Map Exhibit Features Cell Phone Driving Laws

Map of State-by-State Cell Phone Driving Laws

Drivers planning a summer road trip across the country may wish to print a copy of this map for their records. The map shows state-by-state laws involving driving and using cell phones. Most of the laws will be valid by July if not already in effect. Drivers may add purchasing a headset to their summer vacation planning to-do list in order to avoid being fined for cell phone use.

A large copy of the map is featured in an exhibit in the Geospatial Resources & Map Collection windows on the second floor of Bracken Library.

The map was featured in Wired magazine. (Sources: Governors Highway Safety Association, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety).

Maps of Laos Available in University Libraries

Laos Maps and Atlases Available in University Libraries

The third stop of the “Where in the World Is Matt Lauer?” adventure takes the Today Show host to Southeast Asia, to the landlocked Communist country of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, more commonly Laos. The Geospatial Resources & Map Collection and the Atlas Collection in Bracken Library have several resources for travelers wishing to also visit Laos, known as the “Realm of a Million Elephants.”

A travel map of Cambodia and Laos from 2003 is available in the GRMC for checkout. This map features inset maps of major tourist attractions and Vientiane City. The map shows four categories of roads throughout the country, and the map is printed in English and French. Another map of the region, Cambodge, Laos, Viet Nam, shows relief in shading and spot heights. This map is printed in English, French, German, and Hungarian.

The Atlas Collection adjacent to the GRMC on the second floor of Bracken Library also houses some atlases of Southeast Asia and Laos speicifically. Atlas of Laos: The Spatial Structures of Economic and Social Development of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, printed in 2000, is available in English. This atlas features several different maps of the country and covers economic and social conditions. Laos: A Lonely Planet Travel Atlas is an excellent resource for tourists. The atlas is similar to a guidebook and features detailed road maps and information about famous attractions throughout the country. This atlas is printed in English, French, German, Spanish, and Japanese.

Maps from the GRMC can be checked out for two weeks or longer. Atlases circulate for four weeks. Contact the staff of the GRMC for more information about these maps and atlases.

Tracking Matt Lauer with Maps from University Libraries, Day Two

Day Two of Mapping Where in the World Is Matt Lauer?

The second day of the Today Show’s “Where in the World is Matt Lauer?” segment found the host in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The Geospatial Resources & Map Collection in Bracken Library has an extensive collection of maps of Amsterdam and the Netherlands.
A perfect map for tourists of the city is the Amsterdam City Map from Dorling Kindersley Publishers. This folded laminated map shows the locations of museums, sights, galleries, and transportation routes, including the rail and metro network. The map also features ancillary maps of “Amsterdam’s best canals and waterways.”

Another map from the GRMC, Amsterdam by Car, also shows the transportation routes of the city. This map also includes traffic regulations and maps of parking zones. Patent-Folded Amsterdam map is another useful map of the city, and includes information in Dutch, French, German, and English.

The Amsterdam Pictorial Map and City Guide (shown) is a map of the significant architecture of the city, including line-art sketches of selected buildings and points of interest.

Please contact the staff of the GRMC Monday through Friday from 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. for more information about these travel resources.

Following Today Show's Matt Lauer Using Maps from University Libraries

Following Matt Lauer Using Maps from University Libraries

Matt Lauer, host of the Today Show on NBC, is once again traveling around the world for a week for the program’s annual “Where in the World is Matt Lauer?” Monday was the first day of the journey, and viewers got a glimpse of Lauer dancing the tango. Where in the world was Matt Lauer? Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The Geospatial Resources & Map Collection has a number of maps of Buenos Aires and Argentina for adventurers ready to follow Matt Lauer around the world. Buenos Aires: the Golden Map features a map of the city with selected buildings shown pictorially and five suggested walking tours. Mapas de Integracion Turistica Chile-Argentina features inset tourist maps of Buenos Aires. The GRMC also includes a map of the city from 1928 and a topographic map of the city from 1925.

Maps may be borrowed from the GRMC for two weeks or longer. Please contact the staff of the GRMC for more information about these maps or any others from the Collection.

