact the GRMC Monday through Friday at 765-285-1097.

New Location for Soil Surveys in University Libraries

2011-04-15T08:56:00.005-04:00

Soil Surveys Available from Ball State University Libraries

Students and other researchers using soil surveys in University Libraries will now find these maps in a more centralized location. All of the soil surveys are now located on the second floor of Bracken Library, either in the Atlas Collection for circulation or next door in the GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) as reference materials.

All 92 Indiana counties’ soil surveys are available from the Atlas Collection on the east side of the second floor. These map books may be circulated for 28 days. Additional soil surveys of Indiana counties are available in the GRMC as reference materials. These soil surveys are maintained in the GRMC so that every county survey is always available for research. New sets of soil survey maps of Elkhart, Fountain, and Pulaski County were also recently transferred to the GRMC.

The Atlas Collection also includes soil surveys of St. Louis County, Missouri, Prince Georges County, Maryland, and Cook County, Illinois and the area near Chicago. A soil survey of Washington, D.C., is also available in the Atlas Collection. Researchers can also use soil surveys of Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and the islands of Hawaii and the U.S. Virgin Islands in the Atlas Collection.

The GRMC also has soil maps from numerous counties around the United States. A large collection of international soil maps is also available in the GRMC. These soil maps circulate for two weeks or longer for special projects.

For more information about these cartographic resources, please contact the GRMC at 765-285-1097. The GRMC is open Monday through Friday from 8 to 5 P.M.

Historical Nuclear Energy Maps from Ball State University Libraries

2011-04-06T15:58:00.010-04:00

Maps in the News: Mapping the History of Nuclear Energy

Researchers can use many cartographic resources to study the history of nuclear energy around the world. The GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) on the second floor of Bracken Library has a collection of maps detailing the history of nuclear power plants in the United States and around the world. The Atlas Collection also includes many atlases that feature maps depicting various energy issues, including The State of the World Atlas and the Student Atlas of Politics. The Chernobyl nuclear accident is detailed in the atlas One Planet, Many People from the Atlas Collection (top image).

The GRMC receives maps as a federal depository, and the U.S. government previously produced maps showing the location of commercial nuclear power stations around the United States. The GRMC also includes U.S. Geological Survey topographic quadrangle maps that depict the locations of nuclear power plants. The Forked River, New Jersey map shows the older Oyster Creek nuclear power plant, and the Middletown, Pennsylvania topographic map shows the four reactors at the Three Mile Island power plant (above). The GRMC also includes an aerial photograph of Three Mile Island (above).

CNN created a map so Americans can find the location of nuclear power plants around the country. Simply type in an address or ZIP code to see the plants in relation to any given location: http://money.cnn.com/news/specials/nuclear_power_plants_locations/index.html

Maps from the GRMC circulate for two weeks or longer. Atlases circulate for 28 days or longer. For more information about these resources, please contact the GRMC at 765-285-1097.

Women's Week Celebrated at Ball State University

2011-03-28T16:05:00.005-04:00

Women’s Week Map Gallery from Ball State University Libraries

Women’s Week is an annual event at Ball State University planned by the Women’s and Gender Studies Program to celebrate the achievements and experiences of women. Women’s Week is held during the last week of March, which is National Women’s History Month.

The GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) is celebrating Women’s History Month with an online gallery of maps depicting current issues affecting women around the world. These maps cover healthcare, government and politics, discrimination and seclusion, education and literacy, and other issues of society and leisure. The maps can be viewed at http://www.grmcwomensmaps.blogspot.com/

These maps can be used as a visual resource for papers and presentations. For citation information, please visit or contact the GRMC at 765-285-1097.

Maps of Libya Available from Ball State University Libraries

2011-03-22T09:46:00.006-04:00

Maps in the News: Libya Maps Available from Ball State University

The GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) on the second floor of Bracken Library includes thousands of maps of Africa and the Middle East that could be used in research and learning. This collection includes a large collection of maps of Libya.

The GRMC has a set of topographic maps of Libya at 1:100,000-scale. A set of historic Army Map Service topographic maps of Tripoli at 1:5,000-scale is also included in the collection.

The Central Intelligence Agency published maps of Libya depicting ethnic groups, economic activity, and population of the country. An inset map also shows Libya in relation to the size of the United States.

