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.

What Middle Town Read Exhibit at Ball State University Libraries

From the Archives and Special Collections Blog

What Middletown Read Exhibit at Ball State University Libraries

A new exhibit in Archives and Special Collections on the second floor of Bracken Library tells the story of What Middletown Read.  The exhibit, “What Middletown Read: Building a Digital Tool to Uncover the Past” runs from March 11 to June 28.  

Since the original Middletown study conducted by Robert and Helen Lynd in the 1920s, which resulted in the seminal work Middletown: A Study in American Culture and was followed by many other studies and projects on Middletown, Muncie has been perhaps the most studied community in the world.  In 2011, a new project resulted in information about the reading habits of residents of Middle America as represented by the citizens of Muncie. 

The What Middletown Read project was born from a discovery of library ledgers containing circulation records from 1891-1902 that were uncovered during a renovation of the Muncie Public Library in 2003.  Dr. Frank Felsenstein, Reed D. Voran Honors Distinguished Professor in Humanities and Professor of English at Ball State University, was in the Muncie Public Library preparing for a class on the history of the book when he discovered the treasure trove of ledgers and other documents and brought them to light.  Out of that find came a collaboration between Ball State University and the Muncie Public library that led to development of the “What Middletown Read Database” (accessible at www.bsu.edu/libraries/wmr) 

The creation of this database has enabled researchers to take a deeper look into Muncie’s past and uncover a sense of the life and culture of the late 1800s based on what people were reading and who they were.  Stephanie Mathis, a student in Dr. Felsenstein’s Honors College class in 2007, also created a map showing the locations of the original readers georeferenced on a map of Muncie.  This map is currently exhibited in the windows of the GIS Research and Map Collection on the second floor of Bracken Library.

To discover more about this research tool, its creation, and the research results generated, visit Ball State University Libraries’ Bracken Library outside Room BL 210.  For more information on the exhibit, contact Archives and Special Collections at 765-285-5078 or email libarchives@bsu.edu.  

Ball State University Libraries' Indiana High School Basketball Tournament Map

March Map-ness: Indiana High School Boys Basketball Champions Map at Ball State Univeristy Libraries

The Ball State University Libraries' GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) created this map (click to enlarge) of Indiana High School Boys Basketball Champions for a March 2012 exhibit to coincide with the beginning of the high school state basketball tournament.  The map shows the locations of the state champions in boys basketball from 1911 with Crawfordsville High School to 1997 with Bloomington North, just before class basketball was introduced in the tournament in 1998.  The hometown team, Muncie Central, leads the state with eight championships during that time.

The map is also available for printing or use in the classroom from the University Libraries' Cardinal Scholar: http://cardinalscholar.bsu.edu/handle/123456789/195245

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

Vatican City Maps Available from Ball State University Libraries

Maps in the News:  Vatican City Maps Available from Ball State University Libraries

Tens of thousands of people gathered in St. Peter’s Square on Wednesday for the final papal audience of Pope Benedict.  Ball State University Libraries’ GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) on the second floor of Bracken Library features several maps of Vatican City.

Vatican City is located completely with the city of Rome, Italy, and the “popout” map of Rome is a small folded map published in 2008 that includes a map of the grounds.  A 1995 National Geographic map of Italy also features an inset map of the grounds of the Holy See. 

The top map shown above was published by the Central Intelligence Agency and shows the location of the radio station, the post office, and the Papal Printing Office.  The second map shown above is a topographic map of Rome published by the Defense Mapping Agency by the War Office in 1943.

The third map shown of the Vatican City, Citta Del Vaticano, was published by the Visceglia Geographic Institute in Italian.  St. Peter’s Square is identified as “Piazza S. Pietro” on the map, and “Giardini Vaticani” marks the location of the gardens.  “Pinacoteca” is the Art Gallery located on the grounds.

Maps from the GRMC may be circulated for two weeks or longer.  The GRMC is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 to 5:00.  

Maps of Iran at Ball State University Libraries

Maps in the News:  Tehran, Iran Maps during the Time of Argo

The Ball State University Libraries’ GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) has a large collection of maps and atlases of Iran and the Middle East. The collection includes new and historic topographic, tourist, geological, and street maps.

Iran Country Profile is a map of the country created in 2004 by the Central Intelligence Agency. This map includes a comparative area map, location map, and a list of major historical events in Iran since 1908. The map features ancillary maps of regional physiography, population density, ethno-religious distribution, key petroleum sector facilities, Southern Caspian energy prospects, and the Strait of Hormuz. The GRMC also includes the most up-to-date country report maps from the Central Intelligence Agency.

