Ball State University Students Track Urban Growth Using Maps from University Libraries

Geography Students Map Urban Development

Students from Geography 150 classes at Ball State University researched urban development using maps from the GIS Research and Map Collection. Over 90 students visited the GRMC for a class assignment called “Cities @ Work.” The students used nearly 2,000 maps to complete their assignment. The assignment was created by Carol Shears, Assistant Professor in the Department of Geography, with assistance from Melissa Gentry of the GRMC.

Each student chose an American city and analyzed maps to determine how the city has grown. The students use historic maps, modern street maps, bird’s-eye-view maps, aerial photography, and topographic maps from the Map Collection to track each city’s urban development. Students analyzed industrialization, militarization, and housing starts and reviewed how the interstate highway system affected change to the city’s landscape.

Professor Shears urged students to take time to study the U.S. Geological Survey topographic maps from the GRMC in particular. “It has often been said that a single…topographic map shows at least a million pieces of information,” according to Shears. The GRMC has a large collection of topographic maps from the U.S.G.S. for all fifty states. Topographic maps from around the world—nearly every country—are also available.

For more information about creating class assignments using maps, please contact the staff of the GRMC at 765/285-1097.

Indiana Music History Map from Ball State University Libraries

Indiana Rocks: Musical History Map of the Hoosier State

The GIS Research and Map Collection provides resources for teachers and other researchers through the University Libraries Cardinal Scholar institutional repository. The GRMC regularly creates maps, commemorative posters, lesson plans, and online tutorials and provides access to these resources on the GRMC Web page or the Cardinal Scholar repository located at http://cardinalscholar.bsu.edu/.

The newest map available as an educational resource is Hoosier Harmony: Music of Indiana. This map details some of the rich music history of Indiana. The map features photographs of musicians, songwriters, and music groups from Indiana like Cole Porter, the Jackson Five, and John Mellencamp. The map also shows the location of annual music festivals and important sites in music history like Elvis Presley’s last concert and the Gennett Records studio in Richmond.

The map can be accessed in PDF-format from the Cardinal Scholar at http://cardinalscholar.bsu.edu/334/. To review other resources from the GRMC, click on “Creator” on the left side of the Cardinal Scholar home page. Scroll down and select “GIS Research and Map Collection” for a complete list of available resources. Members of the Ball State University community may print off large copies of the maps and posters on the large-format plotter in the GRMC on the second floor of Bracken Library. (Plotter printing charges are sent directly to the Bursar’s account).

For more information about the musical map of Indiana, please contact the staff of the GRMC at 765/285-1097 Monday through Friday from 8:00 to 5:00.

Historic Preservation Research in Ball State University Libraries

Mapping the Past

The National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 was created because of a growing public concern that many of the nation’s historic sites and properties were not being protected and could possibly be harmed by federal and other development projects. This Act protects historic properties that are considered during federal project planning. Archaeologists research development sites and report findings and the identification of historic properties to state agencies like the Indiana Department of Natural Resources Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology.

Archaeologists frequently use maps and other resources from the GIS Research and Map Collection at Ball State University to research development sites. The archaeologists can then more efficiently do field studies.

Mitchell Zoll, archaeologist for Pioneer Consulting Services and the former assistant director of the Ball State University Archaeological Resources Management Service, and his staff regularly use maps to conduct preliminary investigations on government and other development projects throughout the Midwest. The map Indiana, the Influence of the Indian upon Its History: with Indian and French Names for Natural and Cultural Locations (shown above), helps Zoll and his staff identify locations that may be of historic value. The map shows the locations of Native American villages in early Indiana, battle sites, historic trails, and the locations of the first White settlers in the area.

Larry Stillwell of Archaeological Consultants of Ossian frequently uses historic maps and U.S.G.S. topographic maps to research the historic value of development sites. Stillwell used maps from the GRMC to provide information to state agencies for the planning of the Honda production plant near Greensburg.

May is National Historic Preservation Month. The Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology and other local agencies celebrate the month with special tours of historic sites, lectures and exhibits, award banquets, and highlight historic preservation efforts around the state and country. For more information, access the Department of Natural Resources’ Web page at http://www.in.gov/dnr/historic/

Environmental Cartographic Resources Available from Ball State University Libraries

Celebrating Earth Day: Ball State University Libraries Offers Cartographic Resources for the Study of the Environment

Ball State University Libraries includes many cartographic resources for researchers studying issues of the environment. Hundreds of maps about numerous environmental topics are available, and many of the books and atlases offer unique charts, images, illustrations, and other graphics as well as numerous topical maps.

Researchers can find flood plain maps for numerous areas and topographic maps for areas around the world in the newly named GIS Research and Map Collection on the second floor of Bracken Library. The GRMC offers soils surveys and maps from counties around the country, Gap Analysis electronic resources for land cover, forest types, and other factors, maps of important farmlands in counties around the United States, watershed and ground water maps, natural gas and other energy maps, and national and state park and forest maps. Maps of ecoregions of numerous states and ecosystems for wildlife are also available from the GRMC. Researchers can use maps of threatened areas around the world from the GRMC: Africa Threatened, Australia Under Siege, and Millennium in Maps: World Biodiversity. The GRMC includes satellite image maps of the Amazon Basin, maps of the Okavango Delta, and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Researchers can also use dozens of maps focusing on world wildlife.

Other environmental atlases and resources can be found in the Atlas Collection, the General Collection, the Reference Collection, and the Science-Health Science Library. The Educational Resources Collection includes environmental books and atlases directed at a younger audience like the Atlas of Endangered Species and the Atlas of Threatened Cultures.

For a more complete list of the available cartographic resources in University Libraries, please review the environmental subject guide on the GRMC Web page at http://www.bsu.edu/library/article/0,,59405--,00.html.

Maps from the GRMC can be circulated for two weeks or longer. Atlases circulate for four weeks or longer. Please contact the GRMC at 765/285-1097 for more information about these resources.

Wildflowers Walks at Ball State University

Take a Hike: Wildflower Walks at Ball State University

The Ball State University Field Station is once again conducting wildflower walks at Christy Woods. The staff of the Field Station will lead the tours through Christy Woods, teaching about its history and management.

Tourists can learn about the wildflowers that decorate the forest floor. Tour dates are Saturday, April 25 and May 2 at 1:00 P.M. beginning at the Orchid Greenhouse near the south gate to Christy Woods (shown as #4 on the map from the GRMC above). The wildflower walks are approximately 50 minutes and are free and open to the public.

