Locating Indiana Christmas Tree Farms Using Online Map

Mapping Christmas Tree Farms

Indiana ranks 11th in the nation with 200 tree farms producing almost 200,000 harvestable trees per year according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Indiana residents searching for a Christmas tree can now use an online map to locate the perfect tree. The Indiana Christmas Tree Association is a not-for-profit organization made up of growers and retailers promoting the use of real Christmas trees. The association’s Web page allows users to locate a tree farm in their area with a map at http://indianachristmastree.com/pages/locate.php.

Thanksgiving Hours at the GIS Research and Map Collection

Thanksgiving Hours for the GRMC

The GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) on the second floor of Bracken Library will be closed on Thursday, November 24 and Friday, November 25 for Thanksgiving break.  The GRMC will reopen at 8:00 on Monday, November 28.

Tobacco Atlas Available from Ball State University Libraries

The Geography of Tobacco:  Great American Smokeout

Today marks the 36th Great American Smokeout sponsored by the American Cancer Society.  Ball State University Libraries' Atlas Collection includes a copy of The Tobacco Atlas published by the American Cancer Society and the World Lung Foundation and sponsored by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. 

The Tobacco Atlas "maps the history, documents the current situation, and predicts the future of the tobacco epidemic."  The atlas describes the story of tobacco around the world--"the leading agent of preventable death."  The atlas includes hundreds of maps, charts, graphs, and other illustrations depicting the current issues with tobacco use around the world.  "If there is anything you want to know about tobacco, you can find it in The Tobacco Atlas" according to Bill Gates.

The maps above (click to enlarge) show the percentage of tobacco deaths in men and women around the world and the countries where children are exposed to secondhand smoke in their homes.  This map shows countries in Eastern Europe where more than 90% of youth are exposed to secondhand smoke.

The first chart shows the percent of countries that ban smoking in restaurants as of 2007.  Many local municipalities in the United States are currently implementing smoking bans in restaurants, including Indianapolis in an attempt to be smoke-free before the 2012 Super Bowl.

The United States has the leading female smoking population in the world, but India and China are gaining female tobacco users at alarming rates.  Over six million women in India also use oral tobacco products in addition to cigarettes.

China leads the male smoking population.  (There are actually more male smokers in China than the entire population of the United States).  Again, India leads the way for oral tobacco use with over 97 million male users.

The Tobacco Atlas is available in the Atlas Collection on the second floor of Bracken Library.  Atlases may be circulated for four weeks or longer.

Maps of Barbados at Ball State University Libraries

Mapping Where in the World Is Matt Lauer?

The last stop is Barbados for Today Show host Matt Lauer’s weeklong journey for the segment Where in the World Is Matt Lauer? The GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) on the second floor of Bracken Library has been featuring maps from the collection for each of Lauer’s destinations.

The GRMC includes a varied collection of maps of Barbados and other islands of the Caribbean. The newest map depicting Barbados is a National Geographic map of the islands of the West Indies. The map shows major highways, tourist information, physical maps, and color illustrations on the verso.

Barbados is also included in a set of topographic maps of the West Indies published by the British Overseas Surveys Directorate. Several tourist and political maps of Barbados and the Caribbean are also available from the GRMC in both folded and flat format.

Special encapsulated and laminated maps are available for use in exhibit and presentations. Maps from the GRMC circulate for two weeks or longer. For more information, please contact the GRMC at 765-285-1097 or email mgentry@bsu.edu.

Ball State University Libraries Mapping Where in the World is Matt Lauer?

Mapping Matt Lauer: Day Four: Jungfrau, Switzerland



This morning marks day four of the Today Show segment Where in the World is Matt Lauer? Lauer showed up today in Jungfrau, Switzerland, in the middle of the Bernese Alps near the border between Switzerland and Italy. The Ball State University Libraries’ GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) is following Lauer around the world by featuring maps of his destinations.


The map of the Alps shown above (click to enlarge) was published by National Geographic. The map shows the location of Jungfrau and gives the elevation of the mountain at 4,158 meters (13,642 feet).