Golf Resources Available in University Libraries GRMC

Hit the Links in the Geospatial Resources & Map Collection

With classes winding down and summer fast approaching, the University Libraries’ Atlas Collection and Geospatial Resources & Map Collection are great destinations for golfers anxious to hit the links.

Golfers can research courses across the country using the USA Today Golf Atlas in the Atlas Collection. The Street Map Atlases of Manatee and Sarasota County, Florida also include maps showing the locations of golf courses in the area. The Pennsylvania State Road Atlas also features a guide to golf courses throughout the state.

Golfers traveling abroad this summer can find the location of golf courses in France with the Golfs de France map from the Geospatial Resources & Map Collection. The MapArt Map of Toronto and Area includes information about golf courses located near this Canadian city, and the Windsor City Plan also details the locations of courses. Guide to Southwest Ireland map in the GRMC also shows where golfers traveling to Ireland can play.

The GRMC includes maps of various cities and counties with information about local golf courses throughout Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, New York, Minnesota, California, New Jersey, Tennessee, and New Hampshire. Golf vacations are popular in Florida, and the GRMC includes a large collection of maps with golf courses located in various cities and counties throughout the state.

Travelers to popular golf destinations like Hilton Head and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina can find golf guide maps in the GRMC. There are also golf guide maps available in the GRMC for Atlantic City, Los Angeles, the Sandhills area of North Carolina, and locally the Eagle Creek Park and Nature Preserve in Indianapolis.

Maps can be checked out from the GRMC for two weeks or longer, and atlases check out for four weeks.

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

Spring Wildflower Walk at Ball State University

Spring Wildflower Walk at Christy Woods


The Field Station and Environmental Education Center is hosting the Spring Wildflower Walk at Christy Woods this Saturday, April 26 at 1:00 P.M. The guided tour of the spring ephemeral wildflowers will begin outside the Orchid Greenhouse. This is the peak of the blooming season for these flowers. The walk lasts approximately 45 minutes and is free and open to the public. Parking is available in lot G13 just south of the Orchid Greenhouse.

View highlights of the spring wildflowers at http://web.bsu.edu/fseec/environment/ECI/FloraECI/Wildflowers.htm

For more information, please contact John Taylor, Land Manager, at 765/285-2641 or Hugh Brown, Director, at 765/285-5788.

New Materials in the Geospatial Resources & Map Collection

What’s in a Name? New Books Available in the Geospatial Resources & Map Collection

Anthropology classes visited the Geospatial Resources & Map Collection during the spring semester to complete a class project researching the origin of names of places in Indiana and the surrounding area. Students used maps and other resources to determine the meanings of names of towns, counties, and rivers. Two new reference books are now available in the GRMC to assist with this type of research: Indian Placenames in America, Volumes 1 and 2 by Sandy Nestor.

Indian Placenames in America, Volume 1, studies the origins of cities, towns, and villages across the United States. The book is arranged alphabetically by state, then by placename. Additional data include population figures and county names. For example, Shipshewana in LaGrange County received its name from Chief Shipshewana whose tribe was removed to Kansas in 1838. His name was interpreted as “vision of a lion,” and may come from folklore that claimed Shipshewana saw a lion in his dreams. Probable Indian placenames with no certain origin also receive entries, and as much history as possible is provided about these locations.

Indian Placenames in America, Volume 2, explains the names of mountains, canyons, rivers, lakes, creeks, forests, and other natural features. In addition to name origins and meanings, geophysical data such as heights of mountains and lengths of waterways are also indicated. Maxinkuckee Lake in Marshall County was derived from the Potawatomi word mog-sin-kee-ki, which means “big stone country,” in reference to the numerous rock bars situated in the lake.

These new materials are available in the GRMC Monday through Friday from 8:00 to 5:00 P.M. Contact the staff of the GRMC for more information about using these books in research and learning.

Earthquake Maps Available in the University Libraries GRMC

Earthquake Maps Available in the Geospatial Resources & Map Collection

The Midwest was awakened Thursday by a 5.2 magnitude earthquake centered near West Salem, Illinois, about 60 miles from Evansville, Indiana. The quake is believed to have involved the Wabash fault, a northern extension of the New Madrid fault about six miles north of Mt. Carmel, Illinois. The last earthquake in the region to approach the severity of Friday’s was a 5.0 magnitude quake in 2002.

