Haunted Maps Available from Ball State University Libraries

Eerie, Indiana: Map of Allegedly Haunted Locations in Indiana from the Ball State University Libraries

Former GIS Research and Map Collection 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 using Adobe Illustrator for a 2009 map display: Allegedly Haunted Indiana Map.

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/. A map of haunted locations in the United States based on the Atlas of the Mysterious in North America is also available from Cardinal Scholar. (The maps can be found under the “Latest Additions” section or under the GRMC creator section).

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

Africa Symposium Held at Ball State University Features GRMC Maps

Africa Maps Exhibited at A Long Way Back: Ball State University Africa Symposium on October 20

The Ball State University Freshman Connections Common Reader program presented Ishmael Beah’s A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier for this year. Freshman Connections will present a symposium on Africa on Tuesday, October 20 in the Arts and Journalism Building, room 175, at 7:30 P.M.

A Long Way Back: Reflections on Conflicts in Africa will present seven speakers dealing with different African nations:

· Dr. Kyama Kabadaki, Department of Social Work: Uganda
· Fr. Nabil Hanna, St. George Orthodox Church, Indianapolis: Egypt
· Dr. Tendayi Kumbula, Department of Journalism: Zimbabwe
· Dr. Yeno Matuka, Department of English: Congo
· Mr. Momo Fambuleh, Ball State University: Liberia
· Dr. Herbert Stahlke, Department of English Emeritus: Nigeria
· Ms. Meggan Houlihan, University Libraries: Nigeria

The GIS Research and Map Collection will provide a map exhibit for the symposium, providing over fifty new and historic maps of Africa and the changing African nations over time. Images from atlases will also be featured in the exhibit. (The images shown above are from the Africa Adventure Atlas in the Atlas Collection).

Meggan Houlihan, Information Services Librarian for University Libraries, will present the story of Margery Perham during the Nigerian Civil War. Margery Perham was an Oxford don, who made significant contributions to the fields of African history and colonial administration. Over the course of her career, Perham was approached several times by the Colonial Office to advise on problematic African affairs. Nearing retirement at its outset, the Nigerian Civil War gave Perham an opportunity to come back into the political spotlight and help British officials and the public understand the underlying problems of the War. This discussion will review how one must look at the actions of officials and determine whether Margery Perham influenced them, or if they simply took advice from her when she was supporting their interests.

The symposium will be moderated by Dr. Paul Ranieri, Department of English, and was organized by Dr. Martha Payne, Department of English. The program is free and open to the public.

Tech4U Event at Ball State University Libraries Spotlights GIS

Ball State University Faculty Members to Talk GIS at the October 15 Tech4U Event in Bracken Library

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

Geographic Information Systems, better known as GIS, will be in the spotlight at the Tech4U event at Ball State University Libraries on October 15. The event will showcase three Ball State University faculty members who are using GIS for special projects in their individual areas of interest and incorporating GIS science into their classroom curriculum. Information on how to obtain GIS software, data, and training through the University Libraries will also be presented. The event lasts from 10:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. in the Helen B. and Martin D. Schwartz Special Collections and Digital Complex in Bracken Library, with the keynote presentation starting at 1:00 P.M.

The individual topics and speakers included in the keynote presentation include:

A Brief Introduction to GIS Resources at Ball State University: Angela Gibson, GIS Specialist for the University Libraries: Access to GIS software, data, and learning resources available to faculty staff and students at Ball State University will be presented.

GIS in the Classroom and Beyond: Petra Zimmermann, Associate Professor of Geography: Zimmermann will discuss her experiences teaching GIS to students from disciplines ranging from biology to journalism, as well as sharing some examples of her students’ work. Additionally, Zimmermann will explain her current social media project, which will entail a GIS component. The social media project is an Emerging Media Innovation Grant project. Students are currently gathering meteorological data and transmitting it via Twitter, which results in a digital archive of data. Later this semester, results will be compared with existing meteorological records. Results will be mapped and analyzed using ArcGIS software.

Web GIS for Economic Development: David Schoen, Professor of Urban Planning: Web-based GIS is a cost-effective strategy to deliver data and data analysis to local and state governments. This project involves the use of input/output analysis to make better decisions about development strategies at the county level. Developed by Dr. Nalitra Thaiprasert and Prof. David Schoen, this Web-based program allows users to obtain economic sector linkage data in order to examine the strengths and weaknesses of the local economy.

GIS Projects and Curriculum in Landscape Architecture: Chris Baas, Assistant Professor of Landscape Architecture: This presentation will share observations of teaching GIS to landscape architecture students in the studio setting. It will include a discussion of the student’s mental shift from the design to the planning process, GIS and the accreditation of the Department of Landscape Architecture, and the University’s GIS assets and technical support. Several examples of student work will be shown.

Tech4U is open to the entire Ball State University community, and anyone interested in GIS is encouraged to attend. For more information contact Angela Gibson, GIS Specialist, at ASGibson2@bsu.edu.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month Maps in Ball State University Libraries

Maps in the News: Mapping World Breast Cancer

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The Atlas Collection on the second floor of Bracken Library is a valuable resource for researchers interested in maps related to breast cancer and other health issues.

