Articles tagged with: MDGL

  • GIS Day Buzz

    Wednesday, November 15th marks a special day in the geography world as we gear up to celebrate GIS! Geographic Information Systems (GIS) combines software, hardware, data and people to create, analyze and disseminate geospatial data and ideas about where and why things happen as they do. Join us this year to learn more about GIS and specifically ArcGIS, the industry standard for mapping technology. The Map, Data & GIS Library is hosting a variety of events including:

    Wednesday, November 15, 2023

    10-11:30 a.m. GIS for Faculty and Staff: A 90 minute workshop introducing attendees to the Esri site license and ArcGIS software options for research, teaching and administrative tasks. Registration recommended.

    12-1:15 p.m. Pizza & Cake in the MDGL: Join the Tourism and Geography Society (TAGS) for lunch in the MDGL where anyone can buy a slice of pizza ($$) and partake of the infamous GIS Day cake (free)!

    1:30-3:30 p.m. GIS for Brock Community: This 120 minute session will introduce students, faculty and staff to GIS with a hands-on component. Attendees should bring their own device to engage fully with the session. Registration recommended.

    Further to the Brock GIS Day festivities, interested parties can take advantage of the FREE online GIS Days Conference hosted by Western University Libraries. The conference runs from Nov. 13-16, 2023. Check out the schedule and register today!

    Brock representations at the GIS Days conference includes:

    Tuesday, Nov. 14, 12:30-1:30 p.m. Introduction to ArcGIS Online by Sharon Janzen

    Thursday, Nov. 16, 11 a.m. HGIS Lightning talk by Rebecca Nickerson

    Questions? Contact maplib@brocku.ca (Map, Data & GIS Library, MC-C306)

    Tags: , , ,
    Categories: Main, MDGL

  • GIS Day is coming …

    It’s that time of year again when we start planning for GIS Day! November 15th will mark this eventful day for all users of GIS technologies. We will have presentations, contests and displays as well as tutorials, pizza ($$) and CAKE (FREE!). Please mark your calendars for Wednesday, November 15, 2023 and stay tuned for details.

    GIS stands for Geographic Information Systems and broadly represents the technology behind analyzing and creating map products. There are many departments using geospatial technologies for research and teaching at Brock University: Geography & Tourism Studies, Earth Sciences, Health Sciences, Political Sciences, History, Modern Literature & Languages, etc. If you haven’t tried giving a spatial context to your work, perhaps it’s time to explore the options available.

    Follow us on Instagram for up-to-date information.

     

    Tags: , ,
    Categories: Main, MDGL

  • Join in the hunt on International Geocaching Day

    Have you ever wanted to go on a real-life treasure hunt, but never did because you thought it was only real in children’s stories and the movies? Well, get ready for adventure and exploring because geocaching is 21st century treasure hunting! Geocaching is a free outdoor activity that uses GPS technology to find the containers unsurprisingly called a geocache that have small treasures to trade, and a log book to sign.  

    To start, borrow a GPS device from the Map, Data & GIS Library, or download a geocaching app on your smartphone like Geocaching (Android, iPhone, and iPad), Cachly (iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch), or c:geo (Android), and input the coordinates for the geocache you want to find. There are two geocaches on Brock Campus – Welcome to Brock, a micro-cache, and Fin de Siècle, a multi-step cache. 

    Next, find the cache! Stay on the trail if there is one, and once you’re close, use your hands and eyes to finish the hunt. They can be well hidden so be creative while searching and while they are never buried, they are not always on the ground. When you find it, sign the logbook, take a treasure, and always leave another treasure of equal or greater value for the next geocachers. Take your trash out with you and leave the site better than you found it.  

    Join geocachers around the world on August 19, 2023 for the 12th annual celebration of International Geocaching Day! Go to www.geocaching.com for more information on geocaching and events. 

    Tags:
    Categories: Main, MDGL

  • Annual Esri Scholarship Competition returns to Brock

    Attention all Brock GIS users! It’s time for the annual Esri Scholarship Competition. Eligible students (current students from undergrad to grad) can submit a ~500 word ESRI GIS Project Proposal with their resume to sjanzen@brocku.ca by April 24th 4:30 p.m.

    Geographic Information Systems is mapping and analysis software. Esri is the industry standard for GIS across all sectors. GIS is used at Brock in Health Sciences, Biological Sciences, Environmental Sciences, History, Literature & Language, Political Science, Earth Sciences, Recreation and Leisure Studies and Geography/Tourism.