This map shows some of the strongest earthquakes in the region from 1699 to 2002. This map, Three Centuries of Earthquakes: Earthquakes in the Central United States, 1699 to 2002, is available in the Geospatial Resources & Map Collection on the second floor of Bracken Library. The GRMC contains dozens of maps and atlases related to earthquakes and seismic activity around the world. Maps can be checked out for two weeks or longer for research and learning.

March 2008 in the GRMC

What’s Happening in the GRMC?
March 2008 Edition

The Geospatial Resources & Map Collection provided maps of Russia for exhibit at the National Endowment for the Arts “The Big Read” event, Tolstoy Revealed, on March 29 at the Kennedy Library in Muncie.

Two sections of students studying to teach elementary social studies visited the GRMC on March 17 to learn about how to implement maps and atlases in the elementary classroom in lessons covering various subjects. A similar tutorial about using maps in the social studies classroom is also available on the GRMC Web page at http://www.bsu.edu/library/article/0,,54747--,00.html

Landscape architecture students were provided maps and digital resources for field trips and projects in Louisville, Kentucky; Cincinnati, Ohio; and downtown Muncie, Indiana. First-year students from the College of Architecture and Planning received instructional assistance on using the University Libraries’ new Digital Media Repository Muncie Sanborn Collection.

A local historian visited the GRMC in order research historic maps and atlases to determine the location of an abandoned town in Grant County, Indiana. Another researcher used historic atlases to determine the location of an ancient battle in Ireland.

John Taylor, Land Manager, Field Station and Environmental Education Center, received personalized GIS instruction in the GRMC lab for a special project using ArcMap software.

Students in industrial technology and construction management, urban planning, elementary education, anthropology, geography, and history visited the GRMC for research and learning during the month of March.

The GRMC is located on the second floor of Bracken Library and is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.

Earth Day Exhibit in University Libraries GRMC

Earth Day Exhibit in Ball State University Libraries

In honor of Earth Day on April 26, the Geospatial Resources & Map Collection (GRMC) in Bracken Library is presenting an exhibit of two topographic maps revealing environmental changes. The GRMC maintains a collection of United States Geological Survey topographic maps of every state. As a Depository library, the GRMC receives new maps from the government regularly. The newest topographic map of Skagway, Alaska revealed some drastic environmental changes since the last printing of the map. The older map was printed in 1954 and shows the Davidson Glacier extending toward the Chilkat Inlet with a small lake at the base. The newest topographic map of the same area, published in 2004, reveals a receding glacier with a much larger lake at its base.

The GRMC maintains the collection of these topographic maps and additional historic topographic maps so that researchers and classes can study development and environmental changes. Maps in the GRMC can be borrowed for two weeks or longer for use in the classroom. Please contact the GRMC for more information about using topographic maps in research and learning.

Ball State University GRMC Guide to Maps

Hidden Treasures: Guide to Un-cataloged Maps in the University Libraries

Thousands of maps in the Geospatial Resources & Map Collection have not yet been cataloged, so searching for maps in the University Libraries’ CardCat system will not find a complete listing of maps in the Collection. Researchers should visit the GRMC to find many of the maps not available through the catalog. Un-cataloged maps are available for the regular checkout period for maps, two weeks.

Each month some of the un-cataloged maps will be featured on the GRMC Blog in order to bring attention to some of the valuable maps found in the Collection.

The GRMC contains a set of maps called the Atlas of Australian Resources. This set contains maps published by the Australia Department of National Development in Canberra. Several thematic maps are included in this unique set, many extremely valuable for research and learning about Australia:

• Crops
• Soils
• Drainage systems
• Surface water resources
• Rainfall
• Fish and fisheries
• Livestock
• Underground water
• Conservation of surfaces water
• Physical features
• Geology
• Mineral deposits
• Temperatures
• Climatic regions
• Forest resources
• Power and fuel
• Vegetation regions
• Ports and shipping
• Educational facilities
• Health services
• State and local government areas

Contact the GRMC staff for more information about the resources available for research. The GRMC is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.

