Gaza Strip Maps Available from Ball State University Libraries

Maps in the News:  The Gaza Strip

The Ball State University Libraries’ GIS Research & Map Collection (GRMC) on the second floor of Bracken Library houses 140,000 maps that can be used for research and learning.  Many of the maps can be used to interpret current events.  For example, the GRMC includes a variety of maps of the Gaza Strip.

The current “Maps in the News” exhibit in the windows of the GRMC features an aerial photograph of the Gaza Strip from 2005 (above, click to enlarge).  This view of the area identifies Israeli-developed areas, the Oslo-defined settlement zones and security perimeter, the United Nations Relief and Work Agency for Palestine Refugees camps, Palestinian-populated areas, border crossings, and roads.

The GRMC also includes maps of the Gaza Strip produced by the Central Intelligence Agency and nautical charts of the Mediterranean area.  Maps of Israeli settlements in Gaza available from the GRMC date back to 1980.

The Atlas Collection, also located on the east side of the second floor of Bracken Library, includes an atlas called The Gaza Strip and West Bank: A Map Folio.  This atlas features maps showing natural resources, economic activity and land use, selected water resources, Israeli-controlled land, transportation routes and other maps.

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

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

Genealogy Workshop at Ball State University Libraries

Traveling through Time:  Ball State University Libraries’ Genealogy Class

The Community Center for Vital Aging (CCVA) is sponsoring a genealogy workshop at Ball State University Libraries’ Archives and Special Collection and GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) on Monday, November 19 from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. on the second floor of Bracken Library.

Bethany Fiechter, from the Archives, and Melissa Gentry, from the GRMC, will be available to assist with researching materials for family history.  Participants will be able to review collections from the Digital Media Repository, historic records, historic atlases and maps, and many other resources during the workshop.  Participants are encouraged to bring genealogy materials to the Library.

Free parking will be available in the Emens Parking Garage, east of Bracken Library, at 7:00 p.m.  A CCVA staff member will meet at the garage and escort the group to the library. 

Advanced registration is required:  Contact the CCVA to register for this workshop at 765-289-4541.  The CCVA is an extension of the Fisher Institute for Wellness and Gerontology at Ball State University.  

GIS Day at Ball State University Libraries

GIS Day Open House at Ball State University Libraries

The Ball State University Libraries’ GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) is hosting a GIS Day Open House on Wednesday, November 14 from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm.  Visitors will be able to see how GIS is being used at Ball State University:

• View GIS projects and research posters created by faculty, staff, and students from various University departments
• Learn about GIS software available to the Ball State community
• Browse GIS data available from the University Libraries
• Sign up for free ESRI Virtual Campus courses

The GRMC is located on the east side of the second floor of Bracken Library, room 224.  For more information, please contact Angela Gibson, GIS Specialist, at 765-285-1097.

Cartographic Election Resources Available from Ball State University Libraries

Map the Vote:  Election Cartographic Resources Available from Ball State University Libraries

Election Day is tomorrow, and maps can be an ideal tool for illustrating information and statistics about elections.  The widely-used “blue states and red states” explanation of states’ party affiliations has become a cultural phrase made popular by an election map from the 2000 presidential election.

The Ball State University Libraries’ GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) houses many maps, atlases, and other resources about elections—both current and historical.  Maps depicting the newly-drawn Congressional districts, maps showing election results, and maps of local election precincts are available for research in the GRMC.  U.S. Census data is also available in the GIS Research lab, and users can access more election statistics from CD-ROMs in the Collection.

One of the most popular election maps in the GRMC is the National Atlas of the United States of America: Presidential Elections, 1789-2008.  This map (insets and photograph above), published by the federal government, identifies how each state voted in every presidential election since 1789.  It features a larger map of the election results from the 2008 election (shown above, click to enlarge), where Indiana voted for the Democrat candidate for the first time since 1964 (inset maps above).  The main map displays the popular vote by county; an inset map shows the results of the electoral vote.  This map is currently displayed in the front windows of the GRMC.

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 Women, Atlas of U.S. Foreign Relations, Atlas of World Affairs, Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress, and Student Atlas of World Politics are all available from the Atlas Collection.  Census Atlas of the United States is available in the GRMC.

Atlas of American Politics, 1960-2000 features several maps about elections, including voter turnout.  This atlas also contains maps illustrating important events such as the impeachment vote of President Clinton and topics such as the environment, capital punishment, abortion, and the number of women serving in state legislatures.  The Atlas Collection also includes election resources from other countries, including the first elections in Kosovo and Poland.

Researchers can also access a cartographic study guide from the GRMC, which lists all of the available political resources.  Political Science and Election Research Cartographic Resources is available in PDF-format here.

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

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