Microsoft Word - 5699-11611-7-CE.docx Geographic  Information  and  Technologies   in  Academic  Libraries:  An  ARL  Survey  of   Services  and  Support       Ann  L.  Holstein     INFORMATION  TECHNOLOGY  AND  LIBRARIES  |  MARCH  2015             38   ABSTRACT   One  hundred  fifteen  academic  libraries,  all  current  members  of  the  Association  of  Research  Libraries   (ARL),  were  selected  to  participate  in  an  online  survey  in  an  effort  to  better  understand  campus   usage  of  geographic  data  and  geospatial  technologies,  and  how  libraries  support  these  uses.  The   survey  was  used  to  capture  information  regarding  geographic  needs  of  their  respective  campuses,  the   array  of  services  they  offer,  and  the  education  and  training  of  geographic  information  services   department  staff  members.  The  survey  results,  along  with  review  of  recent  literature,  were  used  to   identify  changes  in  geographic  information  services  and  support  since  1997,  when  a  similar  survey   was  conducted  by  ARL.  This  new  study  has  enabled  recommendations  to  be  made  for  building  a   successful  geographic  information  service  center  within  the  campus  library  that  offers  a  robust  and   comprehensive  service  and  support  model  for  all  geographic  information  usage  on  campus.   INTRODUCTION   In  June  1992,  the  ARL  in  partnership  with  Esri  (Environmental  Systems  Research  Institute)   launched  the  GIS  (Geographic  Information  Systems)  Literacy  Project.  This  project  sought  to   “introduce,  educate,  and  equip  librarians  with  the  skills  necessary”  to  become  effective  GIS  users   and  to  learn  how  to  provide  patrons  with  “access  to  spatially  referenced  data  in  all  formats.”1   Through  the  implementation  of  a  GIS  program,  libraries  can  provide  “a  means  to  have  the   increasing  amount  of  digital  geographic  data  become  a  more  useful  product  for  the  typical   patron.”2     In  1997,  five  years  after  the  GIS  Literacy  Project  began,  a  survey  was  conducted  to  elucidate  how   ARL  libraries  support  patron  GIS  needs.  The  survey  was  distributed  to  121  ARL  members  for  the   purpose  of  gathering  information  about  GIS  services,  staffing,  equipment,  software,  data,  and   support  these  libraries  offered  to  their  patrons.  Seventy-­‐two  institutions  returned  the  survey,  a  60%   response  rate.  At  that  time,  nearly  three-­‐quarters  (74%)  of  the  respondents  affirmed  that  their   library  administered  some  level  of  GIS  services.3  This  indicates  that  the  GIS  Literacy  Project  had  an   evident  positive  impact  on  the  establishment  of  GIS  services  in  ARL  member  libraries.   Since  then,  it  has  been  recognized  that  the  rapid  growth  of  digital  technologies  has  had  a   tremendous  effect  on  GIS  services  in  libraries.4  We  acknowledge  the  importance  of  assessing     Ann  L.  Holstein  (ann.holstein@case.edu)  is  GIS  Librarian  at  Kelvin  Smith  Library,  Case  Western   Reserve  University,  Cleveland,  Ohio.     GEOGRAPHIC  INFORMATION  AND  TECHNOLOGIES  IN  ACADEMIC  RESEARCH  LIBRARIES  |  HOLSTEIN   39   how  geographic  services  in  academic  research  libraries  have  further  evolved  over  the  past  17   years  in  response  to  these  advancing  technologies  as  well  as  the  increasingly  demanding   geographic  information  needs  of  their  user  communities.     METHOD   For  this  study,  115  academic  libraries,  all  current  members  of  ARL  as  of  January  2014,  were   invited  to  participate  in  an  online  survey  in  an  effort  to  better  understand  campus  usage  of   geographic  data  and  geospatial  technologies  and  how  libraries  support  these  uses.  Similar  in   nature  to  the  1997  ARL  survey,  the  2014  survey  was  designed  to  capture  information  regarding   geographic  needs  of  their  respective  campuses,  the  array  of  services,  software.  and  support  the   academic  libraries  offer,  and  the  education  and  training  of  geographic  information  services   department  staff  members.  Our  aim  was  to  be  able  to  determine  the  range  of  support  patrons  can   anticipate  at  these  libraries  and  ascertain  changes  in  GIS  library  services  since  the  1997  survey.   A  cross-­‐sectional  survey  was  designed  and  administered  using  Qualtrics,  an  online  survey  tool.  