Saturday - November 21, 2009

FIU Libraries (both UP and BBC) in total hold over 5,000 items of cartographic material, including:

  • Government Printing Office (GPO) published maps in printed and electronic formats
  • UN depository maps
  • Atlases from various publishers
  • Assorted collection of local maps

With the exception of local maps, all GPO published maps have a record in the FIU library catalog. As the collection continues to grow, the geographic focus of the MIUS map collection will be on Latin America and the Caribbean, and other environmentally sensitive regions of the world.

Many maps, particularly those published by GPO, are electronically available. As a result, updated maps can be viewed and plotted from a GPO site.  These electronic maps (in .pdf format) cover many thematic areas in great detail and can be plotted based upon user requests.

 For help citing maps click here.

Check out the Spatial Data Research Tips for help with your research.

Collection Highlights

In addition, FIU Library GIS Center has collected digital geo-spatial data and map products* such as:

  • ESRI maps and data
  • Multiple geo-spatial datasets for Florida and local counties
  • Geolytics Census Mapping and data extraction
  • Digital Charts of the World
  • LandSAT Imagery (World 1990, 2000)
  • Elevation data such as
  • SRTM(World)
  • Topographic Sheets
  • LIDAR (2 ft. resolution data for South Florida
  • 1 ft resolution color aerial photo for Miami-Dade County
  • Complete ESRI data sets
  • Comprehensive climate, topography, land cover, and hydrography of selected Latin American and Carribean Regions
  • Comprehensive Florida state and county data sets
Aerial Photography
Digital formats in GIS raster formats; Most are geo-referenced and geo-rectified.
Usage Finding Guide
Can be used as image maps or for digitizing features, such as hydro-body, roads, even outlines of buildings, or for classification of land cover and land use. GIS software required
  1. For Florida Aerial at 3m to 6m resolution DOQQ, go to: http://www.labins.org
  2. For Miami Dade County 1 foot resolution (available for FIU students and Faculty only), click here.
  3. For historical aerial photography of Florida visit Palmm.
Aeronautical Charts
Print/Electronic Maps		 Jump to top of page
Usage Finding Guide
For aviation and navigation purposes
  1. Search FIU library catalog, use keyword “Aeronautical Charts.” All print charts are located at 2nd Floor, Gov. Docs. Maps collection.
  2. For use of 1:500,000 scanned TPC topographic/aeronautical charts for the whole world, visit MIUS.
  3. Visit FAA
Atlases
Print Atlases Totaling 170+		 Jump to top of page
Usage Finding Guide
A collection of maps with a specific thematic or geographic focus. Explanatory text, charts and tables are usually included.
  1. Search FIU library catalog, use subject keyword “atlas.” All atlases are located at 2nd Floor, Room 273, Map and Imagery User Services (MIUS).
Census Maps and Data Extraction
Web maps and reports
Usage Finding Guide

 

US Census provide 2000, 1990 census data on-line. In-house Census data are in DVD and CD formats. From ESRI's maps and data, selected census data are also included in maps and attribute formats. Some desktop GIS such as ArcMap are required for useage of customized Census Mapping and data visualization.


 

1)      Visit American Factfinder

2)      Visit ESRI’s ArcWeb Explorer

3)      Search the data drive on a MIUS computer and look for Data/ESRIData/usa/census (Learn how to connect)

