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GIS Data in the UW Libraries and Beyond

GIS Data in the UW Libraries and Beyond. Autumn 2003 gis@lib.washington.edu. Overview. Libraries Services Data collections How to find data Washington State sources Regional sources State statistical sources (briefly) Census sources Federal sources

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GIS Data in the UW Libraries and Beyond

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  1. GIS Data in the UW Libraries and Beyond Autumn 2003 gis@lib.washington.edu

  2. Overview • Libraries Services • Data collections • How to find data • Washington State sources • Regional sources • State statistical sources (briefly) • Census sources • Federal sources • And how to find it if you don’t see it… • Metadata

  3. Libraries Services • GIS Service Policy: • "The Libraries provides UW students, faculty and staff with access to geographic information systems (GIS) software and data owned by the Libraries…When requesting data, please leave a 48-hour turnaround (work days only) to receive data... (con’t)

  4. Libraries Services • (con’t) “Library staff are available to meet one-on-one with UW students, staff and faculty, and to assist in retrieving data. Please contact GIS staff via email at gis@lib.washington.edu ”

  5. Objectives • Provide access to GIS and desktop mapping software • Identify, acquire and provide access to digital geospatial and statistical data • Help patrons determine their data needs and assist with locating data • Help patrons incorporate data into projects

  6. Library staff work with • Students, staff, faculty • From any campus department • Geography, Urban Planning, Geology, Forest Resources, Public Health, English, History, and others • Public

  7. Software & Equipment • ESRI: ArcGIS 8.X (ArcView, Arc/Info, older versions), others • Encarta, MapPoint, Streets & Trips, etc. • Access to color printers, plotters • Machines can be used for 30-60 minute data consults and time for basic manipulation before taking data away (longer-term use needs to happen in campus labs)

  8. Collections • Collection focuses on Seattle, Puget Sound, Washington State • Also collections for the United States, international data, individual countries • Data is listed in catalog • Ask if you can’t find it. It might be on order, or be able to be ordered.

  9. GIS Data • Types of GIS data • Census data, demographics, government information (local, state and federal) • Data of a more “physical” nature: geology, topology, hydrology, etc. • Can include streets, parcel data, rivers, lakes and drainage, soils, geology, air quality information, median household income, etc.

  10. Data formats • Vector (points, lines, polygons) e.g., bus stops, streets, parcels • Raster (cells) e.g., digital elevation models • Image, e.g., digital aerial photography, digital raster graphics • Statistical, e.g., .dbf files, Excel, Access, .csv, .txt, e.g., assessor’s files

  11. Digital Raster Graphic (DRG)

  12. City of Seattle

  13. Digital Orthophoto

  14. Data producers • Local governments • Examples: City of Seattle, King, Thurston, Snohomish counties • Federal government • USGS, USFS, US Census • WA State • DNR, DOT, Ecology • Various regional and other organizations, e.g., Puget Sound Regional Council

  15. Data Restrictions • Some is restricted by license agreement to UW students, staff and faculty only • Full use for academic & research purposes • Permissions needed for publishing (includes the Web)

  16. Restrictions • Much is public domain (anything from US government, for example) • Can be used for any purpose • No matter the purpose, make sure your citations are correct: • Cartographic Citations: A Style Guide, by Suzanne M. Clark, Mary Lynette Larsgaard, Cynthia M. Teague. On the Maps Reference Shelf at GA 108.7 .C55 1992

  17. Finding GIS data • Introduction to: • Finding data in UW catalog • Other UW data sites • Washington State sources • State statistical sources (briefly) • Regional Sources • Census sources • Federal Sources • And how to find it if you don’t see it listed…

  18. Acquiring data • Download • Purchase • Data sharing • Regardless, be aware of: • Licensing and restrictions • Public domain vs. private

  19. Washington State sources • UW Libraries Catalog, catalog.lib.washington.edu • Keywords • Name of the area you’re interested in, plus “computer file” and “maps” • e.g.: seattle and computer file and maps • Much public domain data is available through UW, via interlibrary loan or direct download

  20. Washington State resources • http://wagda.lib.washington.edu • Washington State Geospatial Data Archive. Data available for downloading, includes Washington DEMs, Washington geology, Seattle, King County, etc. • Primarily Arc/Info, ArcView formats

  21. Washington State resources • Washington State Geospatial Clearinghouse, wa-node.gis.washington.edu • Like a library catalog • Links to WA-created metadata, some downloadable data • Connects to international (searchable) network of metadata nodes • Other state clearinghouses • Eg, Alaska (http://agdc.usgs.gov/) and Georgia (http://www.gis.state.ga.us/)

  22. Washington State resources • Subject-tree guide to subjects in library www.lib.washington.edu/subject/ • Map Collection homepage www.lib.washington.edu/subject/maps/ • Data contacts page for Washington State wagda.lib.washington.edu/datacontacts/