Please contact John Taylor, Field Station Manager, for details at jetaylor@bsu.edu or 765/285-2641.

Mexico Maps Available in Ball State University Libraries

Maps in the News: Juarez, Mexico

The Obama administration announced this week that it will send hundreds of federal border agents and crime-fighting surveillance equipment to the Mexican border to try to stop the violence from Mexican drug cartels from spreading into the United States. In Ciudad Juarez across the border from El Paso, Texas, more than 7,500 army soldiers have been sent to take over the police force. Many experts, however, do not think these measures will be effective in the war against this $30 billion a year industry.

The Geospatial Resources and Map Collection on the second floor of Bracken Library has a diverse collection of maps of Mexico. The map shown is a map of Juarez, Mexico, that includes a guide booklet. The Map Collection also includes maps of Mexico, maps showing the states of Mexico, and maps of the individual states.

The history Mexico and Central America is covered in maps about the Aztecs and Olmecs. Great Peoples of the Past: Ancient Mesoamerica is a National Geographic map detailing the great civilizations of the area.

The Map Collection also includes bathymetric maps and nautical charts of the Gulf of Mexico. Road atlases in the Collection cover the transportation network of Mexico. Several sets of topographic maps of Mexico are also available in the GRMC.

The Map Collection includes dozens of city maps of Mexico. Tourist maps of Acapulco, Cancun, and Cozumel are available. A map of El Paso, Texas, from 2004 was created in English and Spanish, and another map of El Paso includes the adjoining communities in Mexico like Juarez.

Maps from the GRMC may be circulated for two weeks or longer. Atlases circulated for four weeks.

For more information about these resources, please contact the GRMC at 765/285-1097 or visit Monday through Friday from 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.

Ball State University Libraries Celebrates Women's Week 2009

The Geography of Women’s History: Ball State University Celebrates Women’s Week 2009

Ball State University is celebrating Women’s Week 2009 March 23 through March 28 in conjunction with National Women’s History Month. The annual event is planned by the Women’s Studies Program to commemorate the achievements and experiences of women. The Geospatial Resources & Map Collection is presenting a special maps exhibit, The Geography of Women’s History, in the windows of the GRMC and in the College of Architecture and Planning Archives display cases.

Vera Adams, Instructor in the Department of Urban Planning, and Rabita Rajkarnikar, graduate student in the Department of Urban Planning, will be discussing the life of Jane Jacobs, an urban writer and activist who championed new, community-based approaches to planning for over 40 years. The session is Tuesday, March 24 from 12:00 to 1:00 P.M. in the Architecture Building, room 100.

The GRMC will also be exhibiting maps during the Third Annual African Diaspora Research Conference: Sisters, Girls, and Women: Gender Solidarity and Struggle in Bracken Library’s Forum Room on Thursday, March 26 from 8:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. This conference at Ball State University is in conjunction with Women’s Week and is a themed one-day conference exploring issues related to the roots and global dispersion of ethnically African peoples.

All Women’s Week events are free and open to the public. For a complete listing of events, please visit http://www.bsu.edu/womensstudies/Women's%20Week.htm or contact Julee Rosser, Interim Director of the Women’s Studies Program, at 765/285-5451.

Friends of Alexander M. Bracken Library Annual Dinner Scheduled

Ball State University Libraries Friends of Alexander M. Bracken Library Annual Dinner Features Movers and Stakers

The annual dinner and meeting of the Friends of the Alexander M. Bracken Library will be held on April 1, 2009, at the Ball State University Alumni Center. The reception begins at 6:00 P.M. with the dinner at 6:30 P.M.

This year’s event will highlight an immersive learning project coordinated by the Telecommunications Department. Nancy Carlson (above) will present a sneak preview of the new documentary Movers and Stakers: Stories along the Indiana National Road and share her own stories of writing and researching the film.

Carlson, chair of the Telecommunications Department, coordinated a student team to create the documentary as an immersive learning project from a National Scenic Byways Grant from the Federal Highway Administration. Carlson and her students researched stories from residents who lived near the National Road in Indiana, which stretches from Richmond to Terre Haute near Indiana Highway 40. According to Carlson, “no one has told the many human stories of building the road, living along it or traveling across it.” The Geospatial Resources & Map Collection and University Libraries provided maps, books, and other research resources for the project.

Tickets for the Friends dinner are $25. For more information about purchasing tickets to the dinner or joining the group, please contact John B. Straw, Executive Secretary of the Friends of the Alexander M. Bracken Library at 765/285-5078. The Friends Web page is located at http://www.bsu.edu/library/collections/friends/ and includes programs and photographs from previous dinners.

Maps of Darfur, Sudan in Ball State University Libraries

New Map of Darfur Region of Sudan in Ball State University Libraries

Sudan ordered a number of international aid agencies expelled from the country Wednesday after the International Criminal Court at the Hague issued a warrant for the country’s president for war crimes and crimes against humanity. The president’s arrest is related to the deadly violence against the people of the region of Darfur in western Sudan.

The Geospatial Resources & Map Collection acquired a new map of the region of Darfur (shown above). The map was printed by the Central Intelligence Agency and shows relief of the region, airfields, roads and cities.

Maps of the Sudan and Darfur in the GRMC are not fully cataloged and may not be located in the CardCat system, so please visit or contact the GRMC to review the complete collection of maps. This map circulates for two weeks or longer.

Bicycle Trail Maps Available from Ball State University Libraries

Spring Breaking Away: Bicycle Maps from Ball State University Libraries

The Geospatial Resources & Map Collection on the second floor of Bracken Library recently acquired a copy of the 2008 New York City Cycling Map, which includes 70 new miles of bicycle routes, historic districts, and updated bike rental and safety information. The New York City Cycling Map includes maps of all five boroughs and also lists bike shops and repair shops. This map “was developed to encourage more people to bicycle by identifying a network of the best streets and park paths for cycling; to educate cyclists about their rights and responsibilities as roadway and park users; to inform cyclists about access to mass transit, points of interest and bike shops; and to recognize cycling as a legitimate mode of transportation.”

The GRMC also has a large collection of bike trail maps for those cyclists motivated to use their bikes even more as spring approaches. The Collection includes bike trail maps published by the Adventure Cycling Association. Many of these maps provide information about the condition and elevation of the trails as well as the location of bike shops, grocery stores, hotels, and post offices. These maps cover the Trans-America Bicycle Trail and route crossing all points of the United States from California to Maine and Florida to Washington.

