Brock University Library invites applications for the full-time probationary position of GIS and Data Services Librarian.
Apply online by February 1, 2021 at 12:01am EST.
Questions? Email tribaric@brocku.ca, Acting Head Map, Data, GIS Library / Digital Scholarship Lab.
Digital Scholarship Lab, Employment opportunity, MDGL
Categories: Main, MDGL
Celebrating Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Day looks a little different this year. Universities across Ontario and Québec have joined forces to present workshops, and lectures, open to all, online.
Events include: the Geography of Pokémon Go, QGIS, the mapping of conservation, of history and of COVID-19, as well as networking events and a trivia night.
Organizers note that technical experience is not required. “Maps and mapping technology are more accessible now than ever before [and] no prior GIS experience [is] required.”
The Brock University Map, Data & GIS Library will present a hands-on workshop as part of the week’s events.
Western University’s Map and Data Centre is the hub for all events. View the full event listing and prepare to broaden your horizons.
ArcGIS Pro, MDGL, Workshops
Categories: Main, MDGL
Brock students, faculty and staff are conscientious when it comes to returning their library books. Indeed, “how can I return my books” is a frequent question to libhelp@brocku.ca.
While it’s not necessary to return items at this time (we’ve renewed regular loans to January 7, 2021), there are procedures in place for users who want to safely return their books.
Please follow these steps:
1. Complete the self-scan survey prior to coming to campus.
2. When you arrive, enter at the Rankin Family Pavilion (base of the Schmon Tower).
Note: Wearing a mask or face covering is required as per Brock’s campus-wide policy.
3. Tap your Brock ID card at the Welcome Desk.
Note: If you don’t have a Brock ID card, follow these instructions to submit a photo and have a card created for you. In the meantime, give your Brock ID number to the staff at the desk.
4. Head to the book drop slot just to the left of the stairs to Brock Central and deposit your items.
Your books will be quarantined for 7 days prior to check-in. Learn more about the quarantine period and a mail-in option for returns (navigate to the returns section).
What’s new? We’re so glad you asked. Our team has been hard at work refining Library online services and supports to serve you. We encourage you to keep up with changes to our usual services and resources by reading our Library Services and Resources Amid COVID-19 webpage.
If you are new to Brock – in any capacity, we invite you to peruse our Discover Your Library orientation site.
Over the summer, Access Services staff developed and rolled out a print materials pickup service to instructors, graduate students and post doctoral researchers. Keep an eye on our website for details about the expansion of this service to additional user groups this term.
While not brand new, we are pleased to announce the library scanning service has resumed. Open to all in the Brock community, making a request for a pdf scan of a chapter from a print book or journal article is easier than ever. Learn more about requesting a scan via Omni.
Instructors at Brock are now able to self-upload their course reserve readings to Ares. Step-by-step instructions as well as video demonstrations are available for faculty interested in trying this out.
When the Brock University Smart Start Team moved their programming online, we followed suit and offered our Top 10 Tips for new students. As orientation continues, all Library extra-curricular learning opportunities are posted on ExperienceBU. Among the myriad listings, we invite you to embark on your own Library Quest, take a mid-week Library Yoga break, develop your citation management competencies with Zotero, and get introduced to Vector Design for CNC.
Brock University Library is now a member partner of HathiTrust and has signed onto its Emergency Temporary Access Service (ETAS). ETAS provides electronic read-only access to approximately 30% of our in-copyright print collections. In addition, over 4 million worldwide public domain items already accessible in HT. The service is available to all current Brock University faculty, students, and staff. Learn more.
For the immediate future, the Archives & Special Collections is closed to the public. However, the staff of the Archives is still working. Direct any questions or needs to archives@brocku.ca. They will do their best to assist you. You can also find many of their digitized materials in the Brock University Digital Repository.
During the pandemic, Archives staff have been creating digital exhibits featuring some of the collections and records that we have in the Archives. See some of the rich history that we have in our collections.
In March, the Archives and Digital Scholarship Lab Teams started to collect stories, questions/answers, photos, videos, and other materials that chronicle the pandemic in the Niagara area. To contribute to this project and have your experiences and thoughts preserved into the future, go to our COVID-19 in Niagara website and add your stories.
The Digital Scholarship Lab in conjunction with the Map, Data & GIS Library invite you to learn from their expertise with their Fall Workshop Series. In addition, both the DSL and MDGL invite you to get ‘hands-on’ by plotting your hometown and entering the Data Visualization Contest.
Our Makerspace Team invite you to take a virtual tour of their new facilities. Workshops will continue online for the fall term and their website features a new FAQ.
Stay up-to-date by keeping an eye on the website and our social media channels – Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for any changes or expansion in services as the term progresses.
The Library Team wish you all the best for a successful start to the fall term.
