Indianapolis Cultural Trail Maps Available

Summer Vacation Planner: The Indianapolis Cultural Trail

The Indianapolis Cultural Trail is an urban bike and pedestrian path connecting neighborhoods, cultural districts, and entertainment. The five downtown cultural districts include Fountain Square, Indiana Avenue, Mass Ave, the Canal and White River State Park, and the Wholesale District. The Cultural Trail will also connect with the Monon Trail, allowing access to Broad Ripple from downtown.

A kick-off celebration last week marked the beginning of construction of the North Corridor of the trail, a one-mile stretch including portions of Indiana Avenue, St. Clair Street, Walnut Street, the Canal, Meridian Street, and North Street. This area is part of the Memorial Plaza Historic District, with the American Legion Mall as the center point of the northern pathway.

The North Corridor is the third of seven construction phases of the trail. The half-mile East Corridor was completed in June 2008, and construction of the Northeast Corridor began in April. The entire eight-mile Indianapolis Cultural Trail is expected to be completed by the end of 2011.

For detailed maps and more information about the Indianapolis Cultural Trail, please visit http://www.indyculturaltrail.org/index.html.

ESRI GIS Software Upgrades Available at Ball State University

Upgrades to ESRI GIS Software Now Available to Ball State GIS Community

By Angela Gibson, GIS Specialist, GIS Research and Map Collection

Ball State students and faculty can now upgrade their ESRI GIS software to version 9.3.1. This new version includes added functionality that will benefit students, faculty, and staff. Some of these added features include:

·Improvements to the performance of dynamic map publishing with a faster map service and a new Map Publishing toolbar

·Additional collaboration capabilities of geographic information with a new online Web application and better sharing of layers

·Faster access to Bing maps and imagery by offering ready-to-use data and direct connections via ArcGIS Online

·Enhanced support for Java developers

This update is easy to install and does not require the uninstalling of version 9.3. It works in mixed environments of versions 9.3 and 9.3.1.

For more information about ESRI software updates and information about GIS projects like how to create effective Web maps using ArcGIS tools and resources, visit the ESRI Web page at http://www.esri.com/software/arcgis/whats-new/index.html.

To obtain access to this ESRI GIS software, contact Angela Gibson, GIS Research and Map Collection GIS Specialist and Ball State’s ESRI software administrator, at asgibson2@bsu.edu or 765/285-1097.

Honduras Maps Available from Ball State University Libraries

Maps in the News: Honduras Maps Available from Ball State University Libraries

Ball State University Libraries GIS Research and Map Collection contains numerous maps of Honduras and Central America. And researchers and scholars can also discover information about the history of Central America from atlases in the University Libraries.

Mapa General, Republica de Honduras is a unique map of Honduras showing the country’s roads and topography. The map includes an inset map of Tegucigalpa. Honduras: Central America Tourist Map includes a distance chart, traffic signs, historical sites, gas stations, recreation areas, and agriculture. Inset maps detail the cities of Tegucigalpa, La Ceiba, and San Pedro Sula. This text of this map is in English and Spanish. The GRMC also includes several updated report maps of Honduras from the Central Intelligence Agency.

Another unique map in the collection is Mapa Forestal (forest map) of Honduras and its neighboring countries of Guatemala and Nicaragua as well as Panama. Tegucigalpa D.C. y Vecindad is a map of the capital city and its neighborhoods. And Bahia de Honduras is a rare map from 1938 showing railroads, main highways, and bridle paths. A similar map in the collection was produced in 1921.

Historical Atlas of Central America and Historical Atlas of Ancient America are available from the Atlas Collection on the second floor of Bracken Library and provide information about the history of Honduras and its neighbors. Atlas of Central America and the Caribbean and Climatic Atlas of North and Central America are also available for research.

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

Please contact the staff of the GRMC at 765/285-1097 for more information.

Jane Austen's England Map Available from Ball State University Libraries

Sense and Sensibility on the Map: New Literary Map in the Ball State University Libraries

The GIS Research and Map Collection on the second floor of Bracken Library constantly receives new materials throughout the year. Researchers, students, and scholars use maps to study a variety of subjects from geography to biology and even literature. One of the newest maps in the Map Collection is Jane Austen’s England: A Literary Tour Guide.