The GRMC has copies of other bike trail maps of states, state and national parks, and individual counties across the U.S. Another new addition to the Collection is the Bike the Bridge San Francisco and Marin County bike trail map.

Maps circulate for two weeks or longer. Some of these maps, however, have not yet been cataloged and may not be located using the CardCat system, so please visit or call the GRMC for more information at 765/285-1097.

Irish Cartographic Guide Available from Ball State University Libraries

In Time for St. Patrick’s Day: New Ireland Cartographic Guide from Ball State University Libraries

Students and other researchers of Ireland and Irish history can now access a cartographic guide to resources available in Ball State University Libraries via the Geospatial Resources & Map Collection Web page. The subject guide, Cartographic Resources in Ball State University Libraries: Ireland and Irish History, is available at http://www.bsu.edu/library/article/0,,59405--,00.html.

This guide provides a list with call numbers and locations of all of the maps, atlases, encyclopedias, and other resources available from University Libraries. There are atlases for Celtic studies and Irish history in the Atlas Collection and also an atlas focusing specifically on Irish family histories, New Genealogical Atlas of Ireland.

Street maps for numerous cities in Ireland, nature reserve maps, topographic maps of Ireland, and maps covering Irish history are available from the GRMC. The Irish Family Names Map features coats of arms and medieval locations, and maps showing the peat land and fishing resources of Ireland are also available.

The Reference Collection also includes atlases and other cartographic resources of Ireland and Irish history. Book of Irish Names: First, Family, and Place Names and Encyclopedia of Ireland: An A-Z Guide to Its People, Places, History, and Culture are reference materials in Bracken Library.

The guide also includes a listing of a set of reproduced historical maps from the National Library of Ireland that are not yet cataloged but do circulate for two weeks or longer individually or as a set.

For more information about these resources or the cartographic guides, please contact the Geospatial Resources & Map Collection at 765/285-1097.

Maps of Sri Lanka Available in Ball State University Libraries

Maps in the News: Sri Lanka

The Geospatial Resources and Map Collection on the second floor of Bracken Library has a wide collection of maps of Sri Lanka and the country as the former Ceylon. Most of these maps, however, are not cataloged and will not appear in the Libraries’ CardCat system so researchers should visit the GRMC to review the maps.

Since Sri Lanka is an island country, the GRMC has detailed nautical charts of the country’s coastal areas. The GRMC also has a unique geo-morphological map of Sri Lanka, a map of the country’s forest cover, and physical and transportation maps. The map of Sri Lanka shown above details the Mahaweli development project—a government program to improve hydroelectric power and irrigation throughout the country. Sri Lanka is also included on many of the maps in the GRMC of the Indian subcontinent.

Two maps from 2005 in the GRMC cover the cities of Colombo, Anuradhapura, Kandy, and Galle. The maps show physical relief and places of interest. The GRMC also has a map of the port of Colombo and a unique map of Polonnaruva (shown above).

The Atlas Collection also includes several resources for the study of Sri Lanka: Arjuna’s Atlas of Sri Lanka, Cultural Atlas of India and Sri Lanka, Road Atlas of Sri Lanka, the National Atlas of Sri Lanka, and A to Z Atlas of Colombo City are all available.

Maps from the GRMC circulate for two weeks or longer, and atlases circulate for four weeks or longer.

Please visit the GRMC Monday through Friday from 8:00 to 5:00, or for more information, please call 765/285-1097.

Ball State University Libraries Acquires New GIS Data for Indiana Counties

Ball State University Libraries Acquires New GIS Data

The Ball State University Libraries’ Geospatial Resources and Map Collection (GRMC) has up-to-date GIS datasets for both the Indiana counties of Henry and Delaware. The GIS administrators for those counties generously provided these rich datasets to the GRMC to assist the research and learning of Ball State students, faculty, and staff. Each dataset includes detailed GIS layers that are not available for download anywhere on the Web.

Available layers for both Henry and Delaware Counties include street networks, land use, zoning, fire and police station locations, schools, churches, parcel data, hydrology, flood zones, and much more. New six-inch resolution 2008 aerial photography and two-foot contours for Delaware County are included in this update. These datasets are for educational purposes only and are subject to terms of use.

For more information on accessing these layers, contact Angela Gibson, GIS Specialist, at 765/285-1097.

Education Resources Available from Ball State University Libraries Cardinal Scholar

Learning with Maps: Using University Libraries Resources in the K-12 Classroom

Teachers and education students can now access classroom activities from the Ball State University Libraries Cardinal Scholar institutional repository located at http://cardinalscholar.bsu.edu/ or from the main University Libraries Web page. The Geospatial Resources & Map Collection in Bracken Library created several original lesson plans using maps, atlases, and other cartographic resources. These lessons are part of an online guide, Teaching with Maps: Lesson Plan Guide from the Geospatial Resources and Map Collection, located at http://www.bsu.edu/library/article/0,,54747--,00.html. The lessons cover grades K-12 and a number of different subjects. Activities from the lessons are now stored in the Cardinal Scholar depository, allowing teachers and education students online access to original games, worksheets, and posters to use in the classroom.

These activities can be used in their original form or adapted for different ages of students. In one of the lessons, students use a National Geographic map of the Amazon River basin to create an alphabet book about the rain forest. Teachers could use the sample book provided to inspire students to create a similar book; or teachers could use another map to create an alphabet book about the Australian Outback, the Grand Canyon, or Siberia or China. The posters available on Cardinal Scholar can be printed in small or large format, so teachers may wish to use the large-format plotters in the GRMC for printing.

Posters and other activities used in previous events (Black History Month, Veterans Day) are also available from Cardinal Scholar, and users can also access the GRMC online tutorials about maps through the repository. From the Cardinal Scholar home page, click on “Browse by creator” on the left, and scroll down to the Geospatial Resources and Map Collection to access a complete list of available resources.

Cardinal Scholar is available as a repository for all members of the Ball State University community. For more information, please contact the Archives and Special Collections at 765/285-5078. For more information about the lesson plans, please contact the GRMC at 765/285-1097.

Kyrgyzstan Maps Available at Ball State University Libraries

Maps in the News: Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan holds a strategic location for American troops fighting in southwest Asia, so the closing of an American base there may be critical. The Geospatial Resources and Map Collection on the second floor of Bracken Library has several maps of Kyrgyzstan available for research and learning.

Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan Geographical Map in the GRMC was published in 2006. This version includes a physical hypsometric map with roads emphasized. An index of places is listed on the verso. This map is displayed in English and five other languages. A map of central Asia published by Nelles Verlag in 2003 is two-sided and shows categories of roads with tourist features. Relief is shown on the map with shading and spot heights. An inset map of Bishkek is also featured on the map. This map is published in English, German, and French. The GRMC also has topographic maps of the region and several maps of Kyrgyzstan published by the Central Intelligence Agency.

Atlas of Russia and the Independent Republics in the Atlas Collection also features maps and statistics on Kyrgyzstan. This atlas includes information on natural features, history, population, and communications networks of the former Soviet Union.

Maps of Kyrgyzstan in the GRMC are not fully cataloged, so please call or visit the GRMC to research the entire collection of maps. Maps can be circulated for two weeks or longer.

Contact the GRMC Monday through Friday from 8:00 to 5:00 for more information about these Kyrgyzstan resources at 765/285-1097.

Ball State University Culture Exchange Program at Bracken Library

Around the World in One Hour: Culture Exchange Program at Ball State University Libraries

The Ball State University Rinker Center for International Programs is once again hosting its Culture Exchange. The Culture Exchange features speakers discussing various countries and international issues. The program is held every Wednesday from 12:00 P.M. to 1:00 P.M. in Bracken Library Room 225, the Forum Room. Visitors are encouraged to bring a sack lunch or refreshment.

The schedule for the Culture Exchange program for the spring semester of 2009 is:

• February 11, Hillel Student Association
• February 18, Argentina
• February 25, Who is an American
• March 4, Netherlands
• March 18, Pakistan
• March 25, Romania
• April 1, Jamaica
• April 8, Costa Rica trips from the Study Abroad program
• April 15, Ask a Muslim Woman

Maps and atlases from the Geospatial Resources & Map Collection will be featured during the Culture Exchange programs.

For more information about these events, please contact Debra Goens at 765/285-5422.

Black History Month Maps Exhibit at Ball State University Libraries

People and Places of the Past: GRMC Black History Month Exhibit

The Geospatial Resources & Map Collection is celebrating Black History Month with a special exhibit on the second floor of Bracken Library. The exhibit (shown above) features maps and images from atlases in the Atlas Collection. The “Map of the Month” for February—a map of the Harlem Renaissance—is also in celebration of Black History Month.

The special Black History exhibit displays images of prominent figures in African-American history but also includes some lesser known leaders, such as Esteban Dorantes, a Spanish-speaking African slave who led explorations of the Southwest, one in search of El Dorado, the legendary “seven cities of gold.” Maps included in the exhibit feature African-Americans in the American Revolution, Black explorers in the West, a map showing the locations of slave uprisings before the Civil War, Black spy activity during the Civil War, African-American participation in World War I, missions of the Tuskegee Airmen during World War II, the location of Negro League baseball teams, and a map of the Selma to Montgomery civil rights march.

Students and faculty interested in learning more about African-American cartographic and other educational resources in Ball State University Libraries may wish to attend one of the upcoming informational sessions in the Archives and Special Collections of Bracken Library. The first session will be on Tuesday, February 10 from 12:30 P.M. to 1:30 P.M. The final session will be on Wednesday, February 18 from 4:00 P.M. to 5:00 P.M. Also, researchers can access the GRMC study guide for African-American resources on the GRMC Web page located at http://www.bsu.edu/library/article/0,,59405--,00.html.

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

New Google Earth Available for Research and Learning

New Google Earth Dives into Ocean Exploration

Google Earth 5 was launched on Monday, February 2, just four years after the original launch of the software that allows users to access geographical information through digital maps and satellite photography. The new Google Earth 5 possesses a number of new features and tools that can be used as a valuable resource for education and research.

Google Earth 5 includes a feature called Google Ocean. This tool allows users to interact with three-dimensional maps of the ocean floor. Previously the water was inaccessible in Google Earth. Users can now dive into the ocean depths and view articles and videos about everything from global warming to footage of shipwrecks provided by the National Geographic Society, the British Broadcasting Company, and many other organizations. Scientific data and links provide a vast resource for students, educators, and researchers.

The new Google Earth also includes the Historical Imagery tool. This allows users to archive satellite images of individual locations to track environmental or other physical changes. Users can also view three-dimensional satellite images of Mars with the Google Mars 3D tool.

The new software can be downloaded for free on the Google Web page.

Cardinal Quiz Bowl Features Maps from Ball State University Libraries

Primetime: GRMC Maps on Television Quiz Show

What countries border Paraguay? What is the largest lake in Europe? These are some of the geography map questions high school students must answer correctly on the Cardinal Quiz Bowl. Cardinal Quiz Bowl is a series airing on public television station WIPB in Muncie. According to WIPB producers, Cardinal Quiz Bowl focuses attention on the academic ability of area high school students and brings attention to what Ball State University has to offer. Students are quizzed about current events and their general knowledge of art, English literature, math, science, and, of course, geography.

Each year producers of the show borrow the most current maps available from the Geospatial Resources & Map Collection to use on the show. The first Cardinal Quiz Bowl episode airs on WIPB on Friday, February 27 at 6:00 P.M. The show then airs on Sunday, March 1 at 8:30 A.M. The quiz show then continues to air at the same times on Fridays and Sundays. Maps from the GRMC will be featured on the second, third, sixth, and seventh episodes.

Celebrating Black History Month at Ball State University Libraries

Celebrating Black History Month at University Libraries

The Geospatial Resources & Map Collection will be participating in the Ball State University Libraries’ Black History Month celebration. Using Primary Sources and Maps to Study African American Heritage are informational sessions providing an introduction to the resources from the GRMC, the Archives and Special Collections, and the Digital Media Repository. These sessions are open to the public and are scheduled for February 10 from 12:30 P.M. to 1:30 P.M. and February 18 from 4:00 to 5:00 P.M. Both sessions will be held in Bracken Library Room 210, the Archives and Special Collections.

Researching Black History at Bracken Library are informational sessions providing an introduction to resources from the General Collection, Articles and Databases, and the Music Collection. These sessions will be held on February 11 from 12:00 P.M. to 1:00 P.M. and February 17 from 3:30 P.M. to 4:30 P.M. in Bracken Library Room 215.

Documentary screenings will also be a featured event every Monday evening at 7:00 P.M. in the Bracken Library Forum Room (Room 225): Eyes on the Prize: America’s Civil Rights Years, Volume 1, will be shown on February 2; African American Lives with Henry Louis Gates, Jr., will be shown on February 9; The Murder of Emmett Till will be shown on February 16; and Prince Among Slaves, featuring Mos Def, will be shown on February 23. All showing are free and open to the public.