    The deliverables for the successful candidate will include a poster and report in the form of an Esri StoryMap due by June 1, 2023. Prizes include $1,000 cash reward, software access, books, conference passes and more! 

    Submissions and questions should be directed to Sharon Janzen, sjanzen@brocku.ca in the Map, Data & GIS Library, MC-C306 

    Tags: , ,
    Categories: Main, MDGL

  • ArcGIS Online – analysis tools!

    The “new” Map Viewer came to us in 2021 but users were mystified by the gaping lack of analysis tools! We were “forced” to return to Map Viewer CLASSIC to perform analysis and bring the results into the new map viewer. Well, my mappy friends, the day has come! ArcGIS Online Map Viewer now has a whole suite of GIS analysis tools including overlays, buffering, proximity analysis, data enrichment and georeferencing! Plus, so much more.

    Visit arcgis.com and sign in using your Brock credentials as per these instructions to start analysing today!  For more information about analysis in ArcGIS Online check out this blog.

    Tags: ,
    Categories: MDGL

  • Contribute to a delicious data visualization

    GIS Day events return in-person this year after a two-year hiatus. In addition to quizzes, learning and laughter, a key part of the annual tradition at Brock is a GIS Day cake.

    Submit one of your map creations (in JPEG format) to Sharon Janzen, Map Library Associate and Geospatial Data Coordinator, for a chance to have it featured on this year’s cake.

    Contribute your JPEG to sjanzen@brocku.ca by November 9, 2022.

    Tags: , , , , ,
    Categories: Main, MDGL

  • Welcome to the Map, Data & GIS Library

    The Map, Data & GIS Library (MDGL) is pleased to welcome students and faculty back to campus for the 2022/2023 year! The MDGL provides users with excellent resources and services on campus at MacKenzie Chown C306 including:

    • Bookable Alienware computer
    • The Niagara air photo collection
    • Scanning, printing, and study space
    • Thousands of maps, and books from atlases to watershed plans.

    Online, the MDGL is home to the Niagara Air Photo Index, digital and historical map collections, and special exhibits such as StoryMaps at Brock University, Historic Welland Canals Mapping Project, and more. Come explore Niagara and the world from times long past to future possibilities!

    Tags: , , ,
    Categories: MDGL

  • Brock Library services and resources highlighted in new exhibit

    New and returning students are invited to stop by and view a new exhibit in the Library and Learning Commons display cases. The exhibit features unique items from Brock’s Archives and Special Collections, the Makerspace, and Map, Data & GIS Library. A guide to study spots, research basics, and the various ways to get help from the library are also featured.  Welcome to Brock University Library runs to Friday, September 16.

    Tags: , , , ,
    Categories: Archives, Learning Commons, Main, Makerspace, MDGL

  • Discover your library this spring

    A new term and a fresh start on one of the prettiest campuses around! Welcome to the spring term at Brock and the Library.

    Whether you are a new or returning student or instructor, learn something new on the Discover Your Library page. Complete our popular Scholar Style quiz and receive customized services based on your answers.

    If you are on campus or live in the Niagara area, we are open from 8am to 8pm Monday through Friday and 1pm-5pm on Saturdays. Stop by the Ask Us desk to kick start your research.

    For those studying at a distance, we offer hundreds of thousands of e-books and journal articles, and help is just a few clicks away with email and chat services as well as online research consultations with our librarians.

    We look forward to working with you and wish you all the best for a successful term.

    Tags: , , , , , ,
    Categories: Main, MDGL

  • ESRI Canada GIS Scholarship Contest, 2022

    The Esri Canada GIS Scholarship Award program provides software, books, training, funding and other benefits to undergraduate and graduate students at universities across Canada who can demonstrate competent use of Esri’s geospatial technologies.

    Brock University has been privileged to take part in the Scholarship Award program for the last 9 years. This year, the 2022 Esri Scholarship Competition will be held virtually with a deadline for applicants set for April 1st. The winner will receive a cash prize of $1,000 plus additional books, software, and learning opportunities.

    The successful applicant will be required to complete a poster and an ArcGIS StoryMap by June 1, 2022 outlining how they used ESRI’s suite of products to enhance or conduct their research. Projects may include personal research, academic projects or even course assignments.

    Brock’s 2021 recipient was Jessica Linzel who “Reimagines Historical Topics with GIS”.

    Read the stories of previous recipients and information for student applicants.

    Questions? sjanzen@brocku.ca

    Tags: , ,
    Categories: Main, MDGL