| | GIS in Action
- Ithaca City GIS
- Labratory of Ornithology's Backyard Bird Count
- Census Atlas
Basic Terms and Concepts
GIS: What is it?
- "In the strictest sense, a GIS is a computer system capable of assembling, storing, manipulating, and displaying geographically referenced information, i.e. data identified according to their locations. Practitioners also regard the total GIS as including operating personnel and the data that go into the system." USGS
- "A geographic information system (GIS) integrates hardware, software, and data for capturing, managing, analyzing, and displaying all forms of geographically referenced information.
GIS allows us to view, understand, question, interpret, and visualize data in many ways that reveal relationships, patterns, and trends in the form of maps, globes, reports, and charts.
ESRI
Layers
Raster vs. Vector
- This introduction from Amherst gives a good overview of various kinds of raster- and vector-based cartography.
GIS Products at Cornell
- ArcGIS
- The pre-eminent suite of GIS software products from ESRI. ArcGIS 9.2 is available in the Map and Geospatial Information Collection in Olin Library and at Stone Lab in Mann Library, as well as specialized installations (no general public access) at the Geddes Lab in Sibley and in other offices and labs on campus. Cornell does have a site license for ArcGIS. See below for obtaining a license.
- Geolytics, Inc. Census Products.
- Geolytics repackages census data and provides mapping software to produce thematic maps. This is the only readily available electronic access to the 1970 and 1980 census data. Maps can be exported as ESRI Shapefiles. The CDs are in the Map Collection and in the Electronic Text Center in Olin. For a description of the available data see www.geolytics.com.
- US Census Thematic Mapping with American Factfinder
- Thematic mapping of selected variables of the 2000 Census is possible using American Factifinder. This provides a preview of the possibilities explored in our workshops.
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- Manifold
- Manifold is an integrated system that simultaneously works with vector drawings, satellite and aerial photos, other raster images, raster data, multichannel remote sensing images, 2D and 3D surfaces and terrain simulations, multilayered maps, user supplied or automatically generated labels and a vast range of database table formats. Manifold is a seamlessly integrated, high performance package. Manifold 6.50 even includes a sophisticated, fast, powerful Internet map server that's built right into Manifold so you can publish your maps to the web for browsing by anyone. (Company site). Manifold is getting wide use in the Department of Natural Resources at Cornell.
How to Learn More
- Workshops in the Electronic Classroom in Uris Library
- Two or Three workshops a semester.
- Workshops at Mann
- Mann Library also offers workshops on GIS in the Stone Lab.
- ESRI Virtual Campus
- Fee-based courses authored by ESRI can be taken for free by current students, faculty or staff of Cornell University. This is possible through our Site Licenses with the company. Arrangement for taking the classes can be made with our ESRI liaisons:
| Endowed campus: Steve Gallow
(scg2@cornell.edu)
Inst. for Study of the Continents
2126 Snee Hall
607 255-5267 | Statutory campus: Steve Smith
(sds3@cornell.edu)
Inst. for Resource Information Systems
302 Rice Hall
607 255-6520 |
Some Useful Web Sites
- Introduction to GIS
- A very clear and well laid out introduction from the University of Melbourne. The web page highlights the basic information and provides links to more detailedd .pdfs. In addition there are interactive examples (not working in the latest attempt-2008) and an excellent glossary.
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- GIS.com
- A part of the ESRI site for beginners with good information although not meant to be a tutorial. Another excellent glossary. Interesting Flash demo of GIS concepts. A .pdf provides another approach to the basic concepts.
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- USGS Geographic Information Systems
- An online version of their particularly informative poster.
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- An Introduction To Geographical Information Systems(GIS) by Harold Reynolds.
- There are many online introductions of varying utility. This one, by a Canadian GIS specialist using MapInfo, is particularly valuable for outlining the pitfalls of thematic mapping.
Basic Books
Some introductory books you may find useful. Many are checked out in perpetuity, so don't hesitate to use Borrow Direct to get a copy.
- Bolstad, Paul. 2002. GIS fundamentals : a first text on geographic information systems. White Bear Lake, Minn: Eider Press
G70.212 .B64x 2002.
- DeMers, Michael N. 1997. Fundamentals of geographic information systems. New York: Wiley
Mann Library G70.212 .D46x 1997.
- Heywood, D. I., Cornelius, Sarah, and Carver, Steve. 2002. An introduction to geographical information systems.2nd ed. Harlow, England ; New York: Prentice Hall
G70.212 .H49 2002.
- Kennedy, Michael. 2002. The global positioning system and GIS : an introduction.2nd ed. London ; New York: Taylor & Francis.