The Map Collection includes road maps, physical maps, tourist maps of the country, provinces, and cities, and maps of the people of Iran. Many of these maps are printed in English, Persian, and French. Some of the historical maps in the Collection feature bright illustrations of local costumes and handicrafts. A map titled Iran (Persia), Afghanistan, and Baluchistan dates from the 1930’s and features caravan routes.

The GRMC also includes a set of international nautical charts including the areas surrounding Iran. Many of these nautical charts include basic maps of coastal areas.

Maps of the cities of Iran include a set of varied maps of Tehran. The New Map of Tehran includes telephone directories for accommodations for tourists and distance charts.  The map shown above (click to enlarge) identifies the location of the former United States Embassy in Tehran. The map was published in 1978, so the street names of nearby Roosevelt and America and even Shahreza have been changed since the revolution in Iran.

The Atlas Collection includes several atlases of Iran. The Historical Atlas of Iran and Atlas d’Iran are newer materials. The Atlas d’Iran is printed in French with English captions. This atlas includes an entire section featuring numerous maps of the city of Tehran. The 1956 Atlas of Geological Maps of Southwest Persia was published by an oil company. An atlas about Iran’s White Revolution is also located in the Atlas Collection.

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

Ball State University Libraries' Presentation on Historic Preservation in Muncie

From Magic City to Shrinking City: Historic Preservation in Muncie in the 21^st Century

The Friends of Alexander M. Bracken Library are pleased to present From Magic City to Shrinking City: Historic Preservation in Muncie in the 21^st Century presented by William P. Morgan, Historic Preservation Officer for the City of Muncie, on Monday, February 18, 2013, at 7:30 pm in Bracken Library room 104.

Free parking is available in the Emens Parking Structure after 7:00 pm, and the presentation is free and open to the public.

For more information, please call John Straw, Assistant Dean for Digital Initiatives and Special Collections at 765-285-5078.

(Image of Wysor Grand Theater, Muncie, from the Ball State University Libraries' Digital Media Repository)

Libya, Algeria, Mali, and North Korea Maps Available from Ball State University Libraries

Maps in the News:  Libya, Algeria, Mali, and North Korea

News this week has been focused on the new terror threats in Mali and Algeria, coverage of the Congressional hearings on Benghazi, Libya, and missile testing in North Korea.  The Ball State University Libraries’ GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) on the second floor of Bracken Library includes thousands of historic and modern maps of places around the world.  The most up-to-date maps of countries around the world 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 including photographs, oral history interviews, film footage, 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.

This collection of current maps of the world provides an excellent resource for research and for use in the classroom.  The maps are clear and easy to read can be conveniently downloaded for use as a visual aid in papers and presentations.

For more information, contact John B. Straw, Assistant Dean for Digital Initiatives and Special Collections, at 765-285-5078.  Contact the GRMC at 765-285-1097.  

Health And Wellness Maps from Ball State University Libraries

Mapping the Flu:  Health and Wellness Maps Available in Ball State University Libraries

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), an early and “moderate to severe flu season” has prompted officials to declare a public health emergency in Boston, Massachusetts.  Over 700 people have been diagnosed with the virus compared to only 70 at this time last year.

The top map above (click to enlarge) shows the geographic locations of the virus in the last week of 2012.  The brown states are areas where the reported cases of the flu are widespread.  Orange shows regional outbreaks, and the yellow-green of the District of Columbia indicates only local cases.  In the first week of 2013, however, the CDC is now reporting 44 states fall into the “widespread” category.

The CDC Web page is an excellent resource for tracking information about health and wellness issues in the United States.  For world health information, the World Health Organization offers an online Map Gallery that includes the surveillance of diseases and other health and safety issues around the world.

The Ball State University Libraries’ Atlas Collection on the second floor of Bracken Library also includes valuable cartographic resources for health research.  The State of Health Atlas includes hundreds of maps and charts related to a variety of health questions, including mental health issues like suicide (map shown above).

The Tobacco Atlas available in the Atlas Collection was funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and includes maps and charts about tobacco-related diseases around the world.  The chart above shows the top male smoking populations around the world, with China’s male smoking population equaling the entire population of the United States.

The Allyn Bacon Social Atlas of the United States focuses more on health-related maps and charts in the U.S.  The atlas features maps and charts about birth rates, life expectancy, AIDS, pandemic diseases, cancer, and health insurance coverage (map shown above).

The State of the World Atlas, The State of Women in the World Atlas, Atlas of Global Development, Student Atlas of Anthropology, Growing Up in America, and other atlases in the Collection also include maps, photographs, and charts useful in health and wellness research.  Atlases may be circulated for 28 days or longer, and the maps can be easily scanned for inclusion in papers and presentations.