A 1991 travel map of Libya includes inset maps of Tripoli and Benghazi (shown above). A map of the Sahara Desert from 2006 also includes an excellent map of the coast of Libya. Another map shows the oases of the Sahara Desert located throughout Libya. City plan maps of Benghazi, Tripoli, and Derna are also included in the collection.

Nautical charts of the coastal cities of Libya offer detailed maps of the cities. The GRMC also includes a historic nautical chart of Benghazi (shown above) from 1931 that was published by the Italian government and later used during World War II by the German government. Other historic maps in the collection show Libya as part of the Italian colonial empire.

The entire collection of maps of Libya in the GRMC has not yet been cataloged, so many will not appear in the University Libraries’ CardCat system. Please contact the GRMC or visit Monday through Friday from 8 to 5 to see this array of maps.

All maps from the GRMC circulate for two weeks or longer.

Persian New Year Celebrated at Ball State University

2011-03-15T11:03:00.002-04:00

Persian New Year Celebrated at Ball State University

The Tajik Students Association and the University International Ambassadors Club with the support of the Rinker Center for International Programs will be hosting a celebration of Navruz on Friday, March 18 in the Ball State University Student Center Ballroom from 6 to 9 p.m. Navruz is the Persian New Year and is celebrated by Persian people and the related cultural continent including Iran, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and other parts of central Asia. The celebration marks the first day of spring and the beginning of the year in the Iranian calendar.

The event will celebrate the Persian culture. Tajik and Iranian cuisine will be featured, as well as music and dancing performances. The event is free and open to the public.

Japan Maps Available from Ball State University Libraries

2011-03-14T15:40:00.003-04:00

Maps in the News: Japan

The GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) in Bracken Library includes a large collection of maps of Japan. This collection includes over 2,000 maps of Japan, the country’s main islands, regions, and cities, and includes topographic maps, street maps and city plans, nautical charts, land use maps, and numerous other cartographic resources.

Many of the maps date back to the war era and were published by the Army Map Service and Defense Mapping Agency. A set of aviation charts of Japan still includes the original “restricted” stamp from the U.S. government. War-era nautical charts are also available in the GRMC. Complete sets of topographic maps at 1:50,000- and 1:25,000-scale are included in the collection.

The map above depicts the city of Sendai, Japan as it appeared in 1945. The nautical chart of Sendai shown above is from 2004, and also includes some of the areas depicted in Geo Eye’s before-and after aerial images shown in the New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/03/13/world/asia/satellite-photos-japan-before-and-after-tsunami.html.

The maps of Japan are not cataloged so cannot be accessed using the University Libraries’ CardCat system. Please visit the GRMC to view the entire collection of maps or contact Melissa Gentry at 765-285-1097 or mgentry@bsu.edu.

All maps from the GRMC circulate for two weeks or longer.

Historic Cities Available from Digital Media Repository

2011-03-09T11:23:00.004-05:00

American Cities Historic Maps Available from Ball State University Libraries

The GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) has provided more maps for a new collection on the University Libraries’ Digital Media Repository. The American Cities Historic Maps digital collection is now available in the Digital Media Repository at http://libx.bsu.edu.

This collection includes 23 maps of American cities dating from 1855 to 1921. Cities include Chicago, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Denver, New York, Pittsburgh, Louisville, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., and others. The maps include street maps, topographic maps, park maps, city planning guides and maps of city harbors.

These maps can be an invaluable resource for students and researchers studying the history of these great American cities. The original maps are also available from the GIS Research and Map Collection on the second floor of Bracken Library.

For more information about the Digital Media Repository, please contact the Archives and Special Collections at 765-285-5078. For more information about the maps, please contact the GRMC at 765-285-1097.

Global Warming Conference at Ball State University

2011-02-23T11:45:00.004-05:00

Ball State University Hosts Nationwide Global Warming Conference

Focus the Nation, a conference involving campuses around the country, will be held at the Ball State University Student Center tomorrow, February 24, from 9:45 to 5 p.m. The event was organized by the Students for a Sustainable Campus and is free and open to the public.

The conference will features speakers discussing various environmental issues (schedule shown above). The keynote speaker is Jesse Kharbanda, who will be presenting on clean energy in Indiana in the Ballroom at 10 a.m. Jim Lowe will be discussing the Ball State University geothermal project from 12:45 to 1:20 p.m. in the Forum Room.