  23. Washington State sources • GIS Data Depot, www.gisdatadepot.com • Terraserver, terraserver.microsoft.com (photos can now be used in GIS, instructions: wagda.lib.washington.edu/data/doqs.html)

  24. Washington State sources • Department of Transportation, www.wsdot.wa.gov/mapsdata/geodatacatalog/default.htm • Office of Financial Management, www.ofm.wa.gov/geographic/index.htm • Ecology, www.ecy.wa.gov/services/gis/index.html • Health, http://198.187.3.168/gis/default.htm • WA GAP, www.wa.gov/wdfw/wlm/gap/dataprod.htm

  25. Washington State sources • To purchase: • WA Department of Natural Resources • USGS: earthexplorer.usgs.gov • Contact various counties directly (some sell data, some give it away free, some seek data swaps)

  26. State statistical data • Good first source for many topics: access.wa.gov • www.lib.washington.edu/subject/GovLaw/ • Various US government sites, for example www.epa.gov • Government Publications (Libraries) • CSSCR, Center for Social Science Computation and Research, http://julius.csscr.washington.edu/

  27. Regional Data Sources • Examples of water/fish-related information: • Interior Columbia Ecosystem Management Project, www.icbemp.gov/spatial/ • Streamnet, www.streamnet.org • Fish Passage Center, www.fpc.org/links.html

  28. Census GIS data on the web • Population data www.census.gov/population/www/index.html • Housing data www.census.gov/hhes/www/housing.html • Census geography data in general www.census.gov/geo/www/index.html www.esri.com/censuswatch • TIGER/Line data in particular http://www.census.gov/geo/www/tiger/

  29. Federal Sources • Different agencies with different foci: • FCC, http://www.fcc.gov/oet/info/maps/ • BIA, http://www.doi.gov/bureau-indian-affairs.html • USF&W, http://wetlands.fws.gov/downloads.htm • Branches within agencies. (USGS, EPA): • USGS global land characterization, http://edcwww.cr.usgs.gov/programs/lccp/globallandcover.html • http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Hazards/DataSets/Washington/framework.html US EPA data management and analysis

  30. Federal Sources • Specific, individual reports, such as USGS Open File Reports, http://geopubs.wr.usgs.gov/ • National Soil Survey Center (USDA), http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/soilsurvey/ • NEPAnet, National Environmental Policy Act http://ceq.eh.doe.gov/nepa/nepanet.htm • National Map Seamless Data Distribution System http://seamless.usgs.gov/

  31. Finding GIS data on the web • Directories and search engines: • http://gis.about.com/ (directory) • www.google.com (search engine) • (also, www.altavista.com, www.hotbot.com, and many others)

  32. Search engines • Keywords: name of the area you’re interested in, plus terms like: • GIS, Shapefile, Coverage, .e00, Download, Data • Example: washington state and gis • Example: • Salmon and gis and washington state • Salmon and gis and pacific northwest • Salmon and gis

  33. Local GIS groups • Central Puget Sound GIS User Group, cps-gis@u.washington.edu. List as well as monthly meetings. • The Northwest GIS User Group (formerly ESRI-NW) www.nwesriusers.org, yearly conference

  34. International GIS groups • ESRI-L, ArcView-L • Invaluable for technical assistance and data questions (some support requires paid access). See support.esri.com/ • Many other lists available, some software-specific, others discipline-specific. See lists.directionsmag.com/discussion/ for lists and searchable archives.

  35. Other sources • Commercial vendors (ESRI, of course) • Ask local GIS users and other colleagues • Research groups, nonprofits, other colleges/universities • Libraries, academic and otherwise

  36. Listservs • Arcview-l • ESRI-l • MapInfo-l • GIS in public health • Many, many more. See the list of lists at www.directionsmag.com/discussion, with searchable archives and subscription information for each

  37. Organizations • Organizations • www.urisa.org / www.waurisa.org • www.esri.com (search Your Speciality, conference proceedings) • ESRI-NW, Pacific Salmon Information Network, etc. • Other vendors, www.mapinfo.com • Other associations’ conference proceedings

  38. After downloading… • Unzipping (www.winzip.com) • Importing, changing format • http://www.gisdatadepot.com/helpdesk/formats.html • Check your software’s translation capabilities • Attaching attribute information • Remember to use your software’s help files! • Some more help: wagda.lib.washington.edu/help/faq.html

  39. Metadata • Metadata is “data about the data” • Shows lineage, data quality, methods, modifications, etc. • Helps determine “fitness for use” • It’s imperative to get this for every data set you download! • Clearinghouse & USGS DEM Example

  40. Needs Assessment • Lists a few points to consider before you start looking for data • Needs Assessment is online • Can bring form into Libraries; helps us understand your needs as we get started looking for data. Can save you time. • Ask for help: gis@lib.washington.edu

  41. Other GIS help on campus • Main UW GIS site at http://gis.washington.edu • Software and analysis questions to help@gis.washington.edu • Data questions to gis@lib.washington.edu

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