The windows of the GRMC will be featuring a special exhibit of maps and atlases depicting people and places of Black history, The Geography of Black History. Archives and Special Collections will be presenting Voices of Freedom throughout African American History in the cases outside Room 210. Digital Resources Celebrating Black History Month: A Look Inside the Digital Media Repository is a digital exhibit featuring local citizens, campus events, publications, and milestones and will be presented on the lobby monitors in Bracken Library.

For more information about these events, please contact the Archives and Special Collections at 765/285-5078.

World Wildlife Map Available in Ball State University Libraries

Featured Map: New Wildlife Map in the Geospatial Resources & Map Collection

The Geospatial Resources & Map Collection on the second floor of Bracken Library has a new world wildlife map available for research and learning. “The World of Wild Animals” is a large (30” x 38”) laminated map depicting the world habitats of 197 wild animals. This colorful map features drawings of some of the animals and lists names at the bottom. The map would be an excellent visual aid for a speech on wildlife conservation or for elementary education students teaching a lesson on the animals of the world. The map is available for circulation for two week or longer.

Atlas of World Wildlife is also available in the University Libraries General Collection, and the Educational Resources Collection has two atlases describing animals of the world—Rand McNally Children’s Atlas of World Wildlife and Atlas of Wildlife.

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

New Delaware County GIS Web Page Available

Delaware County Launches New Public Access GIS Web Site

From the Delaware County GIS Office Newsletter:

Delaware County has launched a new GIS Web site with increased functionality, speed, and simplicity of use. The Beacon interactive public access tool provided by the Schneider Corporation allows users to view county and city information, public records and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) data via an online portal. The site combines both web-based GIS and web-based reporting tools including CAMA (property database), assessment, and tax information into one user-friendly web application.

Delaware County will work with Schneider to incorporate the county’s new property database when it comes online in early 2009. (The GIS Office hopes) to provide additional property information through the site that has previously only been available on printed property cards such as information about structures, number of rooms, square footage, year built, assessed value and much more. Street-level photographs are planned to be added once they have been collected by the Assessor’s office. An automatic update process will be set in place that will ensure the property records, as well as any dynamic GIS data will be updated to the web site from the County’s GIS server on a nightly basis.

Currently, users can search by owner name, property address, or parcel number (13-digit PIN/Sidwell number). Search results, reports, and maps can be printed or saved as an Adobe Acrobat pdf with the ability to customize the print layout, title, and other elements. Users can also send web site links (URLs) to specific property records. The site allows users to select multiple properties on the map to create custom lists, which users will be able to download as a spreadsheet or mailing labels. Advanced selection tools will allow you to select parcels or other map features within a distance that the user specifies.

Additional functionality includes the ability to retrieve Section Corner Monument information and download the tie sheet surveys in a .pdf format. Several transportation GIS layers are available including traffic counts, average annual daily traffic, railroad crossings, road functional classification, and bridge inventory. The newly-created and recently officially approved Delaware County and City of Muncie zoning layer is also available. Two years of aerial photography is available, the 2005 12” resolution color photography, as well as the new 2008 6” resolution photography.

The Delaware County Geographic Information Systems Department Office Web page is located at http://www.co.delaware.in.us/department/index.asp?fDD=25-0 . For more information, contact Kyle Johnson, GIS coordinator, at 765/213-1269.

"Imagine Where You Could Be" Exhibit in University Libraries

“Imagine Where You Could Be” Exhibit in University Libraries

The Ball State University College of Architecture & Planning (CAP) Archives and the Geospatial Resources & Map Collection are featuring an exhibit aimed at relieving winter blues. The “Imagine Where You Could Be…” exhibit features items related to summer activities and tropical destinations.

The CAP Archives exhibit is located in the display cases just west of the Architecture Library. This part of the exhibit features documents and drawings like a preliminary sketch of a drive-in movie theater, a plot plan of a baseball park, and even a detailed diagram of mixed drinks, created using architectural symbols. These materials are all part of the CAP Archives collection.

The Geospatial Resources & Map Collection is displaying maps of tropical destinations as part of the exhibit (shown above) on the second floor of Bracken Library. This part of the exhibit features maps of St. Thomas of the U.S. Virgin Islands, a map of Suva in Fiji, and a map of the island of Anguilla. These maps are part of the GRMC collection.

This exhibit will be available through the middle of February. For more information about this exhibit or the materials featured, please contact the staff of the GRMC at 765/285-1097 or Brian Knowles of the CAP Archives at 765/285-5078.

GRMC Open for MLK Holiday

GRMC Open for Holiday on Monday, January 19

Classes will not be in session at Ball State University for the Martin Luther King, Junior holiday; however, the Geospatial Resources & Map Collection, will be open for regular business hours on Monday from 8:00 to 5:00. University Libraries will be open on the holiday from 7:00 A.M. to 3:00 A.M.

2008 Review for the Geospatial Resources & Map Collection

Geospatial Resources & Map Collection 2008 Year in Review

The Geospatial Resources & Map Collection on the second floor of Bracken Library provided services to a variety of students, faculty, and community members and organizations over the course of 2008. Students and researchers used the maps, atlases, GIS software, and other resources of the GRMC for knowledge creation and classroom instruction.

The list of classes using the GRMC in 2008 is extremely diverse: geography, urban planning, historic preservation, landscape architecture, architecture, anthropology, art, history, communications, construction management, geology, elementary and secondary education, political science, sociology, music, Spanish, and biology.

The GRMC also hosted specific classes using maps, atlases, GIS, and other resources. Students in English classes learned how to use maps and atlases as visual aids in papers and presentations and how to cite maps properly. The students were asked to find a map that related to a research paper on elections.

Social studies methods classes learned how to use maps and atlases in their classrooms. Women’s studies classes learned about maps and atlases related to women’s issues. Students in these classes also learned about the new online tutorials and guides for lesson plans and women’s studies issues on the GRMC Web page.

Students in geography visited the GRMC to complete a special project about urban development. The students were able to track the growth of various American cities using historical and current maps from the Collection. Earth, Sea, and Sky geography students used topographic maps from the GRMC in their classrooms (shown above) to study the effects of flooding and urban sprawl on landscapes. Other maps from the GRMC were used in classroom projects for Natural Resources and Environmental Management and education programs at the Ball State Museum of Art.