The map covers an area in England southward from Manchester to Portsmouth and eastward from Plymouth to Dover. Landmarks and historical houses included in the works of Jane Austen are featured. Illustrations of houses used for television and film productions of Austen’s novels are also displayed on the map.

This map of homes and haunts of the author is similar to other maps in the Map Collection related to the works of Shakespeare, Sinclair Lewis, and the works of J.R.R. Tolkien. The Map Collection also includes maps of fictional places such as Narnia.

The GRMC English and Literature Cartographic Resources in Ball State University Libraries subject guide provides a complete listing of the literary maps available in the Libraries. The subject guide is available on the GRMC Web page at http://www.bsu.edu/library/article/0,,59405--,00.html.

Maps from the GRMC circulate for two weeks or longer. For more information about this map or to request digital copies of maps, please contact the staff of the GRMC at 765/285-1097.

Public Enemies Dillinger Map Available from Ball State University Libraries

Big Screen Cartography: Public Enemies: Robberies of the John Dillinger Gang Map Available from Ball State University Libraries

The action movie Public Enemies directed by Michael Mann and starring Johnny Depp and Christian Bale premieres tonight at the Los Angeles Film Festival. The movie is based on the book by Bryan Burrough Public Enemies: America’s Greatest Crime Wave and the Birth of the FBI, 1933-34 (available in the General Collection of Bracken Library). The movie focuses on the legendary bank robber John Dillinger of Indiana, who became America’s first "Public Enemy Number One."

The GIS Research and Map Collection created the map Public Enemies: Robberies of the John Dillinger Gang based on information from Burrough’s book and the Federal Bureau of Investigation Historic Famous Cases Web page. The map marks the locations of reported robberies of John Dillinger and his gang beginning with a robbery in Daleville, Indiana, in the summer of 1933. The map follows Dillinger’s activities through his death the following summer.

A copy of the map is available in PDF-format from the Ball State University Libraries Cardinal Scholar repository at http://cardinalscholar.bsu.edu/595/. Additional printed copies of the map may be obtained from the GRMC weekdays from 7:30 to 4:30. Contact the staff of the GRMC for more information at 765/285-1097.

Washington, D.C. Metro Transit Maps from Ball State University Libraries

Maps in the News: Washington, D.C., Metro Maps Available in Ball State University Libraries

The GIS Research and Map Collection on the second floor of Bracken Library includes an extensive collection of maps of the Washington, D.C. area. Many of the tourist and travel maps available for circulation from the GRMC ready-reference area feature inset maps of the Metro transit system.

The map of the Metro system shown above is from National Geographic’s Destination Map series of Washington, D.C. ADC’s Visitor’s map of Washington, D.C. includes a detailed downtown Washington map and a map of the Metro rail system. Maps published by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority are also included in the GRMC collection. The GRMC also has maps of the Baltimore area and metro system.

Maps from the GRMC circulate for two weeks or longer. Please visit the GRMC Monday through Friday from 7:30 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. throughout the summer months. For more information, please contact the staff of the GRMC at 765/285-1097.

Indiana Summer Road Trip Map from Ball State University Libraries

Summertime in the Hoosier State: Mapping Indiana’s Summer Fun Acitivities

The GIS Research and Map Collection commemorated the beginning of the summer season with a new map exhibit, Summer Road Trip: Indiana. The map features over sixty fun activities and places to visit throughout the state of Indiana.

Important landmarks, state parks, and historic sites are included on the map. But the map also features lesser known out-of-the-way restaurants, factory tours, museums, and drive-in movie theaters. Within the span of a weekend, adventurers can tour the wind farms of Benton County, visit a blueberry farm, amusement park, and fish and wildlife area, and eat at a classic drive-in restaurant.

A copy of the map is available in PDF-format from the Ball State University Libraries Cardinal Scholar repository at http://cardinalscholar.bsu.edu/603/. Additional printed copies of the map may be obtained from the GRMC weekdays from 7:30 to 4:30. Contact the staff of the GRMC for more information at 765/285-1097.

Maps of Tehran and Iran from Ball State University Libraries

Places in the News: Iran

Events surrounding the presidential election in Iran have been the focus of world news reports. The GIS Research and Map Collection in Bracken Library includes a large selection of maps of Iran, including maps of provinces and cities throughout the country.

