University of South Florida Library System

Map/GIS Library

 

 

 

 

Website Plan

John Abresch

LIS 5313-321

February 15, 2004

 

 

 

Introduction

 

     The USF Map/GIS Library is the regional depository for digital geospatial data for West Central Florida and is located in the Tampa campus library of the University of South Florida Library System. The Map/GIS Library is an active participant in campus based research and has structural ties to many different academic departments in many Colleges. The main function of the Library is to support the University’s student, staff, and faculty Geographic Information Systems (GIS) research needs. As a regional depository, the Library will also function as a bridge to external GIS communities in seeking to promote the principles and practices of data stewardship. The Library is a recognized geospatial data depository by the Federal Geographic Data Committee and is a part of a national network of digital geospatial data providers, and as such receives Federal Grant Aid to supplement data management costs.

     The Map/GIS Library collection consists of both print and digital sources on the theory and application of GIS to the environment of West Central Florida. The Library has a core of significant monographs about GIS, and also many primary studies and data, which contain many socio-economic and cultural layers of digital information about the region. The digital material is supported by a strong collection of serials and other current periodical literature in the field of GIS and related fields like Geography, Urban Planning, and Environmental Science. The collection has other related GIS material in multi-media format, such as DVD, CD-ROM, and audiovisual material. As a part of the USF Library System, the Map/GIS Library has full access to the electronic journals and bibliographic databases that the Library System is subscribed to. To help support information access, the Map/GIS Library Website is intended as a seamless interface between the Library user and the different digital geospatial collections and services that the Library has to offer. The structure of the Website is built around the Library’s collections and services.

Map/GIS Library Resources

     The Map/GIS Library is the depository for a variety of geospatial data that is in both print and digital formats. The print materials are comprised of items in the reference collection or in the map section. The areal coverage of the print collection provides insight about spatial data for the Southeastern United States, Florida, West Central Florida and Tampa Bay.

    The reference collection has a large number of primary works in the fields of Geography, Cartography, Urban Planning, Environmental Planning, Geodesy, and Geographic Information Systems. The reference area also houses a comprehensive collection of atlases, and gazetteers, and periodicals. The print collection also contains a large number of maps from Federal Agencies such as the U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Census Bureau, Central Intelligence Agency, and the National Imagery Mapping Agency. A user survey of the print collection conducted by librarians during 2003 found that the top five resources in the print collection were:

      • USGS Topographic Sheet Series of Tampa Bay
      • USGS Bathymetric Maps of Tampa Bay
      • CIA Political World Map Series
      • Department of Commerce Economic Series
      • U.S. Census Bureau Enumeration Area Series

     The Map/GIS Library holds a site license for ESRI, Inc. software, which includes ARCGIS, ArcView, and Arc/Info. The Systems Librarian on staff at the Map/GIS Library is the administrator for the site license, which includes user in different academic departments. The digital collection contains many GIS layers of information which are of the same areal extent as the materials in the print collection. The digital collection does contain more comprehensive spatial data about the Tampa Bay region. Much of the data has been generated by government agencies at the federal, state, and local level.  As a member of the Federal Geographic Data Committee’s data portal effort, the Map/GIS Library has access to a variety of external digital geospatial data sources. A recent user survey of materials in the digital collection conducted by librarians during 2003 indicated that the top five resources were:

§         U.S. Census Bureau Tiger File Series

§         U.S. Census Bureau Census Data Extracts

§         USGS Digital Aerial Photography Series

§                                 City of Tampa GIS Series

§         Hillsborough County General Series

 

     The Map/GIS Library’s services are centered on ensuring information access to the different geospatial data collections housed in the Library. As part of the University of South Florida Library system the Library has full access to a variety of electronic journals, digital bibliographic databases and other resources of the library system. During a recent user survey of services that was conducted by librarians in 2003, it was found that most of the inquiries by patrons were for processing and interpreting GIS data and in finding digital data sources. The top five requests were as follows:

·                                Processing GIS data from the Census Bureau

·                                Processing GIS data from the USGS

·        Processing specific data about the Tampa area

·                                Requesting Bibliographic Instruction/Instruction on GIS Software

 

Planning User Interface

     During 2003, the different user surveys had indicated that a majority of Library users had requested information that was present in both print and digital format, with the more comprehensive version being digital. The types of information requests were mostly about social and economic data pertaining to the Tampa area. In order to maintain service levels as indicated by the Library’s mission, a website has been planned. A majority of the geospatial data is digital in format and can be distributed to a wider audience using an online environment. The website will offer access to the Map/GIS Libraries digital collections, and services.  As part of the University of South Florida Library system, the website will be integrated in the online environment of the Tampa campus library, and have links to its collections and resources.  The website will initially concentrate on three areas of collection and service and will expand on them as the project develops.

 

Services                                            Data Holdings                         Networked Access

 

 

Initial Library Website Organization Outline

 

     The University of South Florida Library System uses MicroSoft Frontpage to build and maintain its website The Map/GIS Library will use the same software package on its local Windows NT based network to interface with the Library System’s online environment. The Map/GIS Library will transform data from other software packages, such as from Unix based systems for proper display on its website. The Map/GIS website will also conform to the data display standards, in terms of color, font size, as used by the Library System to ensure quality standards.  The Map/GIS Library homepage will be maintained on a regular basis by a designated Webmaster from the Map/GIS Library personnel working in conjunction with the Systems Department of the main Tampa Campus Library of the University South Florida. Working from the Map/GIS Library’s initial objectives of service, data holdings, and networked access, the initial organization of website will work with pages that will outline areas such as

 

  • Library Description
  • Library Data Holdings
  • Library Data Services
  • GIS Software Processing Help
  • USF Library Networked Access
  • Link to External Data Holdings 

 

The following graphics depict the same subject areas as they would appear in the initial website organization. More website content will be developed as project develops. 

The Map/GIS Library will use graphic user interfaces and website structure

Designs from relevant examples drawn from Map and GIS Libraries located at other academic institutions. 

Figure 1. Univ.of Connecticut Map Library Homepage.  (http://magic.lib.uconn.edu/)

Figure 2. Duke University Map Sources.  (http://docs.lib.duke.edu/maps/)

 

Figure 3. Caltech University Mapping and GIS Sources. (http://library.caltech.edu/collections/geology/mapping.htm)

 

The Webmaster at the Map/GIS Library and Library systems personnel at USF have tentatively chosen the University Map Library Webpages as depicted in Figures 1-3 to be preferred models in the development of the website. The design process will work to determine the preferred number of graphics, banners, and links on the web pages to adequately provide for information access.    

 

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