The Columbia Gazetteer of the World describes Jungfrau as the highest point in Europe that is reached by railroad. The gazetteer explains that Jungfrau is part scientific post and part tourist resort with summer skiing and dogsled rides. A meteorological station is located nearby atop the Sphinx summit.


The GRMC includes a large collection of maps of Switzerland, including cities, regions, and tourist and topographic maps—both current and historical. The Columbia Gazetteer of the World is a great resource for information about geographic locations and is available as a reference item in the GRMC. Additional copies are available in the Atlas Collection and the Reference Collection of Bracken Library.

Kuala Lumpur Maps Available from Ball State University Libraries

Mapping Where in the World is Matt Lauer? Day Three: Kuala Lumpur


Ball State University Libraries’ GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) is following the Today Show segment, Where in the World is Matt Lauer? Each day the GRMC will feature maps from Lauer’s current location. Day three of the journey takes Lauer to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and specifically the Petronas Twin Towers.

The GRMC includes a large collection of current and historic maps of Malaysia and Kuala Lumpur. The 2006 edition of International Travel Maps’ Kuala Lumpur map even includes a photograph of the Petronas Twin Towers on the cover. This map details points of interest, schools, hospitals, and parks. Roads are differentiated, and commuter train routes are shown. An inset map of the Kuala Lumpur transit system is included as well as a map of the region surrounding the capital. The portion of the map above shows the location of the Petronas Towers (click to enlarge).

The GRMC also includes several maps of other cities: Subang Jaya, Klang, Kuching, Petaling Jaya, Johor Bahru, Kuala Terengganu, Ipoh, Seremban, and Melaka are just some of the city maps available. Maps of states and territories of Malaysia are also available.

A large collection of historic and current maps of Malaysia and formerly Malaya are also available from the GRMC. Maps of Malaya and Western Malaysia date back to 1944. Maps of Malaysia Barat and Sarawak are also available.

Road Atlas of Malaysia, Street Directory Kuala Lumpur, and Heritage Mapbook of Peninsular Malaysia are available for research and learning from the Atlas Collection on the second floor of Bracken Library.

Maps of Malaysia are not yet fully cataloged and will not be listed in the CardCat system, so please visit or contact the GRMC for more information about these maps.

Atlas of Sports Available from Ball State University Libraries

Frazier Versus Ali: Atlas of Sports Available from Ball State University Libraries

The Atlas Collection on the second floor of Bracken Library contains nearly 3,000 atlases available for research and learning. The Collection includes road and street atlases, but Ball State University Libraries focuses on acquiring cartographic resources specifically for use in the college classroom. In addition to useful maps, many of the atlases include numerous compelling charts, graphs, photographs, and other graphics that may be used as visual aids for papers and presentations.

The Atlas of Sports: Who Plays What, Where, and Why is a new cartographic resource available from the Atlas Collection. The charts shown above depict the value of the sport of boxing in history, with 700 million viewers watching Muhammad Ali versus Joe Frazier in 1975. Countries winning Olympic medals for boxing are also shown, with the United States leading. The atlas mentions that women’s boxing will make its debut at the London Games in 2012.

For more information about using atlases and other cartographic resources in the college classroom, please contact the GIS Research and Map Collection at 765-285-1097.

Madrid, Spain Maps Available from Ball State University Libraries

Maps in the News:  Where in the World is Madrid, Spain?

Today Show host Matt Lauer is travelling the globe this week for the “Where in the World is Matt Lauer?” segments. This morning Lauer revealed that he was in Madrid, Spain, for day two of his adventure. The GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) in Bracken Library will be following along with Lauer’s journey featuring maps of the destinations.

Lauer opened his second segment specifically in Plaza Mayor. The GRMC includes a large set of maps of the city of Madrid. The tourist map (shown above—click to enlarge) shows Plaza Mayor in the center of this portion of the map. The map includes information about places of interest, photographs, and a map of the underground network. Other tourist maps of Madrid in the GRMC include maps of parks and museums, the metro system, and places of interest.

