Archives for October 12, 2006
More on the Canada Map Office closure
CanadaMap Office to Remain Open (for now) and printing Paper maps
This update has been circulating on some of the various Canadian map library and geography lists regarding the closure (make that non-closure) of the Canada Map Office. This comes from the GIS Coordinator, Maps, Data and Government Information Centre, Carleton University Library… On the morning of October 11, 2006 the Map Uses Advisory Committee was contacted by Kathleen Olson, Acting Director of Communications to the Minister of Natural Resources. Ms. Olson wanted to make key stakeholders groups aware of Minister Lunn’s recent decision to keep the Canada Map Office open. According to Ms. Olson, “as soon as this was brought to Minister Lunn’s attention he recognized the need to continue this service to stakeholders and Canadians”.
So, for now it seems that a vocal group of mapping professionals and academics have halted the closure of the Canada Map Office which would have meant stopping the printing of paper maps by the Government agency. Apparently the thought of regional partners and agencies handling the on demand printing service was not a suitable option for many so for now the offics remains.
A visit to the map office home page (http://maps.nrcan.gc.ca/distribution_e.php) provides this message: Customers are reminded that the Canada Map Office no longer distributes maps directly to the public. We recommend the purchase of National Topographic System maps, aeronautical charts, and National Atlas of Canada publications from any of over 900 map dealers across Canada, the United States and overseas.
Updated – State Data Centers and Clearinghouses
Follow this valuable list of pointers to State GIS Clearinghouse nodes… a nicely updated list compiled by the folks at Montana’s NRIS… nice job! Most of these resources contain freely downloadable data products that include DRG, DEM, DOQ, soils data, census products, aerial photography, NED, and more.
- Alabama Geological Survey
- Alaska State Geospatial Data Clearinghouse
- Arizona Geographic Information Council
- Arkansas GIS Gateway
- California Spatial Information Library
- University of Colorado Map Library
- University of Connecticut Map & Geographic Info Center
- Connecticut Dept of Environmental Protection
- Delaware DataMIL
- Florida Geographic Data Library
- Georgia GIS Data Clearinghouse
- Hawaii Statewide GIS Program
- INSIDE Idaho
- Illinois Natural Resources Data Clearinghouse
- Indiana GIS Initiative
- Iowa Geospatial Data Clearinghouse
- Iowa Dept. of Natural Resources
- Kansas Geospatial Community Commons
- Kentucky Office of GIS
- Louisiana MAP
- Maine Office of GIS
- Maryland State Geographic Information Committee
- Massachusetts Geographic Information System
- Michigan Center for Geographic Information
- Minnesota Land Management Information Center
- Mississippi Automated Resource Information System (MARIS)
- Missouri Spatial Data Information Service
- Montana State Library GIS Program
- Nebraska GIS Steering Committee
- Nevada Geographic Information Clearinghouse
- New Hampshire GRANIT net
- New Jersey Geographic Information Network
- New Mexico GIS Resources
- New York State Library GIS Clearinghouse
- North Carolina Center for Geographic Information & Analysis
- North Dakota Geographic Information Systems
- Ohio Geographically Referenced Information Program
- Oklahoma State GIS Council
- Oregon Geospatial Enterprise Office
- Pennsylvania Spatial Data Access
- Rhode Island GIS Data
- South Carolina: USC Data Server
- South Dakota Geological Survey
- South Dakota GIS
- Tennessee GISource
- Texas Natural Resource Information System GIS Data Catalog
- Utah Automated Geographic Reference Center
- Vermont Center for Geographic Information
- Virginia Digital Map Library
- Washington Geographic Information Council
- West Virginia GIS Data Clearinghouse
- Wisconsin Land Information Clearinghouse
- Wyoming GIS Resources
How to form a geography club
An interesting primer from the National Council for Geographic Education (NCGE) introducing readers on how to form a geography club in a school. The detailed documents cover off everything you can imagine from getting started, materials needed, activites, resources, and much more – nine months of activities are provided. A great bookmark for any young geographers. See http://www.ncge.org/resources/geoclub/