It   was  distributed  in  January  2014  via  email  to  the  person  identified  as  the  subject  specialist  for   mapping  and/or  geographic  information  at  each  ARL  member  academic  library.  When  the  survey   closed  after  two  weeks,  54  institutions  had  responded  to  the  survey.  This  accounts  for  47%   participation.  Responding  institutions  are  listed  in  the  appendix.   RESULTS   Software  and  Technologies   We  were  interested  in  learning  about  what  types  of  geographic  information  software  and   technologies  are  currently  being  offered  at  academic  research  libraries.  Results  show  that  100%  of   survey  respondents  offer  GIS  software/mapping  technologies  at  their  libraries,  36%  offer  remote   sensing  software  (to  process  and  analyze  remotely  sensed  data  such  as  aerial  photography  and   satellite  imagery),  and  36%  offer  Global  Positioning  System  (GPS)  equipment  and/or  software.   Nearly  all  (98%)  said  that  their  libraries  provide  Esri  ArcGIS  software,  with  83%  also  providing   access  to  Google  Maps  and  Google  Earth,  and  35%  providing  QGIS  (previously  known  as  Quantum   GIS).  Smatterings  of  other  GIS,  remote-­‐sensing,  and  GPS  products  are  also  offered  by  some  of  the   libraries,  although  not  in  large  numbers  (see  table  1  for  full  listing).     The  fact  that  nearly  all  survey  respondents  offer  ArcGIS  software  at  their  libraries  comes  as  no   surprise.  ArcGIS  is  the  most  commonly  provided  mapping  software  available  in  academic  libraries,   and  in  2011,  it  was  determined  that  2,500  academic  libraries  were  using  Esri  products.5  Esri   software  was  most  popular  in  1997  as  well,  undoubtedly  because  they  offered  free  software  and   training  to  participants  of  the  GIS  Literacy  Project.6         INFORMATION  TECHNOLOGY  AND  LIBRARIES  |  MARCH  2015   40   Software/Technology   Type   %  of  Providing   Libraries   Esri  ArcGIS   GIS   98   Google  Maps/Earth   GIS   83   QGIS   GIS   35   AutoCad   GIS   19   ERDAS  IMAGINE   Remote  Sensing   19   GRASS   GIS   15   ENVI   Remote  Sensing   15   GeoDa   GIS   6   PCI  Geomatica   Remote  Sensing   6   Garmin  Map  Source   GPS   6   SimplyMap   GIS   4   Trimble  TerraSync   GPS   4   Table  1.  Geographic  Information  Software/Mapping  Technologies  Provided  at  ARL  Member   Academic  Libraries  (2014)   Google  Maps  and  Google  Earth,  launched  in  2005,  have  quickly  become  very  popular  mapping   products  used  at  academic  libraries—a  close  second  only  to  Esri  ArcGIS.  In  addition  to  being  free,   their  ease  of  use,  powerful  visualization  capabilities,  “customizable  map  features  and  dynamic   presentation  tools”  make  them  attractive  alternatives  to  commercial  GIS  software  products.7     Since  1997,  many  software  programs  have  fallen  out  of  favor.  MapInfo,  Idrisi,  Maptitude,  and   Sammamish  Data  Finder/Geosight  Pro  were  GIS  software  programs  listed  in  the  1997  survey   results  that  are  not  used  today  at  ARL  member  academic  libraries.8  Instead,  open  source  software   such  as  QGIS,  GRASS,  and  GeoDa  are  growing  in  popularity.  They  are  free  to  use  and  their  source   code  may  be  modified  as  needed.   GPS  equipment  lending  can  be  very  beneficial  to  students  and  campus  researchers  who  need  to   collect  their  own  field  research  locational  data.  The  2014  survey  found  that  30%  of  respondents   loan  recreational  GPS  equipment  at  their  libraries  and  10%  loan  mapping-­‐grade  GPS  equipment.   The  high  cost  of  mapping-­‐grade  GPS  equipment  (several  thousand  dollars)  may  be  a  barrier  for   some  libraries;  however,  this  is  the  type  of  equipment  recommended  in  best-­‐practice  methods  for   gathering  highly  accurate  GPS  data  for  research.  In  addition  to  expense,  complexity  of  operation  is   another  consideration.  While  it  is  “fairly  simple  to  use  a  recreational  GPS  unit,”  a  certain  level  of   advanced  training  is  required  for  operating  mapping-­‐grade  GPS  equipment.9  A  designated  staff   member  may  need  to  take  on  the  responsibility  of  becoming  the  in-­‐house  GPS  expert  and  routinely   offer  training  sessions  to  those  interested  in  borrowing  mapping-­‐grade  GPS  equipment.     