The pop-out map of Madrid from 2005 (pictured above) folds up into a convenient pocket-size resource. The map, published by Compass Map Group, opens to show central Madrid and street maps with a map of the Metro on the back.

The GRMC also has historic maps of Madrid, including historic reproductions of city plans from 1695 and 1812. An Army Map Service map of Madrid was published in 1943 during World War II. Historic topographic maps of the city and the surrounding area are also available for research and learning.
Maps from the GRMC circulate for two weeks or longer. Maps of Spain have not yet been fully cataloged in CardCat, so contact the GRMC to find everything available. For more information, please call 765-285-1097 or email mgentry@bsu.edu.  

Native American Heritage Month at Ball State University Libraries

Native American Cartographic Resources Available at Ball State University Libraries

November commemorates Native American Heritage Month. Ball State University Libraries is featuring an exhibit of Native American resources in the lobby of Bracken Library. The GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) on the second floor of Bracken Library includes a special exhibit for the month: Peopling of the Americas is a map published by National Geographic in 2000 depicting the history of the indigenous peoples of the Western Hemisphere.

Another important resource is the Historical Atlas of Native Americans, which is available in the GRMC and from the Atlas Collection in Bracken Library. Published in 2009, the atlas includes over 150 maps, photographs, and other graphics chronicling the history of Native Americans. Many of the maps are related to historical events that happened here in the Midwest. The maps and photograph shown above are just some of the available images from the atlas.

The GRMC includes a large collection of maps related to Native American heritage. For a list of some of the cartographic resources available in University Libraries, please review the GRMC subject guide for Native American history: http://cms.bsu.edu/Academics/Libraries/CollectionsAndDept/GISandMaps/MapCollection/ResearchTools/SubjectGuides.aspx

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

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

Maps in the News: Namibia

Maps in the News:  Where in the World is Namibia?

Today Show host Matt Lauer is once again travelling the globe for the “Where in the World is Matt Lauer?” segments. This morning Lauer revealed that he was in Namibia, skiing on the sand dunes near Walvis Bay. The GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) in Bracken Library will be following along with Lauer’s journey featuring maps of the destinations.

A Central Intelligence Agency map above (click to enlarge) shows the size of the country of Namibia in comparison to the United States. A map depicting the Skeleton Coast is also available in the GRMC.

The Globetrotter Travel Map of Namibia features city maps of Windhoek, Keetmanshoop, Luderitz, Swakopmund, and Walvis Bay (shown). This map also includes regional climate charts and maps and photographs of places of interest (shown above). The map also includes an inset map of Etosha National Park.

The GRMC also includes a set of topographic maps of Namibia, maps of homelands and ethnic groups, maps of economic activity, and historical maps of Namibia as Southwest Africa. A new map of Namibia from International Travel Maps includes a vegetation classification diagram, relief maps and inset maps of cities.

The Atlas Collection on the second floor of Bracken Library also includes a road atlas of Namibia, the New Namibian School Atlas, First Atlas for Namibia, and Lonely Planet’s travel atlas of Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Namibia.

Maps from the GRMC circulate for two weeks or longer. Atlases circulate for 28 days or longer. For more information, please contact the GRMC at 765-285-1097.

Ball State University International Festival

Amazing Taste and International Festival at Ball State University November 10

The Ball State University Rinker Center for International Programs, the Multicultural Center, the University Program Board, and Housing and Student Government are joining forces with Ball State Dining Services to sponsor this year’s International Festival. The event will be called “The Amazing Taste: Global Food Fair and International Fest,” and will be held in the Student Center on November 10 from 4-8 P.M. This year’s event will feature a street fair atmosphere with cuisine from more than 20 countries, cultural activities and displays, and live music and dancing. An international dance party ends the evening from 8-10 P.M.

The University Libraries’ GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) will be providing maps and posters for the country booths at the International Festival. Every week the GRMC provides posters for the Culture Exchange at the Rinker Center for International Programs, and many of these countries will be represented at this event. Some of the countries represented are Morocco, Scotland, Venezuela, Costa Rica, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Japan, Italy, and Brazil.