Maps from the Ball State University Libraries GIS Research and Map Collection will be featured in the registration area. The GRMC also created a poster for the event showing global warming warning signs.

Black History Month Exhibit at Ball State University Libraries

2011-02-08T08:43:00.004-05:00

Black History Month in Maps at Ball State University Libraries

The GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) is featuring the Harlem Renaissance map as the “Map of the Month” for February. The map, titled “Harlem Renaissance: One Hundred Years of History, Art, and Culture,” was created by Ephemera Press in 2001 and depicts the great writers, artists, and entertainers of the Harlem neighborhood in New York. This map is available for circulation from the GRMC.

A special Black History Month exhibit also features maps from The Atlas of African-American History and Politics: From the Slave Trade to Modern Times by Arwin D. Smallwood with Jeffrey M. Elliot available from the Atlas Collection. The first map shows the locations of the mosques in the Nation of Islam. The second map describes the travels of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Maps from the GRMC circulate for two weeks or longer. Atlases from the Atlas Collection circulate for 28 days or longer.

For more information, please contact the GRMC at 765-285-1097.

Focus on Europe Spring 2011 Panel Discussion at Ball State University Libraries

2011-02-07T15:58:00.002-05:00

Focus on Europe Spring 2011 Panel Discussion Held at Ball State University Libraries

The Focus on Europe panel discussion will be held at Bracken Library, room 104, on Tuesday, February 8 at 5:00 P.M.

The theme for the discussion is Crossing Borders: Immigration in Europe. Europe’s borders are open: Where do people go? What do they experience? Get insights into current issues on immigration in European countries. The panel will include students from Romania, France, Turkey, and Germany.

The event is co-sponsored by the European Studies Committee, the Department of Political Science, the Department of History, and the Department of Modern Languages and Classics. The GIS Research and Map Collection will be displaying maps of Europe from the collection for the event.

For more information, please contact Dr. Gene Frankland, Professor of Political Science at gfrankla@bsu.edu or Eva Weyhofen, graduate assistant, Intensive English Institute, at emweyhofen@bsu.edu.

Map of Cairo from Ball State University Libraries

2011-02-04T15:59:00.003-05:00

Tahrir Square in Cairo on the Map

This map of Cairo from the GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) in Bracken Library shows the location of Tahrir Square in Cairo, the site of the revolutionary protests since January 25. The Egyptian Museum and Hilton hotels are shown to the north and west, as well as the Sixth of October Bridge. This map is one of the many current and historical maps of the Egyptian city available for research and learning from the GRMC.

Mount Kilimanjaro Maps Available from Ball State University Libraries

2011-02-04T15:09:00.008-05:00

Mapping the Trek: Mount Kilimanjaro in Maps

Dr. Rajib Sanyal is the Dean of the Miller College of Business at Ball State University. Sanyal has taught internationally, in both India and New Zealand, and has presented research papers at seminars and conferences around the world. He is the author of a textbook on international management, has designed experiential exercises for classroom instruction, and has been published in numerous refereed journals. In January of this year, he added a successful climb of Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa to his impressive resume’.

Sanyal’s climbing group hiked for nine days using the Western Approach Route to reach the 19,340-foot peak. “We climbed from tropical rainforest to Arctic Circle temperatures where there was snow and only rocks—not a blade of grass or any vegetation. So terrain, vegetation, and climate changed.”

The group had a team of four very experienced guides leading the group up the mountain. One guide led the single-file line while two followed closely behind to check on stragglers. The fourth guide roved alongside the line of climbers to tend to everyone’s needs. In addition, the group had 39 porters, one cook, and one waiter for the expedition. The group began with eleven climbers, and ten successfully reached the summit, including Dr. Sanyal.

Dr. Sanyal returned to Ball State University and visited the GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) to find maps of Tanzania and Mount Kilimanjaro. The GRMC has in its collection a variety of topographic maps of areas and landmarks around the world.

The topographic map “Kilimanjaro” (click above to enlarge) was created by the Ordnance Survey Mapping Division at a scale of 1:50,000. The map clearly marks the topography of the summit and the stark line where vegetation on the mountain ends. The map shows the location of “Uhuru Peak” (the mountain’s highest point) with the 19,340-foot elevation shown.