Location     GEOGRAPHIC  INFORMATION  AND  TECHNOLOGIES  IN  ACADEMIC  RESEARCH  LIBRARIES  |  HOLSTEIN   41   At  36%  of  responding  libraries,  the  geographic  information  services  area  is  located  where  the   paper  maps  are  (map  department/services);  19%  have  separated  this  area  and  designated  it  as  a   geospatial  data  center,  GIS,  or  data  services  department;  13%  integrate  it  with  the  reference   department;  and  just  4%  of  libraries  house  the  GIS  area  in  government  documents.  Table  2  lists  all   reported  locations  for  this  service  area.  Not  surprisingly,  in  1997,  government  documents  (39%)   was  just  as  popular  a  location  for  this  service  area  as  within  the  map  department  (43%).10   Libraries  identified  government  documents  as  a  natural  fit,  keeping  GIS  services  within  close   proximity  to  spatial  data  sets  recently  being  distributed  by  government  agencies,  most  notably  the   US  Government  Printing  Office  (GPO).  These  agencies  had  made  the  decision  to  distribute  “most   data  in  machine  readable  form,”11  including  the  1990  Census  data  as  Topographically  Integrated   Geographic  Encoding  and  Referencing  (TIGER)  files.12  GIS  technologies  were  needed  to  access  and   most  effectively  use  information  within  these  massive  spatial  datasets.     Location   %  of  Libraries  (1997)   %  of  Libraries  (2014)   Map  Department/Services   43   36   Government  Documents   39   4   Reference   10   13   Geospatial  Data  Center,  GIS,  or  Data  Services   3   19   Not  in  any  one  location   -­‐   9   Digital  Scholarship  Center   -­‐   6   Combined  Area  (i.e.,  Map  Dept.  &  Gov.  Docs.)   -­‐   6   Table  2.  Location  of  the  Geographic  Information  Services  Area  within  the  Library  (1997  and  2014)   At  59%  of  responding  libraries,  geographic  information  software  is  available  on  computer   workstations  in  a  designated  area,  such  as  within  the  map  department.  However,  many  do  not   restrict  users  by  location  and  have  the  software  available  on  all  computer  workstations   throughout  the  library  (37%)  or  on  designated  workstations  distributed  throughout  the  library   (33%).  A  small  percentage  (7%)  loan  laptops  to  patrons  with  the  software  installed,  allowing  full   mobility  throughout  the  entire  library  space.   Staffing   Most  professional  staff  working  in  the  geographic  information  services  department  hold  one  or   more  postbaccalaureate  advanced  degrees.  Of  113  geographic  services  staff  at  responding   libraries,  65%  had  obtained  an  MA/MS,  MLS/MLIS,  or  PhD;  43%  have  one  advanced  degree,  while   22%  have  two  postbaccalaureate  degrees.  Half  (50%)  hold  an  MLS/MLIS,  31%  hold  an  MA/MS,   and  6%  hold  a  PhD.  Nearly  one-­‐third  (31%)  have  obtained  a  BA/BS  as  their  highest  educational   degree,  3%  had  a  two-­‐year  technical  degree,  and  2%  had  only  earned  a  GED  or  high  school   diploma.  In  1997,  84%  of  GIS  librarians  and  specialists  at  ARL  libraries  had  an  MLS  degree.13  At   that  time,  the  incumbent  was  most  often  recruited  from  within  the  library  to  assume  this  new  role,     INFORMATION  TECHNOLOGY  AND  LIBRARIES  |  MARCH  2015   42   whereas  today’s  GIS  professionals  are  just  as  likely  to  come  from  nonlibrary  backgrounds,   bringing  their  expertise  and  advanced  geographic  training  to  this  nontraditional  librarian  role.     Figure  1.  Highest  Educational  Degree  of  Geographic  Services  Staff  (2014)   On  average,  this  department  is  staffed  by  two  professional  staff  members  and  three  student  staff.   Student  employees  can  be  a  terrific  asset,  especially  if  they  have  been  previously  trained  in  GIS.   Students  are  likely  to  be  recruited  from  departments  that  are  the  heaviest  GIS  users  at  the   university  (i.e.,  geography,  geology).  Some  libraries  have  implemented  “co-­‐op”  programs  where   students  can  receive  credit  for  working  at  the  GIS  services  area.  These  dual-­‐benefit  positions  are   quite  lucrative  to  students.14     Campus  Users   In  a  typical  week  during  the  course  of  a  semester,  responding  libraries  each  serve  approximately   sixteen  GIS  users,  four  remote  sensing  users,  and  three  GPS  users.  These  users  may  obtain   assistance  from  department  staff  either  in-­‐person  or  remotely  via  phone  or  email.     On  average,  undergraduate  and  graduate  students  compose  the  majority  (75%)  of  geographic   service  users  (32%  and  43%,  respectively).  