Ball State Dining Services will host an elaborate multicultural menu from around the world. Students can use their meal card for this event. Cost for the food fair is $7.55 for students, $8 for non-students, $5 for children ages 3-12, and free for ages 2 and under. Pre-purchasing of wristbands begins in the Student Center Tally on Monday, November 7. View the complete menus here: http://cms.bsu.edu/CampusLife/Dining/Specials/TheAmazingTaste/AmazingTaste2011Menu.aspx.

Access to the cultural displays and activities is free. Visitors can participate in salsa dance lessons, visit a New York City-style mock cosmo lounge, a photo booth, and a global fashion show. The fair will include live camels, Scottish dancers and bagpipes, the PanUSA steel drum band, the Ball State Belly Dance Club, and hip hop dancers. Visitors can also get henna tattoos, participate in a Capoeira lesson (Brazilian martial art), and watch Taekwondo demonstrations. The complete list of events is here: http://cms.bsu.edu/CampusLife/Dining/Specials/TheAmazingTaste/AmazingTaste2011PerformancesandActivities.aspx.

For more information about using maps and other resources from the GRMC for classroom displays, exhibits, and other special events, please call 765-285-1097 or email mgentry@bsu.edu.

November Map of the Month

Ball State University Libraries’ Map of the Month: Historic Plymouth, Massachusetts


The GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) on the second floor of Bracken Library is featuring a map of historic Plymouth, Massachusetts, for the “Map of the Month” for November. The map, Historic Plymouth, Massachusetts, 1620, was published by the Plymouth Board of Selectmen. The map includes pictorial points of interest, an inset map of seaside Manomet, and an indexed map of Plymouth on the verso.


Maps from the GRMC circulate for two weeks or longer. For more information, please call 765-285-1097 or email mgentry@bsu.edu.

Haunted Maps Available from Ball State University Libraries

Eerie, Indiana: Maps of Haunted Places Available from Ball State University Libraries

Former GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) student-assistant Casey Gentis created a special map for a spooky October 2006 map display in Ball State University Libraries. Gentis researched legends of haunted locations in Indiana and created a map of some of the sites. Former student-assistant Jenny Wyatt then re-created the map for digital format using Adobe Illustrator for a 2009 map display: Allegedly Haunted Indiana Map. The map is still a popular attraction of the Collection.

Gentis discovered, interestingly, that most Indiana college campuses are allegedly haunted. The map features stories about locations at Purdue University, the University of Notre Dame, Indiana University, Valparaiso University, St. Joseph’s College, Huntington College, the University of St. Francis, Earlham College, Franklin College, Hanover College, and Ball State University. A prevalence of haunted libraries can also be viewed on the map.

Allegedly Haunted Indiana Map is currently exhibited on the front windows of the GRMC on the second floor of Bracken Library. The map is also available in PDF-format from the University Libraries’ Cardinal Scholar repository at http://cardinalscholar.bsu.edu/handle/123456789/194225/.  A map of haunted locations in the United States based on the Atlas of the Mysterious in North America from the Atlas Collection is also available from Cardinal Scholar at http://cardinalscholar.bsu.edu/handle/123456789/194229.  The maps can be printed for display or research.

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

Baseball Maps Available from Ball State University Libraries

World Series of Maps: Baseball Maps Available from Ball State University Libraries

As the World Series reaches its final games, the Ball State University Libraries’ GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) offers baseball fans and others a glimpse at some baseball-related maps. The GRMC includes a travel map locating all of the Major League Baseball stadiums. Also the Atlas of Sport available in the Atlas Collection features maps on the “American game,” including the map shown above (click to enlarge) depicting the number of high-school boys playing baseball in school leagues, with Iowa leading the nation.