A second map used by Dr. Sanyal combines a satellite aerial image with contour lines, roads, water sources, bivouacs, and campsites. This map shows the location of Kilimanjaro inside Tanzania just along the border with Kenya. The map also includes a diagram of the vegetation zones discussed by Dr. Sanyal—from savannah to what is called Alpine desert to the summit zone. Dr. Sanyal was able to retrace the path of his expedition up the mountain using these maps.

All of the over 140,000 maps in the GRMC can be circulated for two weeks or longer. For more information about these resources, please contact the GRMC at 765-285-1097 Monday through Friday from 8:00 to 5:00.

Holiday Hours in the GRMC

2011-01-14T10:27:00.003-05:00

The GIS Research and Map Collection in Bracken Library will be closed in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr., Day on January 17, 2011. The GRMC will reopen at 8:00 Tuesday, January 18.

Sudan Maps Available from Ball State University Libraries

2011-01-10T09:29:00.003-05:00

Maps in the News: Southern Sudan

A weeklong referendum to determine independence began on Sunday in southern Sudan. Civil wars have marked Sudan’s history for decades as Sudan’s southern region has fought against the government in the north. The oil-rich region in the south has been given a chance to vote to secede to form a new nation as a result of the 2005 US-brokered deal to end the latest civil war.

Violence broke out on Saturday along the north-south border near the region of Abyei—a disputed area. This map (click to enlarge) available from the GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) in Bracken Library marks the north-south border with red arrows. A blue arrow shows Abyei, which has been the site of killings in recent years. Juba, the capital of South Sudan, is also identified.

The GRMC includes several historic and current thematic maps of Sudan and detailed maps of Darfur, another disputed area of Sudan. The Map Collection includes vegetation, geological, road, and topographic maps of the country and Khartoum.

Maps of Sudan have not been cataloged, so researchers can visit or contact the GRMC to learn about the range of maps available. All maps from the GRMC circulate for two weeks or longer.

Australia Maps Available from Ball State University Libraries

2011-01-06T10:12:00.002-05:00

Maps in the News: Queensland, Australia

Widespread flooding in Queensland and parts of New South Wales has put Australia in the world news. The map of Queensland (above) shows the areas near the city of Rockhampton and the Fitzroy River and Burnett River where some of the flooding has occurred. Ball State University Libraries’ GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) on the second floor of Bracken Library has a large collection of maps of Australia for researchers or others interested in the country.

The collection includes hundreds of topographic and thematic maps of the nation as a whole. Topographic maps of Australia include sets at scales of 1 to 50,000; 100,000; and 250,000. The GRMC also has ortho-photo topographic maps and aerial photography of New South Wales from as recent as 2002. A complete set of aerial photography of South Australia is also available. These maps were used by Ball State students studying at the Australia Center for the completion of class projects.

Thematic maps, including land-use maps, tourist and travel maps, and soils and vegetation maps are available for all the states and territories of Australia: Western Australia, South Australia, New South Wales, Tasmania, Queensland, Victoria, and the Northern Territory. There is also a large collection of Australia city maps, including architecture guides and city plans. The GRMC also has a set of maps called the Atlas of Australian Resources, which includes maps of mineral deposits, drainage systems, rainfall, temperatures, population density, health services, underground water, forest resources, sheep and wool, and power and fuel.

The maps of Australia have not been cataloged and will not appear in the University Libraries’ CardCat system, so please contact or visit the GRMC to see the complete collection of maps. These maps can be circulated for two weeks or longer.

The GRMC is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 to 5:00, and the phone number is 765-285-1097.

World AIDS Day Map of HIV/AIDS from Ball State University Libraries

2010-12-01T12:05:00.004-05:00

World Aids Day: Map of HIV/AIDS from Ball State University Libraries

Since 1987, December 1 has marked World Aids Day, an international movement commemorated each year to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS issues, prevention, and the promotion of a search for a cure.

The map shown above (click to view larger) depicts the millions of people around the world living with HIV/AIDS as of 2007. The map is from The Penguin State of the World Atlas by Dan Smith, which is available from the Ball State University Libraries’ GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) and the Atlas Collection on the second floor of Bracken Library.