Iran Country Profile is a map of the country created in 2004 by the Central Intelligence Agency. This map includes a comparative area map, location map, and a list of major historical events in Iran since 1908. The map features ancillary maps of regional physiography, population density, ethno-religious distribution, key petroleum sector facilities, Southern Caspian energy prospects, and the Strait of Hormuz. The GRMC also includes the most up-to-date country report maps from the Central Intelligence Agency.

The Map Collection includes road maps, physical maps, tourist maps of the country, provinces, and cities, and maps of the people of Iran. Many of these maps are printed in English, Persian, and French. Some of the historical maps in the Collection feature bright illustrations of local costumes and handicrafts. A map titled Iran (Persia), Afghanistan, and Baluchistan dates from the 1930’s and features caravan routes.

The GRMC also includes a set of international nautical charts including the areas surrounding Iran. Many of these nautical charts include basic maps of coastal areas.

Maps of the cities of Iran include a set of varied maps of Tehran. The New Map of Tehran includes telephone directories for accommodations for tourists and distance charts. The Guide Map of Yazd includes an index to historical monuments and sightseeing, and selected buildings are shown pictorially. The GRMC also includes maps of Isfahan city and province—both printed in Persian and English.

The Atlas Collection includes several atlases of Iran. The Historical Atlas of Iran and Atlas d’Iran are newer materials. The Atlas d’Iran is printed in French with English captions. This atlas includes an entire section featuring numerous maps of the city of Tehran (shown above). The 1956 Atlas of Geological Maps of Southwest Persia was published by an oil company. An atlas about Iran’s White Revolution is also located in the Atlas Collection.

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

Please visit the GRMC between 7:30 A.M. and 4:30 P.M. Monday through Friday throughout the summer to view the Iran maps or research these resources.

Africa Adventure Atlas Available from Ball State University Libraries

What’s New in the Atlas Collection? Africa Adventure Atlas

The Atlas Collection on the second floor of Bracken Library has been growing with new materials for research and learning in the last few weeks. One of the newest additions to the Collection is National Geographic’s 2008 Africa Adventure Atlas.

Africa Adventure Atlas is designed for travelers and trip-planning. The text is divided into geographical regions with color-coded tabs dividing the types of maps, including national parks, town plans, touring maps, countries by region and adventure activities. The section on adventure activities features maps and photographs with short descriptions of activities like scuba diving, mountain climbing, train expeditions, surfing, and gorilla trekking (shown above).

The atlas features hundreds of maps and color photographs, including 74 National Park and conservation area maps, 50 detailed city maps, and 118 touring maps. Each country is described with facts about flora and fauna, cultural attractions, historical sites, and adventure travel activities. There is even a section on what type of gear is needed for the trip to Africa.

Africa Adventure Atlas is available for circulation from the Atlas Collection for four weeks or longer. For more information about this atlas or any other cartographic materials, please contact the staff of the GIS Research and Map Collection at 765/285-1097.

Ball State University Libraries Provide Summer Learning Activities

Ball State University Cardinal Life Map Game Available as Teaching Resource

Ball State University Libraries GIS Research and Map Collection created this board game featuring an aerial map of the Ball State University campus for a summer camp activity. The game is similar to the classic board game “Life” and features chances for players to earn college credits. Players move their game piece and select “Life” cards of the same color of the squares. The cards reveal different happenings that may or may not earn the player college credit. The game features many of the actual accomplishments of Ball State students. At the end of the game, players find out if they have enough credits to graduate or if they are stuck in their freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior year.

Elementary school teachers and student-teachers may wish to recreate a copy of the game for their classrooms. The board, game cards, and scorecards are all available on the University Libraries Cardinal Scholar repository. Colored paper in the colors of the squares on the board will be required to for printing the “Life” cards—yellow, blue, orange, red, purple, and green. (Each sheet should be printed in a different color). Teachers will also need to provide game pieces and die for the game.

The board game can be accessed in Cardinal Scholar at http://cardinalscholar.bsu.edu/566/. The game cards are available at http://cardinalscholar.bsu.edu/567/. The scorecard can be printed from http://cardinalscholar.bsu.edu/568/.

Copies of the game may be acquired directly from the GRMC. Contact the staff Monday through Friday from 8:00 to 5:00 at 765/285-1097 for more information.