The GRMC has also created custom maps related to the history of baseball. Black Diamonds: Negro League Baseball Teams, 1920-1949, (shown above) was created in association with the documentary Black Baseball in Indiana, a film created as an immersive learning project by students of Geralyn Strecker, Assistant Professor in the Department of English. This map shows the location of the Negro League teams in the United States. Photographs featured on the map are from the book Playing America’s Game by Michael L. Cooper. The map is available for use from the Cardinal Scholar repository at http://cardinalscholar.bsu.edu/handle/123456789/194506. Copies of the map can be printed on the large-format plotter in the GRMC (charged to Bursar’s account) for exhibits, classroom or personal use.

Another map, The Girls of Summer: All-American Girls Professional Baseball League Teams, 1943-1954, (click to enlarge above) commemorates the women who played professionally beginning during World War II. The map was created for Women’s History Month and is based on the book A Whole New Ballgame: The Story of All-American Girls Professional Baseball League by Sue Macy available from the Educational Resources Collections. This map is also available from Cardinal Scholar at http://cardinalscholar.bsu.edu/handle/123456789/194280. All maps are also available via interlibrary loan.

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

Muncie Mini-Marathon Course Map

America’s Hometown Race: Muncie Mini-Marathon This Weekend

The Muncie Mini-Marathon will take place in the city and through the Ball State University campus beginning at 9 A.M. on Saturday, October 28. The course of the race (above map) begins near the Ball State campus and takes runners through historic Muncie. Participants will pass Beneficence, Shafer Tower, Minnetrista Culture Center, the Appeal to the Great Spirit statue, McCulloch Park, the Ball brothers’ homes, and the White River Greenway. (Drivers should be aware that these streets will be closed until noon Saturday).

The event is open to runners and walkers and also includes a 5K walk and run and a one-mile walk. To register or for more information, please visit http://www.munciemultisport.com/muncie-mini-marathon/.

Food-Related Cartographic Resources at Ball State University Libraries

Mapping Fast Food

The Ball State University Libraries’ GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) on the second floor of Bracken Library updates its collection of cartographic resources to provide current information for research and learning. Maps and atlases that provide a variety of useful information on topical issues are acquired for the Collection.

One of the newest atlases available in the Atlas Collection is the Atlas of Food: Who Easts What, Where, and Why. The atlas contains maps about farming, agricultural trade, genetic modification, organic farming, restaurants, consumption, and other issues related to the global food system. The map above (click to enlarge) shows the amount of cereal produced in regions around the world. The atlas also includes charts and other graphics, including the graph showing the number of Wal-Mart stores in each region (above).

The State of the World Atlas is another atlas that could be used to provide visual aids for papers and presentations. The atlas includes maps and graphics related to women’s issues, religion, war, the environment, education, healthcare and other current world topics. The graph above shows the number of McDonald’s restaurants added to regions around the world.

The GRMC also provides information about cartographic resources on the Internet for research, learning, and sometimes entertainment value. For example, McDonald’s announced the return of the “McRib” sandwich at select restaurant locations. This Web page actually maps the location of the popular sandwich around the country: http://kleincast.com/maps/mcrib.php.

For more information about these cartographic resources or how to use maps as visual aids, please contact or visit the GRMC Monday through Friday from 8:00 to 5:00.

Ball State University Libraries' Maps in the News

Places in the News: Ball State University Libraries’ Maps of Turkey, Tunisia, Syria, Kenya, and Uganda

Ercis, near the Turkey epicenter, from the Lonely Planet Turkey Travel Atlas

Central Intelligence Agency map of Uganda ethnic groups

Nairobi, Kenya region from the Cultural Atlas of Africa

Tunis, Tunisia region

These maps are available from the GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) on the second floor of Bracken Library.  The GRMC is open Monday through Friday from 8 to 5.

Ball State University Libraries Creates Custom GIS Maps

Ball State University Libraries Offer Customized GIS Mapping

By Angela Gibson, GIS Specialist

Among all the unique services that the University Libraries’ GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) offers, customized map creation that meets specified scale, cartographic, and dataset requirements is one that is particularly appreciated by students and faculty. The GRMC regularly receives requests from students, faculty, staff, and community members to produce GIS maps using both public and personal datasets. The format for this data is Excel databases, addresses, GPS points, historic maps, Google KML files, and sometimes hand-drawn illustrations.