The circle graphs depict the percentages of the population and the millions of people in each region of the world who are infected with HIV/AIDS. A quick glance shows the massive crisis affecting Sub-Saharan Africa with 22.5 million people infected with the disease, while 19% of the population of Oceania is infected.

This atlas features numerous maps depicting social issues. These maps can be used for papers and presentations for research and learning.

Atlases circulate for 28 days or longer. For information about how to cite maps, please visit the GRMC Web page or contact Melissa Gentry at 765-285-1097.

Maps of Korea Available from Ball State University Libraries

2010-11-23T14:36:00.003-05:00

Maps in the News: Yeongpyeong Island, Korea

Recent events have once again placed the Korean Peninsula in the world spotlight: The GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) on the second floor of Bracken Library contains hundreds of maps of the Korean Peninsula and North and South Korea, including topographic maps identifying Yeonpyeong Island in the Yellow Sea (Click to view map above larger).

The GRMC has three different sets of topographic maps of the Korean Peninsula, some created by the Army Map Service. These topographic maps are available at 1:50,000; 1:250,000; 1:500,000 scales.

The GRMC also houses a set of city plan maps of cities from North and South Korea, including Ulsan, Keijo, Masan, Pusan, Pyongyang, Chinnampo, and Najin Rashin. Updated maps of Pyongyang, Seoul and Inchon are also available.

Numerous maps of the two countries or the combined peninsula are also available for research and learning, including the National Geographic comprehensive map The Two Koreas: Forgotten War. Bracken Library is a federal depository library, so the GRMC receives updated maps of Korea from the Central Intelligence Agency and nautical charts from the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency.

The Atlas Collection on the second floor of Bracken Library also houses resources about Korea. Several road atlases of Korea and tourist atlases of Seoul are available. Many of these atlases are available in English and Korean.

For more information about these resources, please contact the GRMC at 765-285-1097 or email Melissa Gentry at mgentry@bsu.edu.

2010-11-23T09:08:00.001-05:00

Thanksgiving Break Hours in the Ball State University Libraries’ GIS Research and Map Collection

The GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) on the second floor of Bracken Library will be closed Thursday, November 25 and Friday, November 26 for Thanksgiving Break. The GRMC will reopen on Monday, November 29 at 8:00 a.m.

Researching the History of Your House Presentation at Ball State University Libraries

2010-11-23T09:02:00.003-05:00

History Detectives Presentation at Ball State University Libraries

“History Detectives: Researching the History of Your House” will be presented by Susan Lankford, Director of the Ball State University Center for Historical Preservation, on Tuesday, November 30 at 7:30 p.m. in Bracken Library, room 104. This free program is sponsored by the Friends of the Alexander M. Bracken Library and is open to the public.

The map shown above is from the Muncie Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps collection available in the University Libraries’ Archives and Special Collections and from the Digital Media Repository. These maps are an excellent starting point for researchers interested in the history of local buildings and neighborhoods.

For more information, contact John B. Straw, Assistant Dean for Digital Initiatives and Special Collections in the University Libraries and Executive Secretary of the Friends of the Alexander M. Bracken Library at 765-285-5078.

Smoking Maps from Ball State University Libraries

2010-11-18T15:54:00.002-05:00

Tobacco Maps from Ball State University Libraries

The American Cancer Society is marking the 35th “Great American Smokeout” today by encouraging smokers to use the date to make a plan to quit. Quitting smoking is not easy but the American Cancer Society states that to have the best chance of quitting successfully, smokers need to know what they’re up against, what their options are, and where to go for help.

The map above shows the percentage of the population who smoke cigarettes in each country (from 2005 data). The top map shows the percentage of men who smoke. The lower map shows the percentage of women who smoke. “Although fewer women smoke than men, there is a worrying increase among younger women in many countries.”

This map is from The Penguin State of the World Atlas by Dan Smith. The atlas is available in the Atlas Collection on the second floor of Bracken Library or from the GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC). Another valuable atlas in the collection that features maps on various issues is The Tobacco Atlas.

Atlases can be useful educational resources as visual aids in papers and presentations, and the images from atlases can be easily scanned. Atlases circulate for 28 days or longer.

For more information about using maps from atlases in education and research, please contact the GRMC at 765-285-1097.