Faculty  members  compose  14%  of  the  users,  followed   by  staff  (including  postdoctoral  researchers)  at  7%.  Some  institutions  also  provide  support  to   public  patrons  and  alumni  (4%  and  1%,  respectively).  In  1997,  it  was  estimated  that  on  average,   63%  of  GIS  users  were  students,  22%  were  faculty,  8%  were  staff,  and  8%  were  public.15   GED/HS   2%   2yr  Tech   3%   BA/BS   31%   MA/MS/MLIS   58%   PhD   6%     GEOGRAPHIC  INFORMATION  AND  TECHNOLOGIES  IN  ACADEMIC  RESEARCH  LIBRARIES  |  HOLSTEIN   43     Figure  2.  Comparison  of  the  Percentage  of  Geographic  Service  Users  by  Patron  Status  (1997  and   2014)   The  top  three  departments  that  use  GIS  software  at  ARL  campuses  are  Environmental   Science/Studies,  Urban  Planning/Studies,  and  Geography.  The  most  frequent  remote  sensing   software  users  come  from  the  departments  of  Environmental  Science/Studies,  Geography,  and   Archaeology.  GPS  equipment  loan  and  software  usage  is  most  popular  with  the  departments  of   Environmental  Science/Studies,  Geography,  Biology/Ecology  and  Archaeology  (see  table  3  for  full   listing).  Some  departments  are  heavy  users  of  all  geographic  technologies,  while  others  have   shown  interest  in  only  one.  For  example,  the  departments  of  Psychology  and  Medicine/Dentistry   have  used  GIS  but  have  expressed  little  or  no  interest  in  using  remote-­‐sensing  or  GPS  technologies.   Support  and  Services   The  campus  community  is  supported  by  library  staff  in  a  variety  of  ways  with  regards  to  GIS,   remote-­‐sensing,  and  GPS  technology  and  software  use.  Nearly  all  (94%)  libraries  provide   assistance  using  the  software  for  specific  class  assignments  and  projects,  and  78%  are  able  to   provide  more  in-­‐depth  research  project  consultations.  More  than  one-­‐quarter  (27%)  of  reporting   libraries  will  make  custom  GIS  maps  for  patrons,  although  there  may  be  a  charge  depending  on  the   library,  project,  and  patron  type  (10%).  Most  (90%)  offer  basic  use  and  troubleshooting  support;   however,  just  39%  offer  support  for  software  installation,  and  55%  offer  technical  support  for   problems  such  as  licensing  issues  and  turning  on  extensions.  The  campus  computing  center  or   information  technology  services  (ITS)  at  ARL  institutions  most  likely  fields  some  of  the  software   installation  and  technical  issues  rather  than  the  library,  thus  accounting  for  the  lower  percentages.     A  variety  of  software  training  may  be  offered  to  the  campus  community  through  the  library;  80%   of  responding  libraries  make  visits  to  classes  to  give  presentations  and  training  sessions,  69%  host   workshops,  47%  provide  opportunities  for  virtual  training  courses  and  tutorials,  and  4%  offer   certificate  training  programs.     0   10   20   30   40   50   60   70   80   Students   Faculty   Staff   Public   Alumni   1997   2014     INFORMATION  TECHNOLOGY  AND  LIBRARIES  |  MARCH  2015   44   Department   GIS   Remote  Sensing   GPS   Anthropology   24   10   8   Archaeology   24   14   13   Architecture   24   1   6   Biology/Ecology   32   10   13   Business/Economics   23   1   3   Engineering   18   9   11   Environmental  Science/Studies   41   22   16   Forestry/Wildlife/Fisheries   21   12   10   Geography   35   22   15   Geology   31   12   10   History   27   2   2   Information  Sciences   14   1   0   Nursing   8   1   2   Medicine/Dentistry   9   0   0   Political  Science   25   3   5   Psychology   4   0   0   Public  Health/Epidemiology/  Biostatistics   30   3   9   Social  Work   2   0   1   Sociology   22   0   3   Soil  Science   17   5   4   Statistics   8   3   0   Urban  Planning/Studies   36   7   9   Table  3.  Number  of  ARL  Libraries  Reporting  Frequent  Users  of  GIS,  Remote-­‐Sensing,  or  GPS   Software  and  Technologies  from  a  Campus  Department  (2014)     Often,  the  library  is  not  the  only  place  people  can  go  to  obtain  software  support  and  training  on   campus.  Most  (86%)  responding  libraries  state  that  their  university  offers  credit  courses,  and  41%   of  campuses  have  a  GIS  computer  lab  located  elsewhere  on  campus  that  may  be  utilized.  ITS  is   available  for  assistance  at  29%  of  the  universities,  and  continuing  education  offers  some  level  of   training  and  support  at  14%  of  campuses.     