GIS Research and Map Collection Closed for July 4th Holiday

GIS Research and Map Collection Closed for Independence Day Holiday

The Ball State University Libraries' GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) on the second floor of Bracken Library will be closed on Wednesday, July 4. The GRMC will reopen at 7:30 A.M. on Thursday, July 5.

(Independence Hall, PlaceMap Philadelphia from the GRMC)   

Around the World:  Ball State University Libraries Provides Digital Maps of Nations of the World

The Ball State University Libraries’ Digital Media Repository  provides online access to a variety of primary source materials including photographs, oral history interviews, film footage, and cartographic resources.  The newest collection, Maps of the World, provides digital maps of nearly 200 regional and national maps.  These public domain maps are published by the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and are updated to reflect the most current changes in national borders and territories.

This collection of current maps of the world provides an excellent resource for research and for use in the classroom.  The maps can be conveniently downloaded for use as a visual aid in papers and presentations.

The original maps are located in the GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) on the second floor of Bracken Library.  Other relief copies and city maps are included in this collection.

For more information, contact John B. Straw, Assistant Dean for Digital Initiatives and Special Collections, at 765-285-5078.

Artistic Map Resources from Ball State University Libraries

New Materials 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 includes a substantial collection of reference materials available for research and learning. The reference collection in the GRMC includes literature of the history of cartography, map catalogs, gazetteers and geographical dictionaries, place-name resources, and historic and the most recent atlases.

Two new reference materials in the GRMC are Strange Maps: An Atlas of Cartographic Curiosities and The Map as Art: Contemporary Artists Explore Cartography. These reference books include hundreds of unique maps and accompanying essays.

The Map as Art by Katharine Harmon was featured in USA Today and O: The Oprah Magazine, and includes reproductions of 360 colorful artistic maps created by well-known artists. The image above (click to enlarge) is a collage made of vintage maps by Joao Machado called Swimming from 2007. A large copy of this image is currently displayed in the front windows of the GRMC.

Strange Maps by Frank Jacobs includes 138 graphics, essays, and statistics. The book includes a section on cartographic misconceptions, political parodies, and fantasy maps. The collection includes such unique maps as Imperial Texas and a map showing the area covered by Neil Armstrong on the moon.

Reference materials from the GRMC do not circulate; however, special accommodations will be allowed for faculty and staff using materials in the classroom or for other special projects. The materials can also be scanned or copied for inclusion in papers and presentations.

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

GIS Research and Map Collection Memorial Day Hours

The GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) will be closed for Memorial Day on Monday, May 28.  The GRMC will reopen on Tuesday, May 29 at 7:30 A.M.


Bracken Library will be open from noon to 3:00 A.M. on Monday, May 28.

Diplomacy, Art, Weather, and Horseracing: Maps in the News Available from Ball State University Libraries

The Ball State University Libraries' GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) and the Atlas Collection on the second floor of Bracken Library provide excellent cartographic resources for research and learning about places in the news.  Maps from atlases can be easily scanned for papers and presentations and depict a variety of topics and places in the news:

The above map of Afghanistan (click to enlarge) details the areas of influence of the Taliban in the country as of 2001 and is from the Historical Atlas of Afghanistan in the Atlas Collection.

This map of Beijing province and the city of Beijing is from China: A Provincial Atlas from the Atlas Collection in Bracken Library.

This map shows the percentage of cell phone subscribers in China.  The map is from the State of China Atlas, which features maps about the culture of the country and was published in 2005.

Edvard Munch's painting The Scream broke the record for an art auction.  Munch is listed as #32 in Norway on the map of expressionism from the Atlas of Western Art History.

This map of the incidences of tornadoes in the United States is from the World Atlas of Natural Hazards.

The Kentucky Derby is this weekend, but the Breeders Cup Classic has the largest purse of any race in the United States according to this map from the Atlas of Sports available from the Atlas Collection in Bracken Library.

Atlases from Ball State University Libraries circulate for 28 days or longer.  For more information about these and other cartographic resources, please contact the staff of the GRMC at 765-285-1097.

Maps of North Korean Nuclear Capacity Available from Ball State University Libraries

Maps in the News: North Korea Nuclear Capacity

The Ball State University Libraries’ GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) includes hundreds of maps of North Korea, South Korea, and the Korean peninsula. The collection includes political and physical maps of the countries, street maps of cities, historic maps, and topographic maps of the entire peninsula. The Atlas Collection also includes resources on the Korean peninsula in English and Korean.

 The North Korean nuclear program is once again making news this week as the government in Pyongyang announced it would launch a rocket carrying a satellite to mark the 100th anniversary of its founder, Kim Il Sung. The North Korean government claims that the rocket will launch sometime between Thursday and April 16 and invited foreign journalists to view the secret launch site. The U.S., Japan and South Korea maintain that the launch violates United Nations Security Council resolutions and that the launch is actually a cover for a long-range ballistic missile test. In 2006 and 2009, this type of launch preceded a nuclear test.

