The document discusses various geographic sources, both print and online, that are utilized in reference services for library users. It covers the importance of understanding geographic resources, including scale, projection, evaluation, and various types of atlases, gazetteers, and travel guides. Additionally, it highlights the emergence of online resources and geographic mashups that integrate maps with other digital content.

1. Geographic Sources Geographic Resources A tour of geographic sources, both print and online, used in providing reference services to library users Royce Kitts

2. Geographic Sources Geographic sources can… Help you locate a place Tell you how to get there Tell you about a location Inform you about current events Give you tips on business or recreational travel

3. Geographic Sources Geographic sources also deal with time periods They can be current and/or historical in nature They can also deal with historical geography in relation to genealogy, military history, and place name changes

4. Geographic Sources Political Change The rate at which political changes occur in the world can make many print resources obsolete almost as soon as they are ordered However, even out-of-date materials can be useful, as they provide historical information that may not be available in more current materials

5. Geographic Sources Search Strategies Reference librarians must be familiar with the geographical resources available to them They should also remain flexible and creative in their search techniques As always, a good reference interview can pinpoint the best resource for a given question

6. Geographic Sources Scale With maps and atlases, it is important to consider scale Scale is that ratio of the distance on the map to the physical distance between the two points Scale can be critical, and will depend on the planned use of the map itself – the larger the scale, the less detail can be given on a single page

7. Geographic Sources Projection Projection deals with how things on a flat map look differently than they would on a globe The most well-known example of map distortion is the Mercator Greenland Distortion. Greenland appears to be about the same size as Africa

8. Geographic Sources Projection (cont.) On a Mercator projection map, Greenland appears to be about the same size as Africa – which is actually 14 times larger

9. Geographic Sources – Evaluation Colors and symbols Colors can be used to designate water, landforms and other man-made items For example, many maps use blue for water, green for vegetation, and black for man-made items Color can also be used to show elevation or population

10. Geographic Sources – Evaluation Symbols The larger the area covered by a map, the fewer symbols that can be used, in order to avoid clutter For example, a map of the U.S. printed on a single page may include only state boundaries and state capitals By contrast, a map of a single state can accommodate roads and other symbols for the different towns

11. Geographic Sources Other types of Geographic Sources

12. Geographic Sources Historical Atlases Popular historical atlases include: The Times Atlas of World History Historical Atlas of the United States Historical Atlas of Kansas Historical atlases can also focus on specific time periods and/or regions

13. Geographic Sources Thematic Atlases Examples of thematic atlases include: Road atlases, such as The Rand McNally Road Atlas Mark Mattson's Atlas of the 1990 Census Patrick Moore's Atlas of the Universe Nicholas de Lange's Atlas of the Jewish World

14. Geographic Sources Gazetteers A list of geographical names or features Can be appended to an atlas or published separately Can be locational or descriptive in nature As with maps and atlases, out-of-date gazetteers can provide valuable historical information

15. Geographic Sources Here is a sample entry from the Historical Gazetteer of the United States Note that it includes: town name county region of state distance to nearest big city important events in town history

16. Geographic Sources Useful gazetteers include: The Columbia Gazetteer of the World Merriam-Webster's Geographical Dictionary Rand McNally Commercial Atlas and Marketing Guide

17. Geographic Sources Here is a sample entry from the Columbia Gazetteer of the World Note that it includes: name of place place type (town, city, village, etc.) state, national, and world location longitude and latitude major industry or goods manufactured some historical information

18. Geographic Sources Travel Guides Includes travel literature by publishers such as Fodor, Frommer, Lonely Planet Also includes the Let's Go series (Harvard Student Agencies) and Shoestring Guides (Lonely Planet) Additionally, includes specialized guides to tourist attractions, museums, trails, etc.

19. Geographic Sources Other Geographical Sources Other useful print sources for geographical reference include: Background Notes (U.S. Department of State) Longman Dictionary of Geography (Audrey Clark) The Weather Almanac

20. Geographic Sources Online Resources

21. Geographic Sources – Online Resources Online Resources The online environment has allowed for a figurative explosion of map resources on the internet With the advent of new mobile technology devices, maps are everywhere you want to be Resources in the age of the World Wide Web

22. Geographic Sources – Online Resources Google Would you expect anything less than Google to be at the center of emergent geographic innovations? In the age of 2.0 we call these innovations “mashups” Google Maps and Google Earth are currently at the front of this mash-up phenomenon

23. Geographic Sources – Online Resources Mashups Geographic Mashups are combinations of maps with other digital content This screenshot is of the Darfur region in the Sudan In this example, each flame symbol stands for a village in Darfur that has been destroyed Clicking on the flame symbols will bring up information about that village or town

24. Geographic Sources – Online Resources Mashups (cont.) This is the information retrieved by clicking on one of the flame symbols in the previous example In this case, it tells us the location, status, and number of structures destroyed

25. Geographic Sources – Online Resources Mashups (cont.) This mashup is between Wikipedia and Google Earth Each little Wikipedia symbol is attached to a particular point of interest in New York City

26. Geographic Sources – Online Resources Mashups (cont.) This is the kind of information found by clicking on one of the Wikipedia symbols in the previous example Provided is general information, location, history, and in this case an original drawing of the Brooklyn Bridge

27. Columbia Gazetteer http:// www.columbiagazetteer.org / Google Earth http:// earth.google.com / Google Maps http:// maps.google.com /maps Infoplease http:// www.infoplease.com /atlas/ Internet Public Library Maps http://www.ipl.org/div/subject/browse/ref42.50.00/ Library of Congress Map Collection http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/gmdhtml/gmdhome.html MapQuest http:// www.mapquest.com / National Atlas http:// www.nationalatlas.gov / National Geographic Maps http:// plasma.nationalgeographic.com/mapmachine / Rand McNally http:// www.randmcnally.com / UN Atlas of the Oceans http:// www.oceansatlas.org / U.S. Gazetteer http:// www.census.gov/cgi -bin/gazetteer U.S. Geological Survey http:// www.usgs.gov / U.S. Census Bureau Maps and Cartographic Resources http:// www.census.gov /geo/www/maps/ Geographic Sources – Online Resources

28. Geographic Sources – Conclusion Thank you! Royce Kitts