Data  Collection  and  Access   Most  (85%)  of  responding  libraries  collect  geographic  data  and  allow  an  annual  budget  for  it.   “Libraries  that  have  invested  money  in  proprietary  software  and  trained  staff  members  will  tend   to  also  develop  and  maintain  their  own  collection  of  data  resources.”16  Of  those  collecting  data,  26%   spend  less  than  $1,000  annually,  15%  spend  between  $1,000  and  $2,499,  17%  spend  between   $2,500  and  $5,000,  while  41%  spend  more  than  $5,000.  In  1997,  79%  of  libraries  spent  less  than   $2,000  annually,  and  only  9%  spent  more  than  $5,000.17       GEOGRAPHIC  INFORMATION  AND  TECHNOLOGIES  IN  ACADEMIC  RESEARCH  LIBRARIES  |  HOLSTEIN   45     Figure  3.  Annual  budget  allocations  for  geographic  data  (2014)   A  dramatic  shift  has  occurred  over  the  years  with  budget  allocations  for  data  sets.  No  longer  are   academic  libraries  just  collecting  free  government  data  sets  as  was  typically  the  case  back  in  1997,   but  they  are  investing  much  more  of  their  materials  budget  into  building  up  the  geographic  data   collection  for  their  users.     Data  is  made  accessible  to  campus  users  in  a  variety  of  ways.  A  majority  (84%)  offer  data  via   remote  access  or  download  from  a  networked  campus  computer,  using  a  virtual  private  network   (VPN)  or  login.  More  than  half  (62%)  of  responding  libraries  provide  access  to  data  from   workstations  within  the  library,  and  64%  lend  CD-­‐ROMs.   Roughly  one-­‐quarter  (26%)  of  responding  libraries  provide  users  with  storage  for  their  data.  Of   those,  29%  have  a  dedicated  geographic  data  server,  14%  use  the  main  library  server,  29%  point   users  to  the  university  server  or  institutional  repository,  and  36%  allow  users  to  store  their  data   directly  onto  a  library  computer  workstation  hard  drive.   Internal  Use  of  GIS  in  Libraries   Geographic  information  technologies  may  be  used  internally  to  help  patrons  navigate  the  library’s   physical  collections  and  efficiently  locate  print  materials.  Of  the  survey  respondents,  60%  use  GIS   for  map  or  air  photo  indexing,  27%  use  the  technology  to  create  floor  maps  of  the  library  building,   and  15%  use  it  to  map  the  library’s  physical  collections.  “The  use  of  GIS  in  mapping  library   collections  is  one  of  the  non-­‐traditional  but  useful  applications  of  GIS.”18  GIS  can  be  used  to  link   library  materials  to  simulated  views  of  floor  maps  through  location  codes.19  This  enables  patrons   to  determine  the  exact  location  of  library  material  by  providing  them  with  item  “location  details   such  as  stacks,  row,  rack,  shelf  numbers,  etc.”20  The  GIS  system  can  become  a  useful  tool  for   collection  management  and  can  be  a  tremendous  time-­‐saver  for  patrons,  especially  those   unfamiliar  with  the  cataloging  system  or  collection  layout.     DISCUSSION   Recommendations  for  Building  a  Successful  Geographic  Information  Service  Center   0   5   10   15   20   25   30   35   40   45   percent  (%)     INFORMATION  TECHNOLOGY  AND  LIBRARIES  |  MARCH  2015   46   The  geographic  information  services  area  is  often  a  blend  of  the  traditional  and  modern.  It  can   extend  to  paper  maps,  atlases,  GPS  equipment,  software  manuals,  large-­‐format  scanners,  printers,   and  GIS.  GIS  services  may  include  a  cluster  of  computers  with  GIS  software  installed,  an  accessible   collection  of  GIS  data  resources,  and  assistance  available  from  the  library  staff.  The  question  for   academic  libraries  today  is  no  longer  “whether  to  offer  GIS  services  but  what  level  of  service  to   offer.”21  Every  university  has  different  GIS  needs,  and  the  library  must  decide  how  it  can  best   support  these  needs.  There  is  no  set  formula  for  building  a  geographic  information  service  center   because  each  institution  “has  a  different  service  mission  and  user  base.”22  Every  library’s  GIS   service  program  will  be  designed  with  its  unique  institutional  needs  in  mind;  however,  they  each   will  incorporate  some  combination  of  hardware,  software,  data,  and  training  opportunities   provided  by  at  least  one  knowledgeable  staff  member.23     “GIS  represents  a  significant  investment  in  hardware,  software,  staffing,  data  acquisition,  and   ongoing  staff  development.  