The map shown above (click to enlarge) was published by National Geographic in 2007. The map is actually an inset map on the larger map called “Two Koreas.” The larger map includes a modern physical map of the Korean peninsula, maps showing population density, charts depicting economic growth of the two countries, and the entire verso features maps about the Korean War.

This map details the military and nuclear capacity of North and South Korea, showing headquarters, bases, and deployment locations of troops; chemical weapons facilities; and nuclear reactor sites. The map shows the site of the nuclear weapon test launch that took place in October of 2006, located in northeastern North Korea. Missile facilities in both North and South Korea are also shown.

The related chart depicts the number of troops for each country. The green dollar symbol shows the number in billions of U.S. dollars each country spends on its military defense. North Korea spends 31.3% of its gross domestic product on its military. South Korea spends 2.8% of its gross domestic product on defense spending. The dark blue part of the South Korea troop level shows the 37,000 U.S. forces located in the country.

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 Monday through Friday from 8:00 to 5:00 at 765-285-1097.

Cartographic Resources Depict Social Issues

Child Abuse Maps from Ball State University Libraries


April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, first recognized in 1983 as a time to acknowledge the importance of the prevention of child abuse. The map shown above (click to enlarge) is from the Allyn & Bacon Social Atlas of the United States by William H. Frey available from the Atlas Collection in Bracken Library.

According to the atlas, “in 2004, at least 1,806,070 cases of child maltreatment were reported and investigated. Of all cases, 62.4% involved neglect, 17.5% involved physical abuse, 9.7% involved sexual abuse, and 7% involved psychological abuse.”

The map depicts the states with the highest rates of child abuse and neglect—Florida, Georgia, Iowa, West Virginia, and Massachusetts. Child fatalities in each state are marked with a red cross. “More than 80% of abuse fatalities were young children. Forty-five percent were less than a year old.”

The GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) and the Atlas Collection on the second floor of Bracken Library provide cartographic resources that can be used for papers or as visual aids for presentations. For more information about using maps depicting numerous social issues, please contact the staff of the GRMC at 765-285-1097.

Maps of Havana, Three Mile Island, and Washington, DC Available from Ball State University Libraries

Maps in the News: Havana, Cuba, Three Mile Island, and the Supreme Court

The Ball State University Libraries’ GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) in Bracken Library houses nearly 145,000 maps that can be used for research and learning. The Collection includes tourist and road maps, topographic maps, and various thematic maps covering thousands of places and topics—from historic to modern.

The map shown above of The Mall in Washington, D.C., is a pop-out map published by the Compass Map Group. This laminated map neatly folds into a portable 4-inch by 5-inch shape. It includes maps of Old Town Alexandria, Virginia; Georgetown; Greater Washington; The Mall; and a map of the Metro rail system. The Mall is anchored by the Lincoln Memorial and the U.S. Capitol. The Supreme Court of the United States is currently listening to arguments regarding healthcare at the location on Capital Street and First Street. The GRMC includes several tourist maps and guide books of the nation’s capital that may be checked out for two weeks or longer.

On this day, March 28, 1979, the worst nuclear disaster occurred at the Three Mile Island plant when a reactor experienced a partial meltdown near Middletown, Pennsylvania. The above portion of the Middletown, Pennsylvania topographic map shows the location of the reactors at the site. This map was published by the United States Geological Survey in 1999. The GRMC maintains a collection of USGS topographic maps for the entirety of the United States.

The map of central Havana, Cuba shown above depicts the location of the Plaza de la Revolucion’ (Revolution Plaza) where Pope Benedict delivered an open-air Mass during his visit to the island country. The GRMC maintains a large collection of maps and atlases of Cuba, both pre- and post-revolutionary era. Historic maps of the island country date back to 1922 and include topographic maps of Cuba published by the U.S. Department of War in 1933. The collection also includes city maps, bilingual tourist maps, maps of Cuba’s urban and rural population, physical and political maps of the country.

Maps from the GRMC may be circulated for two weeks or longer. For more information, please contact the GRMC at 765-285-1097 Monday through Friday from 8:00 to 5:00, or email Melissa Gentry at mgentry@bsu.edu.

Ball State University Libraries Offer Maps Related to Kony, Uganda Crisis

Maps in the News: Kony, Uganda, and Child Soldiers


A group of activists posted a video on YouTube recently about a civil conflict in Africa that began 30 years ago. The video was long and sad, but within a few days over 75 million people had watched it.


The video details the story of Joseph Kony, who became head of the Lord’s Resistance Army, a guerilla group in Uganda, in the mid-1980’s. The activists wanted to bring attention to how Kony began a terror campaign kidnapping thousands of children and forcing them into child warfare, rape, and murder.