In the past year, the GRMC has provided valuable assistance in the form of customized GIS maps to grant proposals such as a Promise Neighborhood grant being sought by the Department of Elementary Education, and an Office of Institutional Diversity grant that used customized GIS mapping to relocate Indy’s historic Washington Street Park, which was the site of the first Negro League Baseball game and home of the Indianapolis ABC’s ball team.

The GRMC GIS Specialist has also worked annually with personnel to produce customized school district maps showing Indiana Advanced Placement Exam Score data released by the Indiana Department of Education. These maps have been posted at the Indiana Statehouse and used by the Indiana Commissioner for Higher Education in an effort to identify specific schools districts that may need extra assistance and to showcase districts that are excelling.

Both students and local community members request various GIS maps for class projects and inclusion into research papers. For example, graduate students in the Department of Biology have requested to have GPS data of water sampling points geocoded onto various different map backgrounds to highlight the relation of their sites to urban, residential, and rural land-use types, and to identify the specific watershed that contains each individual site.

Other customers have requested customized maps of a more recreational nature, such as maps that show the bathymetric contours of local fishing sites like Prairie Creek Reservoir and Summit Lake State Park, and elevation maps of favorite hunting and hiking areas.

For more information about having a GIS map created with your data, please contact the GRMC at 765-285-1097.

Rinker Center for International Programs Culture Exchange Program Today

Rinker Center for International Programs Hosts Weekly Culture Exchange Program

The Rinker Center for International Programs hosts hour-long Culture Exchange presentations every Wednesday at noon in Student Center room 102. Each week a different country is highlighted, and presenters are typically natives who can offer an insider’s look into their country’s culture.

This week the presentation features Farah Alam teaching about the Diwali festival of South Asia. Diwali (Deepavali) is popularly known as “the festival of lights” and is an important one-day festival in Hinduism, Jainism, and Sikhism. Deepavali is an official holiday in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Mauritius, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname, Malaysia, Singapore, and Fiji (shown above).  The Tally also features a dish inspired by the country presented every Wednesday.

Next week’s presentation will be given by Sophie De Hond about Netherlands. A presentation about the holy pilgrimage to Mecca will be on November 2. Countries featured for the rest of the semester are Pakistan, Peru, Bangladesh, and Libya.

The University Libraries’ GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) provides posters for the Culture Exchange every week. The posters feature maps and photographs from atlases depicting the culture of the country. These posters are available for use for other presentations, exhibits, or in classrooms from the Cardinal Scholar institutional repository at http://cardinalscholar.bsu.edu/. Just type in the name of a country in the search box on Cardinal Scholar to save or print a copy of the poster.

For more information, please contact the GRMC or the Rinker Center for International Programs.

Laura Ling Speaks at Ball State University

Laura Ling at Ball State University: Mapping the Journey of Hope

Journalist Laura Ling presented “Journey of Hope” at Ball State University’s Pruis Hall last night. Ling recounted her time in captivity in North Korea and showed a video featuring footage from assignments in Mexico, Myanmar, Turkey, and other places around the world for the Current Network.

The National Geographic map of China (click to enlarge) shows the border with North Korea where Ling and journalist Euna Lee were captured along the Tumen River in March 2009. After being sentenced to 12 years of hard labor, Ling was allowed to return to the United States after diplomatic efforts by President Clinton.

During the presentation, Ling described North Korea as literally a “black hole.” She referenced seeing a satellite map of the world with South Korea lit up “like Las Vegas on steroids” and North Korea literally appearing completely dark on the map. Details from the National Geographic Earth at Night satellite map shown above graphically demonstrates this fact with both South Korea and Japan shown with white lights and North Korea nearly invisible.

These maps are available for research and learning in the GIS Research and Map Collection on the second floor of Bracken Library. Maps circulate for two weeks or longer. For more information, please call 765-285-1097.