Geography Awareness Week at Ball State University Libraries November 14-20

2010-11-16T14:50:00.004-05:00

Freshwater Map Presented for Geography Awareness Week

Geography Awareness Week is an annual celebration enacted by Congress in 1987 that encourages educational experiences that draw attention to geo-literacy and the importance of geography education. During Geography Awareness Week 2010, the National Geographic Society’s theme is learning about freshwater and how it connects to geography.

National Geographic published a map in April 2010 called World of Rivers: A New Mapping of Every River System. The Ball State University Libraries’ GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) is displaying a copy of this map in its windows on the second floor of Bracken Library to commemorate Geography Awareness Week.

The map describes rivers and their significance in human civilization: “Rivers and lakes store less than half a percent of Earth’s fresh water, but they are the lifelines of human history—where people settled, farmed, traded, built cities, explored.” The map depicts all the major rivers of the world and their “intricacies” as smaller tributaries feed into larger rivers.

The verso of the map describes the “hidden water” consumed in the production of products. “It’s called virtual water: the amount of water used to create a product.” For example, the virtual water in meat like pigs, cattle, and chickens is the water the animals drink and the water used to grow their feed and clean their waste and process the edible end product. In order to produce one pound of beef, it takes 1,857 gallons of water.

Cotton is an example given on the map of a water-intensive crop—it takes a lot of water to transform cotton into fabric. One pair of blue jeans requires 2,900 gallons of water to produce. One cotton t-shirt takes 766 gallons of water.

National Geographic clarifies that “more important than any product’s virtual-water total is whether the region it comes from has sustainable water to grow the crop.” The challenge will be to increase water-use efficiency in the production of future products.

This map is encapsulated for convenient display and can be circulated from the GRMC for two weeks or longer. For more information about using maps for education and research, please contact the GRMC at 765-285-1097.

Maps of Jerusalem Available from Ball State University Libraries

2010-11-11T15:20:00.002-05:00

Maps in the News: Jerusalem

Jerusalem is once again in the international spotlight. Ball State University Libraries’ GIS Research and Map Collection on the second floor of Bracken Library contains over 140,000 maps and other geographic resources, including dozens of maps of the city of Jerusalem.

The National Geographic Society in 2008 published a map called Crucible of History: The Eastern Mediterranean which features a map of Jerusalem’s holy ground on the verso. The map includes historical notes and a timeline, a map of the Old City of Jerusalem, and colorful illustrations of temples and domes.

The Central Intelligence Agency published a map in 2006 of Greater Jerusalem. This map shows settlements, refugee camps, fences, and walls. A chart on the map describes plans for new settlements.

Heart of the Middle East from 2002 is another map published by the National Geographic Society that features an inset map of Jerusalem. This map includes ancillary maps depicting conflicts in the region since 1948, religions, and oil and water on the verso.

The GRMC also includes several maps of the Old City of Jerusalem (shown). Some of the maps date back to when East Jerusalem was controlled by Jordan.

Archaeology of Jerusalem: First Temple, Second Temple, and Byzantine Periods is actually four maps included on one sheet. This map includes major archaeological remains that are visible today and a Diagram of Madaba map. Jerusalem: Pictorial Map and City Guide includes a map of the historic buildings of the city and line-art sketches of the actual architecture.

Maps from the GRMC circulate for two weeks or longer.

For more information about these maps or any of the cartographic resources, please contact the GRMC Monday through Friday at 765-285-1097.

Election Cartographic Materials Available from Ball State University

2010-11-01T09:27:00.004-04:00

Map the Vote: Political and Election Cartographic Materials from Ball State University Libraries

The GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) has created cartographic subject guides to assist researchers searching for geographic materials related to multiple academic fields. Ball State University Libraries includes a wealth of valuable cartographic resources on numerous topics, and the subject guides include materials in the GRMC, the Atlas Collection, Educational Resources Collections, the General Collection, Government Publications, Oversize, and the Reference Collection. These cartographic subject guides are available in PDF-format on the GRMC Web page “Research Tools” section at http://cms.bsu.edu/Academics/Libraries/CollectionsAndDept/GISandMaps/MapCollection/ResearchTools/SubjectGuides.aspx.