The top map above (click to enlarge) depicts the countries in the world where child soldiers have been used in active combat by militias, including Uganda and other countries of central Africa. The second map shows the countries where warlords and militias are actively fighting as of 2008. Again Uganda and other central African countries are included. The third map shows the countries with non-state wars. The maps are from the Penguin State of the World Atlas available in the GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) and Atlas Collection on the second floor of Bracken Library.


The atlas is an excellent resource for maps, charts, and other graphics detailing many social issues from around the world. The atlas includes maps about education, warfare, gender equality, the world economy, energy resources, and health. The atlas was published in 2008, so the data used to create the maps and graphs is current.


A reference copy is always available in the GRMC so that the maps can be scanned and used as visual aids for papers and presentations. Several copies of the atlas in the Atlas Collection may be circulated for 28 days or longer.


For more information about this atlas or using maps as visual aids, please contact the GRMC Monday through Friday from 8:00 to 5:00 at 765-285-1097 or email Melissa Gentry at mgentry@bsu.edu.

The History of Women in the United States Congress Map Available from Ball State University Libraries

Women's History Month Exhibit at Ball State University Libraries: Mapping the Women of the United States Congress

The GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) in Bracken Library is marking Women's History Month with a special map exhibit.  The map shown above (click to enlarge) details the history of some of the pioneering women of the United States Congress, including Jeannette Rankin of Montana and Shirley Chisholm of New York.

The map is also available from the University Libraries' Cardinal Scholar here:  http://cardinalscholar.bsu.edu/handle/123456789/195717 and may be used in classrooms or for other exhibits or presentations.  Previous map exhibits created by the GRMC celebrating Women's History Month can also be accessed in the Cardinal Scholar repository.

For more information about this map or how to use the resources from the GRMC for presentations, please contact Melissa Gentry at mgentry@bsu.edu or call 765-285-1097.

Indiana High School Boys Basketball State Champions Map Exhibit

March Map-ness: Indiana High School Boys Basketball Champions Map at Ball State Univeristy Libraries
The Ball State University Libraries' GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) created this map of Indiana High School Boys Basketball Champions for a March exhibit to coincide with the beginning of the high school state basketball tournament.  The map shows the locations of the state champions in boys basketball from 1911 with Crawfordsville High School to 1997 with Bloomington North, just before class basketball was introduced in the tournament in 1998.  The hometown team, Muncie Central, leads the state with eight championships during that time.

The map is also available for printing from the University Libraries' Cardinal Scholar: http://cardinalscholar.bsu.edu/handle/123456789/195245

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

Maps in the News: February 2012

Syria, 1965

This map of Syria shows the location of Homs, where an American reporter was killed this week in the Syrian violence. (Click map to enlarge).

Tunisia

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton meets with allies today at the "Friends of Syria" meeting in Tunis, Tunisia today.  Diplomats from 70 countries will pressure Syrian President Bashar al-Assad by deploying United Nations peacekeepers to the country.

Argentina

Argentina's deadliest train accident occurred at a busy station in Buenos Aires. 

Smoke-Free Restaurant and Bar Sales  

The above chart shows the taxable sales at restaurants and bars in California before and after a smoke-free initiative was passed.  The chart is from the Tobacco Atlas available from the Ball State University Libraries' Atlas Collection on the second floor of Bracken Library. The Indiana legislature is currently pursuing a statewide smoking ban.

This map shows locations around the world where women do not have access to contraception. The map is from the Penguin Atlas of Women in the World available from the Atlas Collection in Bracken Library.

For more information about these maps, please contact the GIS Research and Map Collection at 765-285-1097 or email Melissa Gentry at mgentry@bsu.edu.

Ball State University Libraries Offer Large-Format Printing and Laminating

GRMC Offers Large-Format Printing and Laminating


The GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) in Bracken Library is known as the campus’ go-to place for the latest GIS technology, maps, and atlases. It also is the campus place to go for large-format printing and laminating services. This is a convenient service for people needing large posters for conference or classroom presentations.

The GRMC has two large-format printer/plotters that support color printing. Rolls of paper are available in widths of 42 inches, 36 inches, and 24 inches. The paper is coated bond. The printers support PowerPoint, JPG, and PDF-format print files. Charges are based on the longest dimension, either height or width.

The GRMC also has a 40-inch laminator, which is an ideal way to preserve posters that need to be kept on display for long periods or need to be protected from damaging factors like rain or fluorescent lighting. No documents smaller than 11” x 17” or wider than 40 inches are accepted. The cost for laminating is $3 per linear foot. Turnaround time may require up to 24 hours.

Fees for printing or lamination are charged to the individual’s Bursar account. Staff and faculty may charge to a departmental account with written permission from the department chair.

The GRMC is open Monday through Friday from 8 A.M. to 5 P.M., but all print jobs must be sent by 4:00 P.M. For more information about GRMC printing and laminating services, contact Angela S. Gibson, ASGibson2@bsu.edu, or call 765-285-1097.

Anastasios Gounaris Speaking at Ball State University

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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