In the Window: April Map of the Month

April Showers: "Map of the Month" is Rainiest City in the US

The “Map of the Month” for April 2008 in the Ball State University Libraries' Geospatial Resources & Map Collection is a map of Mobile, Alabama. The map of Mobile was selected because of the amount of rainfall Mobile receives every year.

San Francisco-based Weather Bill, Incorporated conducted a study to determine the rainiest city in the contiguous United States. The Southeast dominated the list, although cities in the Pacific Northwest actually had more rainy days. Most people think of Seattle when asked the rainiest city, but the rainiest city in the contiguous United States is actually Mobile, Alabama, averaging 67 inches of rain per year. Pensacola, Florida, New Orleans, Louisiana, West Palm Beach, Florida, and Lafayette, Louisiana, complete the top five rainiest cities. (Several cities in Alaska and Hawaii actually average more than 100 inches of rain per year, but this study concentrated on cities in the contiguous United States).

Florida, Louisiana, and Alabama were the wettest states, while California, Montana, and Nevada were the driest. Las Vegas, Nevada, is the driest city.

Three decades of rainfall data from the National Weather Service was used to complete the study. For more on the rainiest cities report visit www.weatherbill.com/reports/rainstudy

Visit the Geospatial Resources & Map Collection on the second floor of Bracken Library to view the “Map of the Month” or to research other maps, atlases, and GIS resources.

Ostland Atlas Added to University Libraries Digital Media Repository

Ostland Atlas Added to University Libraries Digital Media Repository

The Ostland Atlas from Ball State University Libraries’ Archives and Special Collections has been added as a collection in the Digital Media Repository. The atlas was published by the Nazis in 1942 and is extremely rare. The atlas was originally acquired for the Ball State University Libraries’ Map Collection by Paul Stout, retired map librarian. Users can access the Repository at http://libx.bsu.edu/ and may either browse the collections or search for Ostland Atlas.

The creation of the Ostland Atlas was overseen by the Reich Commissioner for the Occupied Eastern Territories, Alfred Rosenberg, and used in the civil administration of the Eastern territories, including Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. This digital collection features 52 color maps. The maps show the occupied administrative territories, climate and vegetation, population demographics, agricultural status, industry, energy and economic features, traffic and roads, foreign trade in 1938, and the history of the area.

For more information about the atlas or the University Libraries’ Digital Media Repository, please contact the Archives and Special Collections at 765/285-5078 or the Geospatial Resources and Map Collection at 765/285-1097.

Students Create Poster Exhibits Using Ball State University Libraries' Plotter Printers

Exhibit Posters Printed in the GRMC

The Ball State University Office of Academic Research and Sponsored Programs’ 13th annual Sandra L. Smith Student Symposium was held in the Student Center on Tuesday, March 25. The Student Symposium gives students an opportunity to present their research and creative and scholarly endeavors to the public. Most of the presentations at the Symposium take the form of a poster exhibit, and students are awarded prizes for the best presentation.

Students participating in the Symposium visited the Geospatial Resources & Map Collection (GRMC) in Bracken Library to print their posters using the two large-format plotters. Over 35 students used the plotters in the GRMC to print their posters in the two days leading up to the Symposium. Students studying physics, anthropology, biology, natural resources, and health science were able to create and print their exhibit posters in the GIS lab of the GRMC.

The color plotters print on 42-inch and 36-inch wide paper. The cost for printing is $8 for the first 36 inches; $10 for the next 36-inches; and $12 for printing up to 108 inches. Charges are sent directly to student or departmental Bursar’s accounts.

For additional information about large-format printing in the GRMC, please call 765/285-1097 from 8:00 to 5:00 Monday through Friday.

Native American Resources at Ball State University Libraries

Native American Resources for Learning, Teaching, and Research at Ball State University Libraries

by Hannah Cox, Archives and Special Collections Supervisor, and Melissa Gentry, Map Collection Assistant

Students, faculty, and other researchers looking for resources about Native Americans can find them in abundance in the Archives and Special Collections and the Geospatial Resources and Map Collection at the Ball State University Libraries. While much of the material can be found through the Libraries’ online public catalog CardCat, some items of potential interest require more in-depth assistance. For this reason, collection guides to Native American resources are being updated.

