“ Our goal is to facilitate access to the geospatial content they need and provide them with avenues for sharing their own data so others can discover it .”
Mapping a Path Forward : Geospatial Data
By Erin Doherty
From the first stone carvings of the early ages , to the Great Library of Alexandria , to the construction throughout the 20th century of the libraries we know and love today , the raw human need to share knowledge and stories has never diminished .
Even in the present day , libraries are evolving . The advent of new technology has transformed the ways in which people interact with resources and materials . Nowadays , information is literally available at the touch of a button . A three-second Google search will return thousands , sometimes millions , of results .
Jaime Martindale and her assistant at work in Robinson Map Library .
“ Our goal is to facilitate access to the geospatial content they need and provide them with avenues for sharing their own data so others can discover it .”
~ Jaime Martindale , Map Librarian p
One of the many resources here at the University of Wisconsin – Madison for researchers is the Robinson Map Library , located in the Department of Geography . Headed by Jaime Martindale , a map and geospatial data librarian , she described her role in simple terms : “ My job on campus is to support students and researchers in whatever they ’ re doing .”
Despite having its home in the Geography Department , the Map Library serves as a resource to students from many different backgrounds and majors . Martindale has met aspiring researchers on topics ranging from forestry and wildlife ecology to landscape architecture , and nuclear biology .
New technology has made it possible for all these different students to access the available resources . Martindale spoke about a new platform called GeoData @ Wisconsin that has made it possible to use the data outside of the library .
“ This web-based application allows us to provide direct download access to our Geographic Information System ( GIS ) data collections , which means students don ’ t have to request it from us and we don ’ t have to compile tons of data requests every time someone needs something ,” she said . “ It ’ s a win-win ! As a result , our workflow became streamlined and much more efficient , and students could get the data they needed with the click of a button .”
GeoData @ Wisconsin was jointly developed by the Robinson Map Library and the State Cartographer ’ s Office , one of several collaborative projects between the two units . Powered by open source software and developed by students with guidance from Martindale and from AJ Wortley at the State Cartographer ’ s Office , the application not only
20 | LIBRARIES Fall 2016