Maps from the GRMC were also used for the Rinker Center for International Program’s weekly Culture Exchange presentations. And maps of dozens of countries provided the backdrop for the booths at the Center’s International Festival in November.

Journalism students learned how to use GIS software to create maps for the news. This information is also available as an online tutorial on the GRMC Web page. Foundations of Education students used census data from the GIS lab in the GRMC to create custom maps about various school districts for immersive learning projects.

The GRMC also provided workshops on GIS technology to faculty and staff. Introduction to GIS and Google Maps on the Web were custom classes offered by the GIS Specialist in the GRMC.

Keeping track of the numbers for the past year: 2,782 items were circulated from the GRMC in 2008; 2389 reference projects were researched using 21,949 items in the room; GIS software was used 336 times; 1,353 people used the large-format plotters for printing; and 35 classes with 738 participants were given instructional sessions.

For more information about using the resources of the GRMC for your classroom or to schedule an instructional tour, please contact Melissa Gentry at 765/285-1097 or mgentry@bsu.edu. The GRMC is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 to 5:00, but evening classes can be accommodated.

Rare Maps of Ottoman Empire at Ball State University Libraries

Focus: Turkey
Rare Maps of the Ottoman Empire in Ball State University Libraries

In honor of the Thanksgiving holiday, the Geospatial Resources & Map Collection (GRMC) is featuring an exhibit of rare maps of the Ottoman Empire, which is centered in present-day Turkey.

The GRMC has two rare maps of the Ottoman Empire from 1877. The first is titled The Cross and Crescent—Harper’s Pictorial Map of the Seat of War in the East and was a supplement to Harper’s Weekly magazine in June 1877. Map of the Ottoman Empire, Kingdom of Greece and the Russian Provinces on the Black Sea was an extra supplement in the Illustrated London News on April 21, 1877. Ball State University Libraries is listed in WorldCat as the only library in the world possessing these two unique maps.

Carte Generale L’Empire Ottoman is another map of the Ottoman Empire in the GRMC. This map was created by Dietrich Reimer in 1867 and is mounted on canvas. The glossary on the map is written in Greek, Turkish, Arabic, and Persian. Ball State University Libraries is one of three in the world with this map according to WorldCat.

The GRMC also includes a reproduction of a map of Imperial Turkey from 1737, a map of the conquests of Murad I and Bayezid I, and reproductions of maps of Constantinople from 1493, 1572, and 1635.

Current road and tourist maps of Turkey are also available from the GRMC. Several maps of Turkish cities are in the Collection, including Ankara, Istanbul, and Izmir.

All maps from the GRMC can be circulated for two weeks or longer. For more information about these maps of Turkey or any other maps in the GRMC, please contact Melissa Gentry at 765/285-1097.

Thanksgiving Holiday Hours in the GRMC

Thanksgiving Hours for the Geospatial Resources & Map Collection

The Geospatial Resources & Map Collection will be closed on Thursday, November 27 and Friday, November 28 for the Thanksgiving holiday. The Geospatial Resources & Map Collection will resume regular business hours (Monday through Friday 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.) on Monday, December 1.

National Geography Awareness Week and GIS Day in University Libraries

GRMC Celebrates National Geography Awareness Week and GIS Day

The Geospatial Resources & Map Collection (GRMC) on the second floor of Bracken Library is celebrating National Geography Awareness Week November 17-21, 2008, including GIS Day on November 19.

The theme for the 2008 National Geography Awareness Week is “The Americas.” The GRMC is featuring an exhibit of National Geographic’s Americas map. Each day ten questions will be listed next to the map in the front window of the GRMC. Test your geographic knowledge with this daily geography challenge. The goal is to answer the questions without looking at the accompanying map.

The GRMC is also hosting a GIS Day Open House from 9:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. on Wednesday, November 19. Visitors can discover how to access online and in-house GIS data, learn how GIS is being used by various departments at Ball State University, learn about in-house and online GIS tutorials, and request access to GIS software, workshops, and one-on-one training.

Please contact the GRMC at 765/285-1097 for more information about National Geography Awareness Week and GIS Day.

Ball State University Students Create Indiana Food Trail Maps

Indiana Foods Trail Maps Created by Ball State University Students

The Indiana Building Better Communities initiative was created to spur economic development in the state. The Business Fellows program at Ball State University is part of that initiative, and last year students from the program worked to create a project and Web site promoting Indiana’s traditional foods.

“Students in the program partnered with Indiana Foodways…to establish the non-profit start-up,” according to Claire Arbogast in an article, "A Recipe for Mouth-Watering Tourism," in the Ball State Alumnus magazine’s November 2008 issue. “Students devoted hours to building the Indiana Foodways’ brand identity and Web site http://www.indianafoodways.com/, producing food-story broadcasts and articles…building a database of Indiana-made foods and a photography resource library…and designing promotions.”

The students created eight culinary trails that cross the state featuring Indiana staple foods like the sugar cream pie, tenderloins, candy companies, tea rooms, and bakeries, including Concannon’s Pastry Shop in Muncie. The “interactive maps help you plan wonderful day and overnight trips so that you can discover where some of the most incredible food can be found right here in Indiana.” Tourists can download PDF files of the trail information.

University Libraries’ GIS Specialist Creates Research Maps of Indiana Education

Research in the GRMC: Mapping Test Scores for the Indiana Education Project

By Angela S. Gibson

Angela Gibson, GIS Specialist in the University Libraries Geospatial Resources & Map Collection (GRMC), recently collaborated with Ginny Burney, a consultant of High Ability Education with the Indiana Education Project in the Teachers College, to create GIS data and maps.

Tabular data collected by Dr. Burney from the Indiana Department of Education Web site was linked to existing GIS shapefiles of Indiana school district boundaries that were downloaded from the IndianaMap Web site, http://www.indianamap.org/. The combination of this data was used to create new GIS layers that were entered into a digital map showing Advanced Placement test performances according to school corporation boundaries in the state using the ESRI ArcGIS 9.3 software. Two additional maps were also created showing the school district demographic types and the number of graduates for the school corporations.

The data shown on the maps will be used by Dr. Burney to demonstrate findings in research that reveal few small and/or rural schools are preparing many, if any, of their students at the level that is predictive of college graduation, according to the Advanced Placement measure. These GIS-generated maps will be shared at presentations around the state, in Dr. Burney’s graduate classes for Indiana teachers, and with key legislators in an effort to investigate solutions for this problem.