The Penguin State of the World Atlas (published in 2008) in the Atlas Collection features a world map showing the most common cancers suffered by men and women in each country (shown above). Not surprisingly, breast cancer was the most common cancer for women in many parts of the world. The atlas also includes a chart showing the differences in new cancer cases in industrialized countries. “In 2002, there were 10.9 million new cancer cases in the world, and 6.7 million deaths,” according to Dan Smith, author of this atlas. A graphic in the atlas shows the number of cases for each cancer in men and women. The call number for this atlas is G1021.E2S65 2008.

The Penguin Atlas of Women in the World (published in 2009) features a map showing the incidence per 100,000 from 2002-2007. A chart identifies the numbers of incidences and deaths from breast cancer per 100,000 women in the United States from 200-2004. Another chart shows the incidence of breast cancer in industrialized countries around the world. The call number for this atlas is G1046.E1S4 2009.

The Atlas Collection also includes The State of Health Atlas: Mapping the Challenges and Causes of Disease (published in 2008) and The State of Health Atlas (published in 1993). Atlas of Disease Distributions: Analytic Approaches to Epidemiological Data (published in 1988) and Atlas of AIDS (published in 1992) are also available from the Atlas Collection for research on health-related topics. The Science-Health Science Library in the Cooper Nursing Building also houses a collection of atlases related to disease and healthcare.

Atlases from the Atlas Collection circulate for 28 days or longer. Maps and images from the atlases may also be scanned by the staff of the GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) on the second floor of Bracken Library.

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

Wizard of Oz Maps from Ball State University Libraries

Not in Kansas: Wizard of Oz Maps at Ball State University Libraries

The classic movie The Wizard of Oz marks its 70th anniversary this year. High-definition DVD’s and Blu-Rays are being released to commemorate the film’s milestone.

Created by L. Frank Baum in 1900, the first Oz story chronicled the adventures of Dorothy. Subsequent stories filled in the geography of Oz and nearby lands. The Atlas of Fantasy available from the Atlas Collection of Bracken Library includes maps of Oz and its Environs and The Magical Countries Surrounding Oz (shown). The maps of Oz included in the atlas were produced by James E. Haff and Dick Martin.

The Atlas of Fantasy is an atlas made up completely of maps of fictional places. Some of the other locations mapped in the atlas are Treasure Island, the world of Sherlock Holmes, the voyages of Gulliver, Mongo from Flash Gordon, and Pilgrim’s Progress.

The GIS Research and Map Collection also includes maps of other fictional places and maps related to great works of literature. For a complete list of maps and other resources in University Libraries, please review the GRMC Web page subject guide for English and literature at http://www.bsu.edu/library/media/pdf/Literatureguide.pdf.

For more information about the Atlas of Fantasy or any other cartographic resources, please contact the GRMC Monday through Friday from 8:00 to 5:00 at 765/285-1097.

Chicago, Madrid, Rio de Janeiro, and Tokyo Maps Available from Ball State University Libraries

Focus of the World: Maps of Chicago Available from Ball State University Libraries

The International Olympic Committee will decide the host city for the 2016 Summer Olympics today. The four remaining candidates are Madrid, Rio de Janeiro, Tokyo, and Chicago. The GIS Research and Map Collection on the second floor of Bracken Library has a huge collection of city maps from around the world. The Collection includes street maps, topographic maps, tourist guides, and architecture plans. The set of maps of Chicago numbers in the hundreds and offers researchers and travelers a variety of resources.

Historic maps of Chicago include bird’s-eye view maps that were popular after the Civil War. The collection includes these illustrated maps from 1868, 1893, 1898, and 1916, and includes the central business district and a view of the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893. One of the oldest maps in the collection of the city dates from 1855, and the Blanchard’s Guide Map of Chicago in the GRMC dates from 1873. Royal Blue Line Map and Guide to Chicago was published in1924. East and West Streets of Chicago map was published in 1907. Road maps of the state of Illinois include maps of Chicago and date back to the 1930’s.

Tourists traveling to Chicago will find a number of maps and guides in the GRMC. The iMap of Chicago includes a 12-page guide with a compass. Chicago Unfolds is a pop-up map and guide, and The World on the Lake is also a tourist guide map. Place Map of Chicago is an easy-to-read map of the city. The GRMC also includes maps of the Ohare Airport area and a map featuring the Sears Tower (shown).

The GRMC has a large collection of aeronautical charts of the area and nautical charts of the city and the south shore of Lake Michigan. A set of topographic maps of Chicago and a 19-map set of geologic maps of the area are also available for researchers. The GRMC also has all of the topographic quadrangle maps for the Chicago area dating back to 1889. Geography students use these topographic maps to track the growth of the city over the last century. Chicago at the Millennium is another map showing the growth of the city using satellite images, historic topography, and bird’s-eye views.

The collection of Chicago maps also includes transit maps, zip code maps, maps of Cook County and the suburbs, the downtown area, and maps focusing on the Loop. The 2001 Chicago Neighborhoods map identifies the traditional neighborhoods of the city. There are also maps of the University of Chicago in the GRMC.

The Atlas Collection includes several street atlases of Chicago. A folio of Chicago maps and plat maps dating to 1876 are also available in the Atlas Collection. Chicagoland Atlas is available as a reference item from the GRMC.

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

For more information about these maps or maps of Tokyo, Madrid, Rio de Janeiro, or any other world city, please contact the GRMC at 765/285-1097.