Contrary to popular belief, GIS (geographic information system) technology is not just for making maps. Map and GIS Collections and Services aims to bust myths like this and others, while raising levels of awareness.

GIS technology captures, analyzes and presents data linked to location. Examples of GIS use include crime analysis, census data, transportation planning, business analysis and hazard recovery. GIS also was used after the disintegration of The Space Shuttle Columbia in 2003 to locate pieces of the debris.

“But GIS isn’t just limited to geography majors,” Kathy Weimer, associate professor and coordinator of Map and GIS Collections and Services said. “We have data that supports sociology, agriculture, business, and engineering, to name a few.”

Weimer said GIS technology is making a major play in the business world.

“Imagine you’re putting up the next Starbucks,” she said. “You want to market your business in the best way possible, and that includes researching socio-economic trends, traffic flow, working with distributors and providing access to your vendors. All these avenues use GIS to better understand how to make your business more marketable.”

“GIS is not just a mapping tool, as many people think,” Miriam Olivares, GIS specialist in Map and GIS Collections and Services, said. “Maps are just one visual representation or outcome of the technology. Its strong point is analysis, and a lot of statistics go into it.”

She cited research featured in Advance Magazine by a former master’s student who conducted research on a West Nile virus outbreak. After locating addresses of residents admitted to the hospital, she tried to “discover” the source of mosquitoes causing the breakout. One might assume their common location to be near a pond or lake. But the student learned through GIS technology that mosquitoes were proliferating due to stagnant water in man holes, where there is access to sewage systems or storm drains.

Maps and GIS also uses its services and network to link up professors and students from different disciplines and majors.

“We bring the campus together,” Weimer said. “There’s not just one GIS group, so we cover all areas.”

Weimer said many people inside and outside the Libraries are unaware of the uses of GIS and how to apply this technology in their field of study.

With credit courses, continuing education, a new undergraduate degree in spatial sciences, and graduate certificate and degree programs, Weimer said it’s important for the Libraries to support GIS endeavors and be proactive in directing students to the Maps and GIS Collections and Services office for their research.

“People may be surprised to know that the size of our data library is approximately 2 terabytes, which is made up of GIS and statistical data files, aerial photos and scanned maps," Weimer said. "And our data web page gets hundreds of hits each month. The demand is clearly increasing.”