Students of political science or others interested in the election process may wish to use the subject guide Cartographic Resources for Political Science and Elections Research. Maps and other cartographic resources can be an ideal tool for illustrating various information and statistics about elections. The widely-used “blue states and red states” explanation of states’ party affiliations has become a cultural phrase and was made popular from an election map from the 2000 presidential election.

This cartographic subject guide lists the many maps and atlases about elections—current and historical—available from Ball State University Libraries. In the GRMC researchers can review maps of the newly-drawn Congressional districts, presidential election results since 1789, and even state and local city council districts and precinct boundaries.

The Atlas Collection on the second floor of Bracken Library can also be an invaluable resource for political research. Atlases about specific political themes are available. Atlas of American Politics, Atlas of American Women, Atlas of U.S. Foreign Relations, Atlas of World Affairs, Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress, 1789-1989, and Student Atlas of World Politics are all available from the Atlas Collection. Ball State University Libraries also includes rare atlases about the 2000 and 2001 elections in Kosovo.

Maps from the GRMC circulate for two weeks or longer. Atlases may be circulated for 28 days or longer.

Please contact the GRMC Monday through Friday from 8:00 to 5:00 for more information about these resources or other cartographic subject guides.

Ball State University Libraries' Collection of Indonesia Maps

2010-10-27T11:12:00.005-04:00

Maps in the News: Indonesia

Natural disasters have once again put the archipelago country of Indonesia in the news: The nation has been hit by an earthquake, tsunami, and volcanic eruption all in a matter of days. The GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) in Bracken Library has a diverse collection of maps of Indonesia available for researchers.

The National Geographic Society featured a map of Indonesia in its magazine in 1996. This map depicts a basic location map of the country’s 17,000 islands on one side with several ancillary maps on the verso. A contour map is centered on the verso circled by ancillary maps showing economic activity, a map of timber exports, a population map, and maps depicting rainfall amounts and climate zones. The map also features colorful illustrations of the unique plant and animal species native to Indonesia.

Updated maps of the nation including the addition of the country East Timor are also available from the GRMC. Individual maps of Sumatra, Bali, Java, and Sulawesi are also included in the collection. As an archipelago, Indonesia is also featured on dozens of nautical chart maps in the GRMC including maps produced by the U.S. National Geospatial Intelligence Agency and the Royal Australian Survey Corps. Maps of Jakarta are also available, and many of the maps are presented in English, Indonesian, German, Dutch, Japanese, and French.

The Atlas Collection on the second floor of Bracken Library also includes several resources about Indonesia. The collection includes Atlas Republik Indonesia, Historical Atlas of Indonesia, Illustrated Atlas of Indonesia, Indonesian Travel Atlas, and Road Atlas of Indonesia. Atlases of Jakarta are also available.

Maps from the GRMC circulate for two weeks or longer. Atlases may be circulated for 28 days or longer.

For more information about these cartographic resources, please contact the GRMC at 765-285-1097.

Weekend Getaway Maps from Ball State University Libraries

2010-10-15T13:41:00.005-04:00

Fall Breaking Away: Central Indiana Weekend Getaway Maps from Ball State University Libraries

The GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) on the second floor of Bracken Library offers over 140,000 maps for circulation. Some of the most popular maps in the collection include convenient travel maps of tourist destinations. Ball State students planning a weekend getaway for this weekend or for the upcoming fall break may wish to check out some of the maps of places around central Indiana.

This is the final weekend of the Parke County Covered Bridge Festival. This annual event is headquartered in Rockville and includes guided tours of the covered bridges and crafters, vendors, and entertainment. The GRMC has available two different maps featuring the covered bridges of Parke County. The map of Parke County shown above features points of interest and information about camping sites, horseback riding, and boat rental and canoeing on the Wabash River and at the Raccoon Recreation Area near Hollandsburg.

A closer destination for Ball State students is the Mounds State Park in Anderson. The map shown above from the GRMC details the trails winding through the park and shows contour lines.

Another resource available from the GRMC is Indiana State Parks: A Guide to Hoosier Parks, Reservoirs, and Recreation Areas by John Goll. This book features detailed maps and helpful information about visiting any of the state parks throughout Indiana and is an excellent guide for campers, hikers, fishermen, boaters, hunters, and nature lovers.

Maps from the GRMC circulate for two weeks or longer. And many of the travel maps are waterproof so they can be used on excursions.