G109.5 .K46x 2002.
- Ormsby, Tim. 2004. Getting to know ArcGIS desktop : basics of ArcView, ArcEditor, and ArcInfo.2nd , updated for ArcGIS 9 ed. Redlands, Calif: ESRI Press
G70.212 .G489 2004.
- Schuurman, Nadine. 2004. GIS : a short introduction. Malden, MA: Blackwell Pub.
G70.212 .S38 2004.
- Masser, Ian. 2005. GIS worlds : creating spatial data infrastructures.1st ed. Redlands, CA: ESRI Press
G70.212 .M289 2005.
- United Nations. Statistical Division. 2000. Handbook on geographic information systems and digital mapping. New York: United Nations.
Oversize G70.212 .H36 2000+.
Other Resources
- ESRI Library
- ESRI has a massive bibliography of books, articles and reports on GIS.
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- Resources at Cornell University Library
- A more modest and selective list of books (print and online) on applications of GIS in particular fields.
Where to go for Maps and Data
- ESRI Data Portal and the Geography Network
- The Geography Network is a global network of geographic information users and providers. It provides the infrastructure needed to support the sharing of geographic information among data providers, service providers, and users around the world. Through the Geography Network, you can access many types of geographic content including dynamic maps, downloadable data, and more advanced Web services.
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- New York State Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Clearinghouse
- The Clearinghouse, operated by the New York State Office of Cyber Security & Critical Infrastructure Coordination, was established to disseminate information about New York's Statewide GIS Coordination Program and to provide access to the New York State GIS Data and Metadata Repository.
Originally developed as part of the Center for Technology in Government's GIS Cooperative Project, the Metadata Repository was created to provide one central location where State agencies and local governments can list the GIS data sets that they have. GIS users can browse the list, or search for specific keywords, to find out what data is available, who holds it, and how it can be obtained. In some cases, users will be able to go one step further, and download the actual data set.
- Cornell University Geospatial Information Repository (CUGIR)
- CUGIR is an active online repository in the National Spatial Data Clearinghouse program. CUGIR provides geospatial data and metadata for New York State, with special emphasis on those natural features relevant to agriculture, ecology, natural resources, and human-environment interactions.
- Olin Library Map Room
- The source for maps, atlases, GIS applications including ArcView, Wessex, Geolytics, etc. Many digitized maps and expert help. There is an online Census Geography: A Guide To Olin Library Map Holdings, and also links to online collections of local maps, including the Ithaca GIS, CUGIR, and other collections.
- GeoSpatial One Stop Portal (GeoData.gov)
- An intergovernmental project managed by the Department of the Interior in support of the President's Initiative for E-government, Geospatial One Stop builds upon its partnership with the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) to improve the ability of the public and government to use geospatial information to support the business of government and facilitate decision-making.
- Bureau of the Census
- The Census Bureau site provides access to online reference maps. These are extremely useful in locating governmental boundaries as well as identifying tracts, blockgroups and blocks. The maps can be constructed with various layers of detail, and then printed. In addition, some thematic mapping of selected variables can be done right from the site.
Local Mapping and GIS resources
- Tompkins County Data Repositories
- Tompkins County's repository of GIS data sets and information.
- City of Ithaca's Demographics, Mapping and GIS Data Center
- Through this site, the City serves its staff, elected officials, and citizens, as well as contractors, consultants, agencies, students, researchers and companies with an interest in the City.
Other Links to GIS Resources
- Aaron's Links
- Links to online resources for free topographic maps and research tools.
- Maps and GIS Internet related Resources
- Links to resources from the Maps and Government Information Department at the Syracuse University Library.
- Links to GIS resources for New York State
- USGS Maps and Spatial Data
- Links to federal GIS resources from USGS
Online Tutorials
Learning more about ArcGIS: ESRI and ArcUser Exercises
Mapping Census 2000 with GIS
This ArcUser exercise shows how to create
four maps in ArcGIS that replicate summary
maps for the entire population of the United
States presented in Section 1 of Mapping
Census 2000: The Geography of U.S. Diversity
by Cynthia A. Brewer and Trudy A. Suchan.
This atlas, published by ESRI Press, showcases
maps prepared using ArcGIS and provides a
riveting portrait of the country.
Mapping Rural Growth
An article, “Mapping Census
2000 with ArcGIS,” in the Spring 2002 issue
of ArcUser described how to map demographic
change on a national level using
county level census data for 1990 and 2000.
This article replicates the population growth
analysis performed by a fire district in Utah
to support its application for equipment
Race & Ethnicity in Census 2000
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