Department of Natural Resources Web Site Resources

Autumn in Indiana via Cyberspace

Sunday, September 23, marked the first day of autumn in Indiana, so soon the beautiful changing colors of the trees will mark the season. The Department of Natural Resources has posted a “Leaf Cam” on its Web site. The “Leaf Cam” shoots still photographs of various forested sites around Indiana and refreshes every 15 minutes. Viewers can watch for the peak color changes of fall in the coming weeks. The locations of the cameras are Hilltop Cabins in Brown County, Conner Prairie in Noblesville, French Lick Resort, The Fort Golf Course in Lawrence, Lafayette Municipal Golf Course, and Spring Mill State Park.

The Web site is cosponsored by the Indiana Office of Tourism Development and also features an interactive travel guide, listing campgrounds, festivals, restaurants, contests, and other information. Interactive maps of Indiana are also available on the site.

The main Web site is located at http://www.in.gov/visitindiana/ and the “Leaf Cam” is located at http://www.in.gov/visitindiana/leafcam/

Maps in the News: Iran

Maps in the News: Iran

The visit of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to the United Nations and Columbia University in New York this week once again placed Iran in the world news headlines. The Geospatial Resources & Map Collection is an excellent source for maps and atlases featuring countries all over the world, and the Collection includes a wide variety of maps of Iran.

One of the newest maps of Iran in the Map Collection is the Iran Country Profile created by the United States Central Intelligence Agency. This map features a large map of the country with inset maps showing regional physiography, ethnoreligious distribution, population density, key petroleum sector facilities, energy prospects, and a comparative map. The comparative map displays Iran stretching from South Dakota over to Michigan and down to Georgia as an overlay of a map of the United States.

Another map, Tourist Guide to Iran and Tehran, features popular attractions in the country and its capital city. The map gives information about the topography, the seas, the flora and fauna, government, climate, and population and cultural features. The map of Tehran (above) shows the locations of museums, schools, palaces, and other attractions. Images on the map (above) show amusement parks and sports stadiums.

Other geographic resources about Iran in the Collection include a map of mineral deposits in the country, a natural vegetation map, a map about a festival in Guilan Province, and maps of Abadan, Qum, Yazd, and other cities and provinces in Iran. Atlas d’Iran, Atlas of Iran White Revolution, and A Historical Atlas of Iran are also available in the Atlas Collection.

Maps from the GRMC check out for two weeks, and atlases check out for 28 days.

Contact the GRMC for more information about resources on Iran for research and learning.

New York Photo Atlas Available from University Libraries

Aerial Images of New York in the Atlas Collection

Tuesday marks the sixth anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks on the United States. This aerial image of lower Manhattan shows the former site of the World Trade Center as it appeared in 2004. This aerial photograph is taken from New York: The Photo Atlas: An Aerial Tour of All Five Boroughs and More, which is available for checkout from the University Libraries Atlas Collection.

The Atlas Collection is located on the east side of the second floor of Bracken Library. The staff of the Geospatial Resources & Map Collection can help locate any atlases needed for research and learning. Atlases check out for four weeks.

Top Ten Reasons to Visit the GRMC

In honor of the David Letterman dedication ceremony at Ball State University on September 7...

September 2007 Map Display

September 2007 Map of the Month

The “Map of the Month” for September in the Geospatial Resources & Map Collection is called Che’s Route: Ernesto Guevara’s Trip across South America. The map marks the travels of political figure and revolutionary Ernesto Guevara, more commonly known as “Che.” The map traces the route of Guevara’s 1952 motorcycle trip across the continent, and includes descriptions of every major stop in Argentina, Peru, Chile’, Colombia, Venezuela, and Bolivia.

September 15 is the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month, which marks the independence of five Latin American countries. Many believe that Guevara was responsible for the revolutions for independence of many of these countries.

Visit the GRMC for more information about this map or any other geographic resources.

August 2007 Events in the GRMC

What's Happening in the GRMC? August 2007 Edition

August is the time for back-to-school at Ball State University, and classes have already begun visiting the Geospatial Resources & Map Collection for instructional sessions and various research projects.

Elizabeth Nesbitt, an instructor for the Writing Program in the Department of English, brought three sections of her English 102 and 104 classes into the GRMC for customized instructional sessions during the month of August. Students were given an assignment using maps for rhetorical analysis. Students viewed maps of the same place from two different perspectives and maps created from an unusual point of view. Students learned about the visual information provided by how maps are created and how various topics are represented on maps. Students then chose five maps of different topics and learned how to cite the maps and atlases.

Students in Marketing & Management 300 also learned about the resources of the GRMC in their classroom. Digital national base and census data and GIS applications were presented to enhance a class project in coordination with Vera Bradley Retail Stores, Inc. Students in Natural Resources & Environmental Management also learned about GIS resources available in the University Libraries.

Geography and Political Science students will be using maps from the GRMC in their classroom for special research projects throughout the fall semester. Many other students have already begun using the GRMC for their research and learning. Students from anthropology, geology, social studies, and the College of Architecture & Planning visited the GRMC during the month of August. Even an instructor for a cooking seminar used maps from the GRMC for an upcoming lesson.

The Geospatial Resources & Map Collection is a great destination for research and learning. Contact the staff for more information about customized instructional sessions in the GRMC.