Either  new  money  or  significant  reallocation  is  required.”24   Establishing  new  or  enhancing  GIS  services  in  the  library  requires  the  “serious  assessment  of  long-­‐ term  support  and  funding  needs.”25  Commitment  of  the  university  as  a  whole,  or  at  least  support   from  senior  administration,  “library  administration,  and  related  campus  departments”  is  crucial  to   its  success.26  Receiving  “more  funding  will  mean  more  staff,  better  trained  staff,  a  more  in-­‐depth   collection,  better  hardware  and  software,  and  the  ability  to  offer  multiple  types  of  GIS  services.”27     Once  funding  for  this  endeavor  has  been  secured,  it  is  of  utmost  importance  to  recruit  a  GIS   professional  to  manage  the  geographic  information  service  center.  To  be  most  effective  in  this   position,  the  incumbent  should  possess  a  graduate  degree  in  GIS  or  geography;  however,   depending  on  what  additional  responsibilities  would  be  required  of  the  candidate  (i.e.,  reference,   cataloging,  etc.)  a  second  degree  in  library  science  is  strongly  recommended.  This  staff  member   should  possess  mapping  and  GIS  skills,  which  include  experience  with  Esri  software  and  remote   sensing  technologies.  Employees  in  this  position  may  be  given  a  job  titles  such  as  “GIS  specialists,   GIS/data  librarians,  GIS/map  librarians,  digital  cartographers,  spatial  data  specialists,  and  GIS   coordinators.”28     With  the  new  staff  member  on  board,  hereafter  referred  to  as  “GIS  specialist,”  decisions  such  as   what  software  to  provide,  which  data  sets  to  collect,  and  what  types  of  training  and  support  to   offer  to  the  campus  can  be  made.  Consulting  with  research  centers  and  academic  departments  that   currently  use  or  are  interested  in  using  GIS  and  remote  sensing  technologies  is  a  good  place  to   learn  about  software,  data,  and  training  needs  and  to  determine  the  focus  and  direction  of  the   geographic  information  services  department.29  Campus  users  often  come  from  academic   departments  that  “have  neither  staff  nor  facilities  to  support  GIS,”  and  “may  only  consist  of  one  or   two  faculty  and  a  few  graduate  students.  These  GIS  users  need  access  to  software,  data,  and   expertise  from  a  centralized,  accessible  source  of  research  assistance,  such  as  the  library.”30     At  minimum,  Esri  ArcGIS,  Google  Maps  and  Google  Earth  should  be  supported,  with  additional   remote  sensing  or  open  source  GIS  software  depending  on  staff  expertise  and  known  campus     GEOGRAPHIC  INFORMATION  AND  TECHNOLOGIES  IN  ACADEMIC  RESEARCH  LIBRARIES  |  HOLSTEIN   47   needs.  When  purchasing  commercial  software  licenses,  such  as  for  Esri  ArcGIS,  discounts  for   educational  institutions  are  usually  available.  Additionally,  negotiating  campus-­‐wide  software   licenses  may  be  a  good  option  to  consider  as  the  costs  are  usually  far  less  than  purchasing   individual  or  floating  licenses.  Costs  for  campus-­‐wide  licensing  are  typically  determined  by  full-­‐ time  equivalent  (FTE)  students  enrolled  at  the  university.     Facilitating  “access  to  educational  resources  such  as  software  tools  and  applications,  how-­‐to-­‐ guides  for  data  and  software,”  and  tutorials  is  crucial.31  The  GIS  specialist  must  be  familiar  with   how  GIS  software  can  be  used  by  many  disciplines,  the  availability  of  “training  courses  or  tutorials,   sources  or  extensible  GIS  software,  and  hundreds  of  software  and  application  books.”32  Tutorials   may  be  provided  direct  from  a  software  vendor  (i.e.,  Esri  Virtual  Campus)  or  developed  in-­‐house   by  the  GIS  specialist.  Creating  “GIS  tutorials  on  short,  task-­‐based  techniques  such  as   georeferencing  or  geocoding”  and  making  them  readily  available  online  or  as  a  handout  may  save   time  having  to  repeatedly  explain  these  techniques  to  patrons.33   Geospatial  data  collection  development  is  a  core  function  of  the  geographic  information  services   department.  