Leaf View:  Online Fall Foliage Maps

Travelers searching for the best fall colors can access fall foliage maps on The Weather Channel Web page.  Maps are divided in nine regions, showing peak times or users can click on an individual state from the list.  The maps are updated daily and list conditions as patchy, near peak, peak, and past peak.  Most of the maps currently show no change:  “Only occasional patches of color, not fully developed.  The predominant color is still green.” 

The Brown County Indiana “Leaf Cam” is also now available online.  The camera is mounted high above one of the overlooks of the county so viewers can watch the changing of the leaves.  Typically the peak time for change in Brown County is the second or third week of October, but weather affects the times of the changing colors.

Hispanic Heritage Month, September 15, 2013

Hispanic Heritage Month Map Exhibit at Ball State University Libraries' GIS Research and Map Collection

The Ball State University Libraries' GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) is commemorating Hispanic Heritage Month with a special map exhibit.  The exhibit includes maps, charts, and photographs from The Atlas of Hispanic-American History from the Atlas Collection on the second floor of Bracken Library.  Included are maps of the attack on the Alamo, the California mission system, New Spain, and styles of Latin music.  Charts and photographs also describe Cesar Chavez and the United Farm Workers Movement.

The exhibit is posted in the front windows of the GRMC on the second floor of Bracken Library through October 15.  The Atlas of Hispanic-American History is available for circulation from the Atlas Collection.

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

Washington Navy Yard Maps

Maps of Washington, D.C. and Washington Navy Yard from Ball State University Libraries

The Ball State University Libraries' GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) includes a large collection of maps of Washington, D.C. and the surrounding area.  The top map shows the location of the Washington Navy Yard in the top right corner (click to enlarge).  This United States Geological Survey topographic maps shows the location compared to Washington National Airport, the Pentagon, and Arlington National Cemetery.  The second map was published by H.M. Gousha and includes updated roads and tunnels.

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

Syria Maps Available from Ball State University Libraries

Maps in the News: Syria

The Ball State University Libraries’ GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) has a significant collection of maps of Syria and the Middle East.  The maps include both historic maps of the country and the region and new, updated maps.

The image shown above (top, click to enlarge) is from a historic pictorial map of Syria from 1943 called “Illustrated Syria.”  The map depicts agricultural and industrial products and places of interest, including parts of Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon, and then Palestine.  An inset map shows main roads, air routes, railroads, pipelines, and political divisions.  The map text is written in English and Arabic.

Other maps of Syria in the collection include tourist maps, maps of archaeological sites, road maps with images of sites of interest, economic activity maps, and land use and population maps.  A unique tectonic sketch map showing oil wells and petroleum exploration from 1978 was produced by the Foreign Scouting Service.  Four sets of topographic maps of Syria at varying scales are also available.  Newer maps showing administrative divisions and relief show the changing borders of the region, and many of the maps include the Golan Heights.  City maps of Syria are also featured in the collection, including a reproduction of a bird’s eye view map of Damascus from 1575.

The most up-to-date maps of Syria are published by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), and the GRMC includes hundreds of political and physical maps in this collection.  The collection of CIA maps is also available online in the Digital Media Repository.  The Ball State University Libraries’ Digital Media Repository provides online access to a variety of primary source materials and cartographic resources.  This collection, Maps of the World, provides digital maps of nearly 200 regional and national maps.  These public domain maps reflect the most current changes in national borders and territories.

The Atlas Collection on the second floor of Bracken Library also includes resources on Syria and the Middle East.  The Historical Atlas of Syria and the Lonely Planet Atlas of Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon are available for circulation for one month or longer.

Maps from the GRMC circulate for two weeks or longer.

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