Getting Started with GIS: A LITA Guide

Citation

Calvert, P. (2013), "Getting Started with GIS: A LITA Guide", The Electronic Library, Vol. 31 No. 4, pp. 537-538. https://doi.org/10.1108/EL-04-2013-0053

GIS technology, from its early, rather arcane beginnings, has evolved into a multidisciplinary research and social tool used by many people around the world (even if many of them don't know it!). In this neatly written book, Dodsworth introduces spatial literacy, online mapping programs, desktop GIS software programs and geospatial data. The audience is librarians without previous GIS experience, and the Preface specially mentions library staff who deliver information and reference services.

After a thorough introductory chapter, which includes an interesting “skills set for geoliterate information professionals”, the book turns to the nitty gritty with five subsequent chapters. The first of these is called “Geographic and GIS awareness in the Web 2.0 environment” and it provides an overview of geographic and GIS‐based applications available online and how they can be used for various purposes. Next is “A guide to Web mapping applications” that contains tutorials designed to give the reader a working knowledge of a wide variety of online map applications. This is followed by a chapter on GIS data and software. The point here is to explain the nature of data that can be used with GIS applications; vector and raster, data projections, features, and currency. Issues of licensed data are also addressed. Chapter Five is addressed to librarians and gives idea on how to open access to collections with geodigitisation projects. There are descriptions of libraries that have digitised special collections to make the material available online, and also easy to locate using GIS technology. The final chapter provides ideas for expanding and enhancing even traditional library services by using GIS, including information literacy teaching.

This book includes several hands‐on activities that show how to bring GIS into the library, along with examples of how to apply it in the real world. The eager reader will become proficient in mapping technology and learn to work with several GIS tools. Through the clearly written tutorials, the reader can learn how to: use GeoWeb 2.0 to connect with library users; use editable mapping applications such as Google Earth, Scribble Maps Pro, Google Maps: My Maps, and OpenStreetMap; use GIS software such as Esri's GIS mapping software, Open Source GIS, and Cloud GIS; incorporate GeoWeb technology into teaching information literacy; integrate geosocial networking and mobile GIS applications into library services; geo‐digitize content in libraries; distribute library content with map mash‐ups; and expand and enhance library services with GIS technology. An excellent book for all librarians.