To  effectively  develop  the  data  collection,  the  GIS  specialist  must  fully  comprehend   the  needs  of  the  user  community  as  well  as  possess  a  “fundamental  understanding  of  the  nature   and  use  of  GIS  data.”34  This  is  often  referred  to  as  “spatial  literacy.”35  It  is  crucial  to  keep  abreast  of   “recent  developments,  applications,  and  data  sets.”36   The  GIS  specialist  will  spend  much  more  time  searching  for  and  acquiring  geographic  data  sets   than  selecting  and  purchasing  traditional  print  items  such  as  maps,  monographs,  and  journals  for   the  collection.  A  budget  should  be  established  annually  for  the  purchase  of  all  geographic   materials,  both  print  and  digital.  A  great  challenge  for  the  specialist  is  to  acquire  data  at  the  lowest   cost  possible.  While  a  plethora  of  free  data  is  available  online  from  government  agencies  and   nonprofit  organizations,  other  data,  available  only  from  private  companies,  may  be  quite   expensive  because  of  the  high  production  costs.  A  collection  development  policy  should  be  created   that  indicates  the  types  of  materials  and  data  collected  and  specifies  geographic  regions,  formats,   and  preferred  scales.37  The  needs  of  the  user  community  must  be  carefully  considered  when   establishing  the  policy.     The  expertise  of  the  GIS  specialist  is  needed  not  only  to  help  patrons  locate  the  appropriate   geographic  data,  but  also  to  use  the  software  to  process,  interpret,  and  analyze  it.  “Only  the  few   library  patrons  that  have  had  GIS  experience  are  likely  to  obtain  any  level  of  success  without   intervention  by  library  staff”;38  thus,  for  any  mapping  program  installed  on  a  library  computer,   “staff  must  have  working  knowledge  of  the  program”  and  must  be  able  to  provide  support  to   users.39  Furthermore,  the  GIS  specialist  must  be  able  to  train  patrons  to  use  the  software  to   complete  common  tasks  such  as  file  format  conversion,  data  projection,  data  manipulation,  and   geoprocessing.  These  geospatial  technologies  involve  a  steep  learning  curve,  and  unfortunately   “hands-­‐on  training  options  outside  the  university  are  often  cost-­‐prohibitive”  for  many.40  The   campus  community  requires  training  opportunities  to  be  both  convenient  and  inexpensive.     INFORMATION  TECHNOLOGY  AND  LIBRARIES  |  MARCH  2015   48   Teaching  hands-­‐on  geospatial  technology  workshops,  from  basic  to  the  advanced,  is  fundamental   to  educating  the  campus  community.  Workshops  will  “vary  from  institution  to  institution,  with   some  offering  students  an  introduction  to  mapping  and  others  focusing  on  specific  features  of  the   program,  such  as  georeferencing,  geocoding,  and  spatial  analysis.  Some  also  offer  workshops  that   are  theme  specific,”  such  as  “Working  with  census  data”  or  “Digital  elevation  modeling.”41  Custom   workshops  or  training  sessions  can  be  developed  to  meet  a  specific  campus  need,  tailored  for  a   specific  class  in  consult  with  an  instructor,  or  designed  especially  for  other  library  staff.     Today’s  Geographic  Information  Service  Center   The  academic  map  librarian  from  the  1970s  or  1980s  would  hardly  recognize  todays’  geographic   information  service  center.  What  was  once  a  room  of  map  cases  and  shelves  of  atlases  and   gazetteers  is  now  a  bustling  geospatial  center.  Computers,  powerful  GIS  and  remote-­‐sensing   technologies,  GPS  devices,  digital  maps,  and  data  are  now  available  to  library  patrons.  Every   library  surveyed  provides  GIS  software  to  campus  users,  and  85%  also  actively  collect  GIS  and   remotely  sensed  data.  With  the  assistance  of  expertly  trained  library  staff,  users  with  no  or  limited   experience  using  geospatial  technologies  are  enabled  to  analyze  spatial  data  sets  and  create   custom  maps  for  coursework,  projects,  and  research.  Nearly  all  surveyed  libraries  (94%)  have   staff  that  can  assist  students  specifically  with  software  use  for  class  assignments  and  projects,   while  90%  provide  assistance  with  more  generalized  use  of  the  software.  A  majority  of  libraries   also  offer  a  variety  of  software  training  sessions,  workshops,  and  give  presentations  to  the  campus   community.  