For more information about these maps or any other resources, please contact the GRMC at 765-285-1097 Monday through Friday from 8:00 to 5:00 p.m.

International Festival October 14 at Ball State University

2010-10-13T16:09:00.003-04:00

Amazing Taste and iFest at Ball State University October 14th

The Ball State University Rinker Center for International Programs, the Multicultural Center, and the University Program Board are joining forces with Ball State Dining Services to sponsor this year’s International Festival. The event will be called “The Amazing Taste: Global Food Fair and iFest,” and will be held in the lawn between DeHority Park and Woodworth Halls on October 14 from 5-8 P.M.

The University Libraries’ GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) will be providing maps and posters for the country booths at the iFest. Every week the GRMC provides posters for the Culture Exchange at the Rinker Center for International Programs, and many of these countries will be represented at this event. Some of the countries represented are Jamaica, Afghanistan, Germany, Korea, France, Spain, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Ball State Dining Services will host an elaborate multicultural menu from around the world. Students can use their meal card for this event. Visitors can watch sword fighting and martial arts demonstrations, get henna tattoos, watch and participate in salsa and belly dancing, get caricatures and names written in various languages, listen to the steel drum troupe, play Bocce ball, and have their picture taken with live camels. (Bring your own camera).

For more information about the menu and costs, please visit http://cms.bsu.edu/CampusLife/Dining/AmazingTasteMenu.aspx.

Maps of Chile' Available from Ball State University Libraries

2010-10-13T12:56:00.004-04:00

Maps in the News: Chile’

The Ball State University Libraries’ provides resources about places in the news. The GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) on the second floor of Bracken Library contains a large collection of maps and other cartographic materials of Chile’ and other areas of South America. And the Atlas Collection in Bracken Library also provides resources about the geography of Chile’.

The Atlas Collection includes an atlas published by Lonely Planet that details travel information for Chile’ and Easter Island. Guia Caminera de Chile, Atlas Geografico de Chile, Atlas Regionalizado de Chile, and Atlas de la Republica de Chile are atlases about Chile’ published in Spanish. Colonial Hispanic Cartography of Chile’ is an atlas published in 1952 that includes reproductions of early maps of Chile’ originally published in 1924.

The GRMC includes hundreds of maps of Chile’ and South America. A set of topographic maps depict 16 different cities in Chile’. The GRMC also includes tourist maps of Chile’ and Santiago, maps of Patagonia, the Chile’-Peru border region, and Tierra del Fuego. Nelles Maps produced a map of Chile’ available from the GRMC that includes detailed maps of Santiago, Easter Island, Peninsula Valdes, Arica, Iquique, Antofagasta, La Serena, and Punta Arenas. The map of Santiago shown above was published in 1949. There are also maps of Valparaiso and Vina del Mar. The GRMC also includes nautical charts published by the National Imagery and Mapping Agency that detail the areas along the Chilean coast. Che's Route: Ernesto Guevara's Trip Across South America is another map available from the GRMC that includes Chile'.

Maps from the GRMC circulate for two weeks or longer. Atlases circulate for 28 days or longer.

For more information about these resources, please contact the GRMC at 765-285-1097.

September 11 Map Available from Ball State University Libraries

2010-09-10T15:54:00.002-04:00

September 11 Map of Flight 93 National Memorial Available from Ball State University Libraries

Almost immediately after the crash, visitors began arriving in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, to see the place where Flight 93 ended on the morning of September 11, 2001. A temporary memorial was created on a hilltop overlooking the crash site, and more than 150,000 visitors come to the spot each year.

In 2002 the Flight 93 National Memorial was included as a unit of the National Park Service. Family members, area residents, subject experts, and the National Park Service have worked with a Federal Advisory Commission to make recommendations on the design, boundaries, and management of a permanent National Memorial. An international competition resulted in the selection of a design for a memorial to be built at the Flight 93 crash site.

The map above shows the location of the temporary memorial. The Flight 93 National Memorial map was created by the National Park Services and is available in the GIS Research & Map Collection (GRMC) on the second floor of Bracken Library. This map includes information about the crash and details of the temporary and permanent memorials.

Maps from the GRMC circulate for two weeks or longer. To learn more about the development of the Flight 93 National Memorial and plans for the permanent memorial, visit www.nps.gov/flni.