For more information about the Atlas Collection or other cartographic resources, please contact the GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) at 765-285-1097.

Mexican Artifacts and Maps on Display at Ball State University Libraries

Mexican Artifacts on Display in Bracken Library

The Ball State University Department of Modern Languages and Classics is sponsoring an exhibit of Mexican archaeological artifacts in Bracken Library.  The National Institute of Anthropology and History Museum of Mexico donated twenty unique pieces for an exhibit on the second floor of Bracken Library in the display cases on the north side of the Archives and Special Collections.  

The exhibit commemorated the visit of the Deputy Consul of Mexico, Guillermo Gutierrez, and a representative from the Mexican Consulate in Indianapolis on January 4.  Adam Ballart, Instructor of Spanish, curated the exhibit and was responsible for bringing the international delegation to the Ball State University campus.

The exhibit features artifacts from various cultures and regions of Mexico, including Teotihuacan, Chupicuaro, Mexica, Maya, Olmec, and Zapotec.  The age of the artifacts range from the periods between 1200 B.C. and 1521 A.D.

Maps from the Ball State University Libraries’ GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) were included in the display.  The maps show the locations of some of the cultural areas and important archaeological sites of Mexico and ancient Central America.

The special artifacts and maps will be on display until March 22, 2013.

For more information about using maps for exhibits and presentations, please contact the GRMC at 765-285-1097.

By the Numbers: 2012 in the Ball State University Libraries' GIS Research and Map Collection

Students, faculty, and staff from a variety of departments used the maps, atlases, GIS software, color plotters, and other resources of the Ball State University Libraries’ GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) in Bracken Library in 2012.  In fact, the list of departments is extremely diverse:  Geography, Urban Planning, Historic Preservation, Landscape Architecture, Architecture, Anthropology, History, Biology, and Construction Management.  Visitors completed projects and research for classes in English, Art, Elementary Education, Natural Resources and Environmental Management, Journalism, Sociology, Political Science, and Modern Languages and Classics.

By the numbers:  Staff of the GRMC provided instructional sessions on cartographic resources to 86 classes with 1,828 students.  2,752 maps were circulated; 2,336 cartographic reference questions were researched using 23,949 maps and other resources in the GRMC. GIS software was used by 763 visitors to the GIS Research Area or with the assistance of the GIS Specialist.  1,478 people used the large-format color plotters for printing posters for presentations, and 315 items were laminated using the large-format laminator.  And this GRMC Blog had 61,716 page views in 2012.

Contact the GRMC about any of these services or resources at 765-285-1097 Monday through Friday.

Holiday Hours for the GRMC

Holiday Hours for the GIS Research and Map Collection

Ball State University Libraries’ GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) will be closing today, December 21, at 3:00 p.m.  The GRMC will reopen and resume normal business hours at 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday, December 26.  The GRMC will close at 3:00 p.m. on December 31 and be closed on New Year’s Day.  Normal 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. business hours resume on January 2.

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.

Maps of New York City Available from Ball State University Libraries

Maps of New York City, Queens, and Lower Manhattan Available from Ball State University Libraries

The Ball State University Libraries' GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) on the second floor of Bracken Library has a collection of over 200 maps of New York City and the surrounding area.  And the Atlas Collection includes dozens of atlases of New York and the five boroughs, including New York: The Photo Atlas: An Aerial Tour of All Five Boroughs published in 2004.

The aerial map shown above depicts the area of Lower Manhattan and Battery Park.  This part of Manhattan is identified as a mandatory evacuation area for Hurricane Sandy.

The street map of New York published in 2008 (click to enlarge) shows the area’s location between the Hudson and East Rivers.  Battery Park City and the Financial District are identified on the map.  The colored circles mark the subway lines.  Manhattan Bridge and the Brooklyn Bridge are also shown on the map.

The final map shows the Breezy Point neighborhood in the Rockaways of Queens just below the channel below Brooklyn.  This is the area devastated by over 50 house fires on the night of the hurricane landfall.  The map also identifies the location of the Coney Island Boardwalk, to the north of Breezy Point.  This map, 2008 New York City Cycling Map, shows bike paths, lanes, and routes--both existing and proposed.  The map also identifies bike shops, parks, transit facilities, and a directory to cycling resources and other places of interest.

The GRMC has topographic maps, subway maps, street maps, and travel guides available for research, learning, or for planning vacations.  The iMap of New York includes a 12-page city guide complete with a working compass on the map.  The map includes the locations of theaters, subways, restaurants, an inset map of New York Harbor, and a map of neighborhoods.

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

For more information about these maps, atlases, or other available cartographic resources, please contact the GRMC at 765-285-1097.