4)      Sign up instructional classes with MIUS
CIA Maps
Print/Electronic Maps		 Jump to top of page
Usage Finding Guide
Provide profile of each country including topography, hydrography, major cities, roads, land use, population, etc. Most current maps are in .sid format, which requires specialized software such as ArcGIS to view and print.
  1. Search FIU library catalog, use subject keyword “CIA Maps” All print CIA Maps are located at 2nd Floor, Gov. Docs. Maps collection.
  2. For plotting electronic versions of these maps, visit MIUS.
Digital Charts of the World
Digital/Web		 Jump to top of page
Usage Finding Guide
Allows you to download GIS vector format data layers (in ArcInfo. .e00), which requires specialized software such as ArcGIS to build your own maps. Familiarity with the software a must!
  1. Visit Penn State’s Web Interactive Site
  2. Visit MIUS to use required equipment and software.
  3. Sign up for instructional classes with MIUS.
ESRI Maps
DVD (Copyrighted datasets)		 Jump to top of page
Usage Finding Guide
Contains comprehensive geo-spatial data layers and atlases for United States at all scales, for Canada, Mexico, and Europe at regional scale, and boundaries, major cities, rivers ocean, and elevation at world scale. All require specialized software such as ArcGIS to build your own maps using readily available map templates.
  1. Visit MIUS to use required equipment, software, and datasets.
  2. Search the MIUS Data Search. (Data can only be downloaded from a MIUS or GIS Lab Computer Using Internet Explorer)
  3. Connect to the Data Drive on a MIUS computer or GIS Lab Computer.
  4. Sign up for instructional classes with MIUS.
FEMA maps
Web		 Jump to top of page
Usage Finding Guide
Used for identification of flood zones, and related insurance regulations.
  1. Google “FEMA Flood Maps”
  2. If you wish FIU Library to order it, send a request with MIUS.
  3. Visit and search GPO for related publications
Gazetteers
Web		 Jump to top of page
Usage Finding Guide
Used for identification of geographic places, names, and their geographic coordinates
  1. Visit Alexandria Digital Library Gazetteer
  2. Visit GNC (international) or GNIS (National)
  3. Visit MIUS for assistance
Geologic Maps
GPO Electronic Maps		 Jump to top of page
Usage Finding Guide
Detailed depiction of geological structure of a given region. Also includes description texts on rocks and structure.
  1. Search FIU library catalog, use keyword “Geologic Maps”
  2. For plotting electronic maps, visit MIUS
Globes
3D		 Jump to top of page
Usage Finding Guide
For in class instructional purposes. Visit MIUS to check out Globes for classroom use, 3-day loan.
Historical Maps
Digital Scanned Maps/Interactive		 Jump to top of page
Usage Finding Guide
Includes historical maps of many major US cities, Japan, and Europe. Collection also includes all the maps published in National Geographic
  1. Visit Library of Congress
  2. Visit David Rumsey
  3. Visit Palmm
  4. Visit MIUS to use the National Geographic Map viewer and view maps.
Land Use / Land Cover
Web / Electronic		 Jump to top of page
Usage Finding Guide
Geo-spatial data typically derived from LandSAT imagery, offers categories of land cover information suitable for state and regional applications such as landscape analysis, environmental modeling; Familiarity with GIS and Image Processing software required.
  1. Visit and search GPO for related publications
  2. Visit GIS Center for assistance
LIDAR Elevation Maps
Digital Elevation Data		 Jump to top of page
Usage Finding Guide
Used for finer scale elevation and can be used for flood modeling. Familiarity with Raster GIS
  1. For local LIDAR Elevation data, visit FIU GIS Center
National Forest / Park Service Maps
Interactive Web Mapping Services		 Jump to top of page
Usage Finding Guide
Comprehensive information about park boundaries, trails, land cover, infrastructure, topography, hydrograph of national parks.
  1. Visit NPS Maps
  2. Contact MIUS for assistance in plotting and interpretation
National Wetlands Inventory
Digital / Scanned Maps		 Jump to top of page
Usage Finding Guide
Includes maps depicting vegetation, hydrograph of wetlands and deepwater habitats
  1. Visit NWI , or
  2. Search FIU library catalog, use keyword “National Wetland Inventory”
  3. For plotting the large format maps, visit MIUS
Nautical Maps
Print		 Jump to top of page
Usage Finding Guide
Includes depth of water bodies, tide tables and other navigational information
  1. Search FIU library catalog, use keyword “Nautical Maps”
  2. Visit Gov. Doc. Map collection on the 2nd floor of the library
Sanborn Maps
Web/Electronic		 Jump to top of page
Usage Finding Guide
Digital Scanned Maps of historical buildings in major cities
  1. Visit UF’s Sanborn
  2. Google
  3. For plotting, Contact MIUS
Satellite Imagery
Digital Geo-spatial Raster; (Copyrighted)		 Jump to top of page
Usage Finding Guide
For Land cover classification, detections of natural resources purposes; requires GIS and Image Processing software, such as ERDAS Imagine.
  1. FIU MIUS holds LandSAT 7 ETM 15m 7-4-2 GeoCover 2000 (1999-2003) worldwide, LandSat 4/5 TM 30m 7-4-2 GeoCover 1990 (1998-1992) worldwide satellite imagery
  2. Visit MIUS for availability of software programs
SRTM Digital Elevation Model
Digital / Geo-spatial Raster;		 Jump to top of page
Usage Finding Guide
Global 90M Digital Elevation Model, used for deriving hydro-networks, and other environmental
  1. FIU MIUS holds DEM covering the world from Latitude 57 South to 61 North
  2. Visit SRTM site
Storm Evacuation Route Maps
Digital		 Jump to top of page
Usage Finding Guide
Modeling
  1. Google
  2. Visit MIUS for Plotting services
Tax Property Parcel Maps
Digital (Copyrighted)		 Jump to top of page
Usage Finding Guide
Geo-spatial vector Boundaries of property parcels; GIS software such as ArcGIS is required
  1. FIU MIUS host parcel data for Miami Dade County, to be used for FIU community’s educational purpose only
  2. Visit County Government Websites for Parcel info.
Topographic Maps
Digital / Printed		 Jump to top of page
Usage Finding Guide
Topographic Maps come in many scales, the three basic ones for the United States are 1:250,000, 1:100,000, and 1:24,000. Topographic Maps also have information such as: location of cities, roads, lakes, streams, schools, logitude and latitude, UTM coordinates, township range and section, etc. 1:500,000 World Tactical Pilotage Charts available.
  1. Search FIU library catalog, use keyword “topographic maps”
  2. US Topographic maps are located in Gov. Doc. Dept. Map collection; International ones are housed in MIUS
  3. Complete 1:24,000 USGS Topographic maps for the entire U.S. in digital format available. Visit MIUS for assistance.
  4. 1:24,000 USGS Topographic maps available in tiff format from the Libre Map Project.
  5. Comprehensive 1:500,000 Tactical Pilotage Charts available on the MIUS Data Drive.
Transportation Data
Server, CD-Rom		 Jump to top of page
Usage Finding Guide
For depicting and analyzing transportation in the U.S.

1. National Transportation Atlas Database 2007 available through MIUS.

2. For Florida visit FGDL

3. For national datasets visit geodata.gov
USGS Maps (DLG, DRG, DOQQ, DEM)
Digital Geo-spatial vector and raster		 Jump to top of page
Usage Finding Guide
Includes roads, boundaries, population centers, elevation, hydrograph, and aerials photograph; Requires GIS software
  1. For Florida, visit LABINS
  2. For other areas of US, google and make a request if you wish FIU library to own it
  3. Visit and sign up for trainings with MIUS for usage of these datasets
Wall Maps
Print		 Jump to top of page
Usage Finding Guide
Series of wall maps to enhance lectures and classroom activities Visit MIUS, 3-day loan