The material in Archives and Special Collections is divided into two sections, with the first focusing specifically on the Miami and Delaware people in Indiana and the second encompassing resources of a more general nature. The first section of the subject guide has been subdivided into Manuscript Collections, Theses and Dissertations, and Rare Book Monographs. This includes newspaper articles, manuscripts, books, maps, and photographs concerning local Native Americans. The Miami Indian Collection and books from such authors as Otho Winger are two examples of local resources. The second section consists primarily of rare books about Native American tribes outside of Delaware county, as well as official documents and reports. Many of the books in this area were written from the perspective of missionaries, travelers, or soldiers, although there are several written by Native Americans. The online Native American Collection Guide can be found under the Collection Areas subheading on the Archives and Special Collections homepage.

The Geospatial Resources and Map Collection (GRMC) also has a number of resources that can be used in research and learning about Native Americans. The Map Collection includes several maps published by the U.S. federal government showing the location of “Indian lands” over time, Indian land cession maps, Native American languages maps, as well as the location of current reservations throughout the United States.

Historic maps in the Collection depict the homelands and influences of Native Americans. The Making of America series of maps from National Geographic display regional homelands throughout North America. The map, Indiana, the Influence of the Indian upon its History: with Indian and French Names for Natural and Cultural Locations, shows the origins of place names in Indiana. Montana: Frontier, Pioneer: a one-page History Dedicated to the Old Timers (shown) depicts the history of the state of Montana.

The Atlas Collection also includes many resources for the study of Native Americans. The Atlas of American Indian Affairs, Atlas of American Migration, and the Illustrated Atlas of Native American History are excellent resources about Native Americans in general. Other atlases have a more specific focus, including Atlas of the Sioux Wars, The Navajo Atlas, and A Zuni Atlas.

The Native American materials are a valuable resource for research and learning. Students from Anthropology 471/571 Ethnohistory visited the GRMC for an instructional session about using cartographic resources. Students were assigned a special project using maps and other sources to research the Native American origins of places in Indiana. Historical researchers from Indianapolis were also able to use maps and aerial photography from the GRMC to assist in the identification of a possible Native American ritual site near Yorktown, Indiana. An online guide to Native American resources available in the GRMC and Atlas Collection will soon be available on the GRMC Web page. Most of the resources in the Collections are currently available for searches in CardCat.

For more information on these and other resources, contact the Archives and Special Collections at 765/285-5078 or the Geospatial Resources and Map Collection at 765/285-1097.

New Map Collection on Ball State University Libraries' Digital Media Repository

New Map Collection Now Accessible through the Ball State University Libraries’ Digital Media Repository

by Maren Read, Archivist for Manuscript Collections, Archives and Special Collections

Students, faculty, researchers, and scholars worldwide now have online access to new resources through the Ball State University’s Digital Media Repository (DMR), a project of the University Libraries. The Muncie Sanborn® Fire Insurance Maps Collection includes 200 maps showing the commercial, industrial, and residential sections of Muncie, Indiana, from 1883 through 1911. The maps were originally produced by the Sanborn Map Company to assist fire insurance agents in determining the degree of hazard and establish premiums for particular properties. Today these maps are used by students and scholars in a variety of fields, including history, urban planning, historic preservation, and genealogy. An online tutorial entitled “Maps and Cartography: Using Sanborn® Fire Insurance Maps” by Melissa Gentry, of the Geospatial Resources and Map Collection, and a handout on how to search this collection in the DMR will be available online soon.

Focus on Europe Event at University Libraries

Focus on Europe Panel in University Libraries

The European Studies Committee at Ball State University will be hosting the Focus on Europe: Spring 2008 panel discussion on Thursday, March 20 at 5:00 P.M. in Bracken Library’s Forum Room, room 225. The panel entitled “Fortress Europe—A New Wall? Immigration in Europe” will be chaired by Constantin Schreiber, a graduate student from Muenster, Germany. The event will include students from European countries and cover topics of modern European politics, culture, and society.

