New Database: Sanborn Maps (Digital Sanborn Maps)

Access to Sanborn maps is now available through the Library Database wizard. The maps provide detailed information about street blocks, building materials, and utilities, etc. in cities and towns of the states of DE, DC, MD, and VA ranged from 1867 to 1970. They were originally created for the purpose of assessing risk of fire and cost of insurance. You can find the maps very useful for studies in the growth of cities and towns during the first half of the 20th Century.

MSN Virtual Earth

Microsoft Inc announced a new product, MSN Virtual Earth, against Google Maps. It will be launched in this Summer. See the article at http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,1819155,00.asp

ArcIMS is Available!

For those who want to produce web-based interactive mapping: you can do this in Fenwick Library. We have installed ArcIMS software on our GIS workstations. Please check it out in Fenwick Library, Government Documents/Map Unit.

Maps & Geographic Information Collections in Transition

The recent two day conference on maps and geographic information in transition in D.C. was a hugh success. We all learned from each other by sharing information and experiences. Please take a look at Dr. Onsrud's licensing geographic data and services and Dr. Goodchild's future directions for Geolibraries. There were more sucessful stories of Harvard Geospatial Library and Inside Idaho projects. See abstracts of presentations at http://cuac.wustl.edu/AbstractsforPresentations.htm
Power Point Presentations at http://www.cuac.wustl.edu/newPage.htm

Landscan: Worldwide Population Data Sources

If you are looking for detailed population data outside the U.S., then please visit Landscan Global Population Database. Developed by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the data is licensed but available online free for U.S. Federal Government users and for educational research. The latest product is 2003. Please check it out.

New Collection-ESRI Data and Maps and Street USA DVDs (2004)

The DVDs contain all of the Data & Maps vector and image data to make maps around the World, Europe, Canada, Mexico, and USA. In addition, the StreetMap USA data provides nationwide street display, routing, and geocoding for the United States. The collection provides you with new ways to present your information using ArcGIS software. Please check it out in Fenwick Library, Government Documents/Map unit.

NEW: Govdocs blog at Mason

I have created a govdocs blog to disseminate up-to-date news on government information. Please check it out to see articles on Google's activity on satellite maps; a new feature about Population Finder through American Factfinder, and much more.

NGA: Proposal to Remove Aeronautical Information

Another document may be disappearing from the federal depository libraries. The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) intends to remove its Flight Information Publications (FLIP),Digital Aeronautical Flight Information File (DAFIF), and related aeronautical safety of navigation digital and hardcopy publications from public sale and distribution. For more information, please visit:

http://www.nga.mil/NGASiteContent/StaticFiles/OCR/nga0411.pdf or

http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2004/04-25631.htm