All  this  is  made  possible  through  the  library’s  commitment  to  this  service  area  and  the   availability  of  highly  trained  professional  staff,  most  who  hold  a  masters  or  doctoral  degree.  The   library  has  truly  established  itself  as  the  go-­‐to  location  on  campus  for  spatial  mapping  and  analysis.   This  role  has  only  strengthened  in  the  years  since  the  launch  of  the  ARL  GIS  Literacy  Project  in   1992.   REFERENCES   1.     D.  Kevin  Davie  et  al.,  comps.,  SPEC  Kit  238:  The  ARL  Geographic  Information  Systems  Literacy   Project  (Washington,  DC:  Association  of  Research  Libraries,  Office  of  Leadership  and   Management  Services,  1999),  16.   2.   Ibid.,  3.   3.   Ibid.,  i.   4.   Abraham  Parrish,  “Improving  GIS  Consultations:  A  Case  Study  at  Yale  University  Library,”   Library  Trends  55,  no.  2  (2006):  328,  http://dx.doi.org/10.1353/lib.2006.0060.     5.     Eva  Dodsworth,  Getting  Started  with  GIS:  A  LITA  Guide  (New  York:  Neal-­‐Schuman,  2012),  161.   6.   Davie  et  al.,  SPEC  Kit  238,  i.     GEOGRAPHIC  INFORMATION  AND  TECHNOLOGIES  IN  ACADEMIC  RESEARCH  LIBRARIES  |  HOLSTEIN   49   7.   Eva  Dodsworth  and  Andrew  Nicholson,  “Academic  Uses  of  Google  Earth  and  Google  Maps  in  a   Library  Setting,”  Information  Technology  &  Libraries  31,  no.  2  (2012):  102,   http://dx.doi.org/10.6017/ital.v31i2.1848.   8.   Davie  et  al.,  SPEC  Kit  238,  8.   9.   Gregory  H.  March,  “Surveying  Campus  GIS  and  GPS  Users  to  Determine  Role  and  Level  of   Library  Services,”  Journal  of  Map  &  Geography  Libraries  7,  no.  2  (2011):  170–71,   http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15420353.2011.566838.   10.   Davie  et  al.,  SPEC  Kit  238,  5.     11.   George  J.  Soete,  SPEC  Kit  219:  Transforming  Libraries  Issues  and  Innovation  in  Geographic   Information  Systems.  (Washington,  DC:  Association  of  Research  Libraries,  Office  of   Management  Services,  1997),  5.   12.   Camila  Gabaldón  and  John  Repplinger,  “GIS  and  the  Academic  Library:  A  Survey  of  Libraries   Offering  GIS  Services  in  Two  Consortia,”  Issues  in  Science  and  Technology  Librarianship  48   (2006),  http://dx.doi.org/10.5062/F4QJ7F8R.   13.   Davie  et  al.,  SPEC  Kit  238,  5.   14.   Soete,  SPEC  Kit  219,  9.   15.   Davie  et  al.,  SPEC  Kit  238,  10.   16.   Dodsworth,  Getting  Started  with  GIS,  165.   17.   Davie  et  al.,  SPEC  Kit  238,  9.   18.   D.  N.  Phadke,  Geographical  Information  Systems  (GIS)  in  Library  and  Information  Services  (New   Delhi:  Concept,  2006),  36–37.   19.   Ibid.,  13.   20.   Ibid.,  74.   21.   Rhonda  Houser,  “Building  a  Library  GIS  Service  from  the  Ground  Up,”  Library  Trends  55,  no.  2   (2006):  325,  http://dx.doi.org/10.1353/lib.2006.0058.   22.   Melissa  Lamont  and  Carol  Marley,  “Spatial  Data  and  the  Digital  Library,”  Cartography  and   Geographic  Information  Systems  25,  no.  3  (1998):  143,   http://dx.doi.org/10.1559/152304098782383142.     INFORMATION  TECHNOLOGY  AND  LIBRARIES  |  MARCH  2015   50   23.   Carolyn  D.  Argentati,  “Expanding  Horizons  for  GIS  Services  in  Academic  Libraries,”  Journal  of   Academic  Librarianship  23,  no.  6  (1997):  463,   http://dx.doi.org/10.1559/152304098782383142.   24.   Soete,  SPEC  Kit  219,  11.   25.   Carol  Cady  et  al.,  “Geographic  Information  Services  in  the  Undergraduate  College:   Organizational  Models  and  Alternatives,”  Cartographica  43,  no.  4  (2008):  249,   http://dx.doi.org/10.3138/carto.43.4.239.   26.   Houser,  “Building  a  Library,”  325.   27.   R.  B.  Parry  and  C.  R.  Perkins,  eds.,  The  Map  Library  in  the  New  Millennium  (Chicago:  American   Library  Association,  2001),  59–60.   28.  Patrick  Florance,  “GIS  Collection  Development  within  an  Academic  Library,”  Library  Trends  55,   no.  2  (2006):  223,  http://dx.doi.org/10.1353/lib.2006.0057.   29.   Houser,  “Building  a  Library,”  325.   30.   Ibid.,  323.   31.   Ibid.,  322.   32.   Parrish.  “Improving  GIS,”  329.   33.   Ibid,  336.   34   Florance,  “GIS  Collection  Development,”  222.   35.    Soete,  SPEC  Kit  219,  6.   36.    Dodsworth,  Getting  Started  with  GIS,  165.   37.   Soete,  SPEC  Kit  219,  8.   38.   Gabaldón  and  Repplinger,  “GIS  and  the  Academic  Library.”   39.   Dodsworth,  Getting  Started  with  GIS,  164.   40.   Houser,  “Building  a  Library,”  323.   41.   Dodsworth,  Getting  Started  with  GIS,  161–62.         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