The Geospatial Resources & Map Collection in Bracken Library is featuring a map of Europe on display to highlight the Focus on Europe event. The map includes inset maps showing the foreign-born population of Europe and net migration of European countries.

New Large-Format Plotter and Laminator in Ball State University Libraries

New Large-Format Plotter and Large-Format Laminator Now Available in the Geospatial Resources and Map Collection

The University Libraries’ Geospatial Resources & Map Collection (GRMC) recently acquired two new resources, an additional large-format plotter and a large-format laminator. This equipment is available for use by students, faculty, staff, and personnel in academic and administrative areas.

The new plotter was added to keep up with the demand from students, faculty, and departments that use plotting services. The newly acquired large-format plotter is a 42” HP 4500ps that complements the current 36” HP 10055cm. The new roll laminator accepts documents that are up to 42” wide. It is available for use by anyone in the Ball State community at a cost of $3 per linear foot.

Plotter Printing Costs
Posters either 36” wide or 42” wide:

Length of 36” and under $ 8
Length of 37” to 72” $10
Length of 73” to 108” $12

All charges for using this equipment are processed through the user’s Bursar account. This is necessary because GRMC personnel do not handle cash, and checks are not accepted.

For more information, contact the GRMC during regular business hours Monday through Friday 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.

GIS Specialist Attends Indianapolis Annual Conference

Annual Indiana Geographic Information Council Conference Report

Angela Gibson, GIS Specialist, attended the Annual Indiana GIS Conference in Indianapolis on February 19-20, 2008. The conference included workshops centered on the ArcGIS Server, Web-based mapping with Google and Microsoft, and new online environmental sensitivity tools.

Shorter length sessions were offered for a variety of subjects, such as the state of the USGS National Geospatial programs, development of the Indiana Historical Aerial Photo Index, usability of free and low-cost GIS software, and a variety of subject and various task-specific topics. Two especially interesting software programs available at little to no cost that allow for desktop and Internet viewing, manipulating map data, and even some analysis were discussed. The first is AccuGlobe from Digital Data Technologies (for PC) and My World GIS from Northwestern University (for MAC). AccuGlobe Desktop 2007 can be downloaded for free at www.accuglobe.net and offers many GIS standards such as support for ECW, JPEG, and PNG layers, and legend grouping. My World GIS is a Geographic Information System (GIS) designed specifically for use in educational settings. It provides a selected subset of the features of a professional GIS environment, www.myworldgis.org/software.

This year’s Annual Indiana GIS Conference offered a plethora of new ideas, technologies, and creative uses of GIS technology, many of which will prove to be very useful for students and faculty who use the Geospatial Resources and Map Collection at Bracken Library.

February Events in the Geospatial Resources & Map Collection

February 2008 Events in the Geospatial Resources & Map Collection

Students from the College of Architecture and Planning Environmental Design Studio researched topographic maps of United States national parks in the Geospatial Resources & Map Collection for a class project in February. Eighty-five students visited the GRMC to locate specific points on maps to determine a development site. Anthropology 471/571 students also used the resources of the GRMC for a class assignment following a specialized instructional session on February 4.

Students from English 103 copied maps from various countries around the world in order to create culture packets for a class assignment. Geography 341 students completed an assignment requiring a critical analysis of atlases in the Atlas Collection.

Students participating in the College Mentoring Program visited the GRMC on February 11 for a specialized instructional session on Native American resources, and maps of France were used for another mentoring presentation.

Students from Industrial Technology & Construction Management 460 and Foundations of Education 420 used GIS software, digital aerial photography, and census data to create specialized maps in the GIS lab of the GRMC. The GIS Specialist also created a custom map for a student giving a presentation on school shootings (shown above).

Community groups using maps and other resources from the GRMC in February included the Center for Historic Preservation, the Community Center for Vital Aging, the Association of Lifelong Learners, and the Canoeing Club of Chicago. Pioneer Consulting Services and Archeological Consultants of Ossian also used the resources of the GRMC for site development research. Researchers also used maps from the GRMC for information about two sites under consideration for the National Register of Historic Places.

For more information about the resources of the GRMC, please call 765-285-1097 from Monday through Friday.