For more information, please contact Angela Gibson in the GRMC at 765/285-1097.

GIS IndianaMap Road Show at Minnetrista Cultural Center

GIS Map “Road Show” in Muncie

The Indiana Geographic Information Council (IGIC) is presenting a series of “Road Shows” designed to inform Hoosiers—especially those in local government—how the IndianaMap legislation is changing GIS across the state. The legislation was enacted last year and mandates the creation of a single, statewide, digital map for Indiana.

The next “Road Show” will be held on Tuesday, November 18 at Minnetrista Cultural Center in Muncie, Indiana, from 10:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. Specific topics will include data sharing between different levels of government, funding opportunities, and future IndianaMap initiatives. Morning sessions will provide information about the map project: its benefits, impact, and long-term goals. Speakers will demonstrate how local data is already being incorporated into the IndianaMap and outline grants available to local governments to support their participation. Afternoon sessions will focus on Web Feature Services (WFS). This new technology will be the mechanism for combining data into a seamless statewide map. Speakers will be Jim Sparks, Indiana Geographic Information Officer, Phil Worrall, IGIC Executive Director, and representatives from the Indiana Department of Homeland Security. A technical presentation on WFS will be given by Jeff Ehman of Image Matters.

For more information about the “Road Show” events, please contact the Indiana Geographic Information Council at 317/234-2924.

Native American Heritage Month Events at Ball State University Libraries

Native American Heritage Month Events at Ball State University Libraries

Dr. Kenan L. Metzger, assistant professor in the Ball State University Department of English, will speak at Bracken Library in the Forum Room tonight, November 12, at 7:30 P.M. Dr. Metzger will present, Native Ways of Knowing Along with Traditional Western Thought, a program sponsored by the Friends of the Alexander M. Bracken Library.

Dr. Metzger’s research reveals that educational institutions continue to either negatively portray or ignore the Native American experience, which adversely affects the lives of students and faculty. In his talk, Dr. Metzger will discuss ways that educators can provide more collaborative experiences in the classroom and incorporate individual cultural experiences.

This presentation coincides with a new exhibit on the second floor of Bracken Library for Native American Heritage Month. The Archives and Special Collections, the Geospatial Resources and Map collection, and Educational Resources Collections collaborated to display various items for the exhibit located in the display cases outside the Archives. Photographs from the Miami Indian photo collection, historical texts, and books from the Archives and Special Collection are featured in the exhibit. The Geospatial Resources and Map Collection provided maps showing the location of Delaware settlements along the White River, the Navajo Nation, Indian Tribes and Trapper Trails, a map highlighting the influence of the Indian on Indiana natural and cultural location names, and many others. Educational Resources Collections exhibited several unique Indian artifacts, including a rawhide rattle, a peace pipe, a breast plate, and a shield. The Anthropology Department also provided pottery and arrowheads for the exhibit.

The exhibit, Native America at the Crossroads: Resources Celebrating Native American Heritage Month, will be on display from November 12 through December 31, 2008.

The GRMC is also featuring a Native American map for the “Map of the Month” exhibit for November. The map, Native American Heritage: A Visitor’s Guide, was produced by the National Geographic Society in 1991 and includes inset maps of “Great Plains, “The First Americans,” “Eastern Woodlands,” “Desert West,” and the “Far West.”

For more information about the special exhibit or the presentation, please contact John Straw, Assistant Dean for Digital Initiatives and Special Collections and Executive Secretary for the Friends of the Alexander M. Bracken Library, at 765/285-5078.

Ball State University Maps Featured in Veterans Day Exhibit

Maps from Ball State University Libraries Featured in Local Veterans Day Exhibit

Several maps from the Geospatial Resources & Map Collection will be featured in a local elementary school’s Veterans Day exhibit. Charity Loveless, a student-teacher from Ball State University, consulted with the GRMC to create the special display for Shenandoah Elementary School in Middletown, Indiana.

Over twenty war-related maps will be featured in the exhibit. The maps date back to World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Persian Gulf War, the civil war in Yugoslavia, and the current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Maps and other images from atlases from the University Libraries Collection were also displayed. One poster (shown) created from the atlas images showed several U.S. presidents and generals using maps during a press conferences, meetings, and battles during wartime.

Miss Loveless was excited about introducing the young students to original maps from the war era. The maps will be a colorful, historical addition to the special Veterans Day celebration at the school, which is attended by students, staff, family and community members, and veterans.

For more information about using maps from the GRMC for a special school or other community exhibit, please contact the staff at 765/285-1097.

International Festival Held at Ball State University Libraries

Ball State University Libraries Welcome the World

The annual Rinker Center for International Programs’ International Festival was held in the lobby of Bracken Library on Friday, November 7. The festival featured booths representing over thirty countries from around the world.

Students shared information about their home countries, displaying artifacts, artwork, maps, photographs, and even videos. Visitors were invited to taste the various foods and drinks offered at the different booths. Music from around the world played throughout the festival, and a fashion show exhibited the beautiful clothing worn across the globe.

The Geospatial Resources & Map Collection provided maps used during the festival. This year maps from every country were displayed in the booths, including Taiwan, Pakistan, China, Korea, Russia, Uruguay, Jamaica, Botswana, Burkina Faso, and many more nations around the globe. Educational Resources Collections provided a poster of the flags of the world so that visitors to the Festival could identify the flags decorating the stairwell in the lobby.

A fashion show, music, dance, and other performances will be held at 6:30 P.M. Friday in the Fine Arts Building.

Report from the Ball State University Storm Chase Team

Report from the Ball State University Storm Chase Team

Each summer the Ball State University Storm Chase Team travels through the middle of America researching thunderstorms, tornadoes, and other extreme weather conditions. The mission of the team is “to provide the east-central Indiana community…timely information regarding the state of severe thunderstorms within the local area.” The team hopes their research will provide more understanding about the atmospheric environment of the area.

