Ball State University Libraries Offer Poster Printing, Laminating Services

Making It Big:  Poster Printing Available from Ball State University Libraries

Students are preparing for the final week of the spring semester at Ball State University, and some final projects are created in the form of a large poster.  The Ball State University Libraries’ GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) has two large-format color plotters for printing posters and banners.

Students and staff can create their posters using PowerPoint, Publisher, or Photoshop, and design students using specialized software can print off final presentation boards using the plotters in the GRMC.  Users are charged through their University Bursar account and must present a valid BSU identification card before printing.

The plotters have coated paper in rolls of 24 inches-, 36 inches-, and 42 inches-wide.  Creating a poster with one side measuring one of these dimensions allows the print to be made without have to cut off any excess borders. 

Plotter prices for documents smaller than 24 inches are $8; 25 inches to 36 inches would be $12; 37 inches up to 72 inches costs $16; and documents from 73 inches to 108 inches are $20.  Posters must be larger than 11 inches by 17 inches.  Charges are based on the longest dimension of the poster.

A large laminator is also available for documents larger than 11 inches by 17 inches and no wider than 40 inches.  Laminating charges are also directed to the Bursar’s account and cost $3.00 per linear foot.  Items should be dropped off and laminated the next day.

Printing hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm.  For more information, please contact the GRMC at 765-285-1097.  

Boston Maps Available from Ball State University Libraries

Maps in the News:  Boston, Watertown Maps Available from Ball State University Libraries

The Ball State University Libraries’ GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) on the second floor of Bracken Library includes a large variety of cartographic resources on Boston, Massachusetts.  The Atlas Collection also includes several volumes featuring maps of Boston.

In addition to street atlases of the city, the Atlas Collection includes a book called Mapping Boston.  The book includes historical and modern maps of the city.  Each map is accompanied by a full description and essay explaining the significance of the cartography.

The GRMC includes maps, atlases, and nautical charts depicting the metropolitan area of Boston and Boston Harbor.  Historical reproductions include maps of Boston in 1743, 1774, 1775, 1873, 1877, and 1888.  One map is titled A Plan of the Town of Boston: With the Intrenchment of His Majesty’s Forces in 1775.  The Boston map from 1888 includes the location of freight and passenger depots, grain elevators, and steamboat wharves.

The GRMC also includes modern maps of Boston, including folded maps for convenient travel use.  The map shown above (click to enlarge) is a travel map identifying the villages that compose the metropolitan area, including Watertown.  The Boston “Popout” map folds to a pocket size map and includes maps of the greater downtown area, Beacon Hill, Harvard Square, and the subway system.  Separate public transit maps of Boston are also available.

Nautical charts available from the GRMC include cartographic details along the Boston Harbor.  These charts include Boston Harbor and the areas surrounding Cape Cod and Nantucket.

The GRMC also includes a set of Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps of Boston from 1975.  These maps provide detailed maps of buildings and construction information.

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

Augusta National, Golf Maps Available from Ball State University Libraries

Masters Weekend:  Golf Maps Available from Ball State University Libraries

One of the most prestigious golf tournaments, The Masters, begins today in Augusta, Georgia.  The Augusta National is one of the golf courses featured in an atlas available from Ball State University Libraries.  World Atlas of Golf: The Greatest Courses and How They Are Played is available from the Atlas Collection on the second floor of Bracken Library.

“This book features the greatest golf courses in the world that display architectural brilliance or are simply important in the history of the game.”  World Atlas of Golf was published in Great Britain in 2008. The atlas includes a section on architectural design theory, the business of course design, and routing the golf course.  Maps and photographs of golf courses from around the world are featured, organized by continent.  The atlas includes maps of some of the courses’ signature holes.  Augusta’s famous “Amen Corner” is featured above (click to enlarge).  

The location of courses on each continent or region is featured at the beginning of the chapters.  A description of each course is provided, including how to play the course, memorable holes, and the history of the course.  North America and Europe comprises the majority of the courses covered, including Bethpage Black, Pebble Beach, St Andrews, Prestwick, and Royal St. George’s.

The USA Today Golf Atlas is also available from the Atlas Collection, and this resource provides state and city maps for golf courses around the country.  The atlas also includes charts showing the number of private and public courses and fees, phone numbers, and other visitor information.  The Atlas of Sport in the Atlas collection includes a section about the game of golf and includes a map showing the number of courses in each state (above).