ArcGIS Pro and ArcGIS Online resources are now available to the Brock University community through an enterprise login and Brock credentials. Just a few steps and you can have a world of mapping capabilities at your fingertips.
Prior to this new method, students, staff and faculty were required to contact staff of the MDGL to obtain access. Staff always responded to each request as quickly as possible but it was certainly not instant. These Esri products are not free tools, however this is just one of the many resources that the Brock University Library provides access to for its users. We hope everyone takes the opportunity to explore the world of GIS and all of its many possibilities!
Follow these simple instructions to begin using ArcGIS now!
For further assistance please contact maplib@brocku.ca.
ArcGIS Pro, Digital Scholarship Lab, MDGL
Categories: Digital Scholarship Lab, Main, MDGL
As part of Geography Awareness Week, the Brock University Map, Data & GIS Library (MDGL) will be hosting GIS Day on Wednesday, November 13. Visit the MDGL between 12 and 2 p.m. to enjoy a pizza lunch ($) and a slice of their famous GIS Day cake (free!)
September is here and we are very excited to welcome everyone back to Brock University for the Fall semester! We hope you are as ready to get back to learning and doing as we are.
This Fall the Brock University Digital Scholarship Lab is offering a series of hands-on workshops, each of which focuses on a different tool or skill that will be beneficial to your learning experience and will also give you skills to add to your resumé. Another bonus of attending these workshops, is that they will earn you credit towards your Campus-Wide Co-Curriculum Certificate. Each workshop is open to everyone. Workshops included in this series are as follows:
September 12 – Introduction to OpenRefine
September 18 – Introduction to R
September 27 – Introduction to Data Visualization
October 1 – ArcGIS Pro: the software, a flu outbreak and network analysis
October 7 – Introduction to Python
October 15-16 – Software Carpentry. This is a two day even that requires a small fee to attend.
October 21 – Introduction to Data Science with Python. Case Study: Sci-Hub close to home
October 30 – Python 2.0. Attendance to the first Python workshop is beneficial but is not required.
November 6 – Introduction to R – Nov. 6
November 11 – Introduction to the Command Line
November 12 – Intro. to Data Visualization – Nov. 12
November 20 – Introduction to PowerBI
November 26 – Introduction to Tableau
To learn more about the series including dates, times and registration information, please visit ExperienceBU. For questions please contact dsl@brocku.ca
Interested in learning ArcGIS Pro by really digging into the software and using realistic data? This workshop, offered in partnership by the Map, Data and GIS Library and the Digital Scholarship Lab, will use a fictitious scenario about a flu outbreak in St. Catharines. In this workshop we will geolocate each incident of the flu and determine what schools should be shut down based on their proximity to flu incidents. We will also use network analysis to calculate the nearest medical centres. In attending this workshop, you will learn the basics of creating a visually pleasing layout and how to share your work with others. This event is open to everyone, no previous ArcGIS experience is necessary.
When: Thursday, June 27, 10-12 AM
Where: Brock University, James A. Gibson Library – Classroom A (ST228)
Register: Eventbrite
Note: Registration for this event ends June 25th
ArcGIS Pro, BrockUDSL, Digital Scholarship Lab, MDGL, Workshops
Categories: Digital Scholarship Lab, Main, MDGL
On Wednesday, December 5 from 9:30 – 11:00 a.m. in Classroom A on the main floor of the James A. Gibson Library, the Digital Scholarship Lab, in partnership with the Map, Data and GIS Library, is hosting an Introduction to ArcGIS workshop.
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are used to create maps and analyze geospatial data. GIS tools can be used to create data visualizations for a variety projects and its functionality is not constrained to geographical research projects alone. Some examples of diverse GIS applications include research on: disease control, agriculture, tourism, astronomy, archaeology, human behavior, shipping routes and traffic, wildlife tracking, climate change, crime patterns, banking, gaming, history, humanitarianism, and sports. The options really are endless.
In this workshop you will learn basic functionality of Esri’s front-running software, ArcGIS Pro. Using a fictional scenario, we will use GIS to determine where Starbucks Corporation should build a new coffee shop based on certain criteria. Although previous experience with GIS is helpful, beginners are welcome! This workshop is a great first step in determining if GIS can be applied to your research projects and presentations.
Sign up at: ExperienceBU or email us at dsl@brocku.ca
BrockUDSL, MDGL, Training & Development, Workshops
Categories: Digital Scholarship Lab, Main, MDGL
Celebrate and explore the power of maps on GIS Day (November 14th) at the Map, Data & GIS Library. Held during Geography Awareness Week, GIS Day “provides an international forum for users of geographic information systems (GIS) technology to demonstrate real-world applications that are making a difference in our society.” (gisday.com)
At Brock, all are invited to enjoy:
The days events run from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in Mackenzie Chown C306