This year the team was led by Dr. David Call, Assistant Professor in the Department of Geography. The team traveled the Plains from May 19 through June 3, passing through nine states and covering 6,000 miles. The team went from Indiana through Illinois and Iowa to Nebraska, then chased storms into Colorado, spent time in Kansas, and wandered into Oklahoma and Texas. Then the team ventured back to Kansas and Missouri. Most of the time was spent in Kansas. “The class was a success. We saw a tornado, and nothing bad occurred,” according to Dr. Call. Photographs of the trip can be viewed at http://dacall.shutterfly.com/?emid=collectview&linkid=link4

Dr. Call is looking forward to the 2009 trip, and student interest is growing. For more information about the Ball State University Storm Chase Team, phone 765/285-1766 or visit http://www.bsu.edu/web/stormchasers/

Google Maps Technology Used for Online Map Collection

University Libraries Use Google’s My Maps to Create Interactive Maps for the Sanborn Map Collection of Muncie in the Digital Media Repository

Students, faculty, and researchers searching for Sanborn® Fire Insurance Maps of Muncie in the University Libraries’ Digital Media Repository now have a new tool for using the collection: a Google map. Angela Gibson, GIS Specialist in the Geospatial Resources and Map Collection, created Google maps showing the locations of the 200 individual map sheets for Sanborn® Fire Insurance Maps of Muncie, Indiana.

The insurance maps depict Muncie’s commercial, industrial, and residential sections in 1883, 1887, 1892, 1896, 1902, and 1911, and were produced by the Sanborn Map Company to assist fire insurance agents in determining the degree of hazard for establishing premiums for particular properties. This new resource will greatly aid researchers in locating and analyzing the changes of a specific area of Muncie over the years. The Google map is also beneficial because students and faculty can see how the study area currently appears. Users can view the Google map with satellite images turned on or with only roads activated.

Google My Maps was used to create this interactive map because of its ease of use, and many people are already familiar with the Google Maps format. My Maps also integrates well with ESRI ArcGIS software. For the Sanborn collection, the maps were created in ArcMap and then exported as KML files. Once in this format, they were imported into Google My Maps, where the maps could be customized and linked to records in the Digital Media Repository.

To access the Sanborn Map Collection Interactive Map, click on View Google Maps of this Collection, from the Sanborn® Fire Insurance Maps Collection main page in the DMR, http://libx.bsu.edu/collection.php?CISOROOT=/SanbrnMps, or access this resource directly at
http://libx.bsu.edu/cdm4/sanborn_google.php.

Election Cartographic Resources in Ball State University Libraries

Election Selections: Resources Available in the Geospatial Resources and Map Collection

Election Day is only weeks away, 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.

University Libraries’ Geospatial Resources and Map Collection (GRMC) houses many maps, atlases, and other resources about elections--both current and historical. Maps depicting 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 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 National Atlas of the United States of America: Presidential Elections, 1789-2000. This map (shown above), published by the federal government, shows how each state voted in every presidential election since 1789 with red states depicted as Democratic and blue states as Republican. It features a larger map of the election results of the controversial 2000 election. The main map displays the popular vote by county; an inset map shows the results of the electoral vote. Indiana presents an interesting study in cultural history on the map: Indiana has voted for the Republican candidate in all but four presidential elections since 1896.

The Atlas Collection also provides excellent election resources. 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 new cartographic study guide from the GRMC, Cartographic Resources for Political Science and Election Research, at http://www.bsu.edu/library/media/pdf/poliscienceresourcesguide.pdf. Voters may even find these election resources helpful in making their Election Day selections.

The GRMC is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.

Environmental Study Guide Available in University Libraries

Cartographic Resources Guide for Environmental Studies Available from Ball State University Libraries

The Geospatial Resources & Map Collection on the second floor of Bracken Library includes many resources for researchers studying issues of the environment. The Map Collection includes flood plain maps for numerous areas, topographic maps for areas around the world, soil surveys and maps from counties around the country, Gap Analysis electronic resources for land cover, forest types, and other factors, maps of important farmlands in counties around the United States, natural gas and other energy maps, and national and state park and forest maps. Maps of the rainforest, endangered species, desertification, and wetlands are available in the GRMC.

The Atlas Collection also includes many resources for environmental studies. Several atlases about water resources, endangered species, and threatened environments are available in the Collection. One Planet, Many People: Atlas of Our Changing Environment features maps and images on global environmental change, human beings effect on nature, nature conservation, and international cooperation in environmental protection. Other atlases focus on one specific environmental issue or threatened area—Atlas of the Great Barrier Reef, The Last Rain Forests: A World Conservation Atlas, Solar Radiation Energy Resource Atlas of the United States, Conservation Atlas of Tropical Forests: Asia and the Pacific.

Now researchers can access a complete list of all the cartographic resources for environmental studies on the GRMC Web page. A new study guide is available at http://www.bsu.edu/library/article/0,,59405--,00.html. Call numbers and locations of the maps and atlases are listed so that users can easily find relevant materials for their studies.

For more information about this study guide or any of the resources listed, please contact the staff of the GRMC at 765/285-1097.

Culture Exchange Programs in Bracken Library

International Center Culture Exchange Programs Held Weekly in Bracken Library

The Ball State University Rinker Center for International Programs is once again sponsoring the Culture Exchange program. Each week a speaker will present a program about a particular country. The Culture Exchanges begin at noon and are being held this year in Bracken Library room 225, the Forum Room. Attendees are welcome to bring a sack lunch or snack.

The schedule for upcoming presentations includes:

Nepal—October 8
Digital Down Under: Australia—October 15
Mexico—October 22
Botswana—October 29
Thailand—November 5
China—November 12
Russia—November 19
Turkmenistan—December 3

The Rinker Center is also sponsoring the annual International Festival (shown above) on November 7. The Ifest will be held again this year in the lobby of Bracken Library.

For more information about these programs, please contact Debra Goens, Director of International Student Services, at 765/285-5422.

Ball State University Libraries Map Shows Russian/American Border

Alaska Map from the GRMC Reveals Close Proximity of Russia and the United States

More Americans are becoming aware of the border between Russia and the United States thanks in part to John McCain’s selection of Sarah Palin, Governor of Alaska, as his running mate in the presidential election. The Bering Strait separates the two countries, and the islands in the Strait are considered strategically important.

The Diomedes Islands lie on either side of the International Date Line in the Bering Strait. When Alaska was purchased from Russia, Big Diomede Island remained Russian, but Little Diomede became territory of the United States. During the winter season, the channel between the two islands freezes over, making it possible to walk the approximately 2.5 miles between them. America’s Little Diomede is about thirty miles from Siberia. St. Lawrence Island lies about forty miles from Siberia.

The islands and their proximity to Russia to the northwest are shown on the map above. (Click on the map for a larger view). This map of Alaska was produced by the National Geographic Society in 1994 and is available for circulation from the Geospatial Resources & Map Collection on the second floor of Bracken Library. The call number for the map is G4370 1994.N31.