Many of the tourist maps in the GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) also offer information and guides about golf courses in the area, including popular resort locations like Hilton Head, Myrtle Beach, and Monterey.  Golfs de France is a map of golf courses located in France.  

Atlases from the Atlas Collection may be circulated for 28 days or longer.  Maps from the GRMC circulate for two weeks or longer.  For more information about this atlas or other cartographic resources, please contact the GIS Research and Map Collection at 765/285-1097.

New Historic Map Collections Available from Ball State University Libraries

The Ball State University Libraries’ Digital Media Repository (DMR) provides online access to a broad range of digitized primary source materials, including artwork, architectural drawings, films and video, oral histories, photographs, publications, and cartographic resources.  The GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) has provided more maps for four new collections in the DMR.

The International Historic Maps digital collection includes 29 assorted maps from around the world—cities, countries, and former countries—dating back to the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century available from the Ball State University Libraries’ GIS Research and Map Collection.  This eclectic collection includes a 1911 map of Cuba published by the War Department and an 1867 map of the Ottoman Empire (shown above).

The United States Transportation Maps digital collection includes city, county, and state road maps and steam railroad maps.  The 33 maps range in date from the middle to late nineteenth century to the early twentieth century.  The maps include maps listed as “new” railroad maps published in 1878.  A unique map “Skeleton Map of the Union Pacific Railway” includes illustrations of the new railroad with an invitation to the former Grand Army of the Republic to take the railroad to their reunion.

The United States Topographic Maps digital collection includes county, state, regional and national maps with contour lines and other topographic features dating back to the nineteenth century.  Many of these 24 maps were published by the United States Geological Survey and can provide historic development information for researchers.

The United States Soil Maps digital collection provides a wide array of soil maps of counties and states from around the United States.  The 31 maps in this collection identify the various soil types or properties for a particular area of research.  The collection also includes geological maps and land classification maps from around the United States. The maps date back to the nineteenth century, but most of the maps are valuable research tools today since many of the soil properties remain unchanged over time.

For more information about the Digital Media Repository, please contact the Archives and Special Collections at 765-285-5078.  For more information about the maps, please contact the GRMC at 765-285-1097.

North Korea Maps Available from Ball State University Libraries

Maps in the News: North Korea

Recent events have once again placed the Korean Peninsula in the world spotlight:  The GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) on the second floor of Bracken Library contains hundreds of maps of the Korean Peninsula and North and South Korea.

The GRMC has three different sets of topographic maps of the Korean Peninsula, some created by the Army Map Service.  These topographic maps are available at 1:50,000; 1:250,000; 1:500,000 scales.

The GRMC also houses a set of city plan maps of cities from North and South Korea, including Ulsan, Keijo, Masan, Pusan, Pyongyang, Chinnampo, and Najin Rashin.  Updated maps of Pyongyang, Seoul and Inchon are also available.

Numerous maps of the two countries or the combined peninsula are also available for research and learning, including the National Geographic comprehensive map The Two Koreas: Forgotten War.  The map and chart shown above (click to enlarge) depicting military and nuclear capacity and spending are inset maps included on this National Geographic map of the peninsula.

The Earth at Night map shown above is also published by National Geographic.  The GRMC created a maps lesson for middle school geography students requiring the identification of places marked on the map.  The dark area identified by #11 on the map represents North Korea in comparison to the bright white lights of South Korea and #12 Japan.  This lesson is available for teachers in the University Libraries’ Cardinal Scholar repository.

Bracken Library is a federal depository library, so the GRMC receives updated maps of Korea from the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and nautical charts from the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency.  The map shown above comparing the size of North Korea to a region of the United States was published by the CIA.

The University Libraries’ Digital Media Repository also provides online access to a collection of CIA maps called Maps of the World.  This online collection provides digital public domain maps reflecting the most current changes and national borders and territories. The map of North Korea

The Atlas Collection on the second floor of Bracken Library also houses resources about Korea.  Several road atlases of Korea and tourist atlases of Seoul are available.  Many of these atlases are available in English and Korean.

For more information about these resources, please contact the GRMC at 765-285-1097 or email Melissa Gentry at mgentry@bsu.edu.