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Using GIS at Your Library: Library GIS Services

This guide was created to supplement the 'Using GIS at Your Library' presentation at the Texas Library Association 2014 Annual Conference.

Data Collection Development

Many datasets are available for free.  However, many patrons may not know how to locate the data they need.  Libraries can provide a great service by creating portals for their patrons.  Library staff can access their patrons needs and create online resources that point to datasets that will be serve their patrons.  These datasets may be through local and federal governments, but also organizations and commercial companies.

GIS Instruction

Libraries can offer individual instruction, small group instruction, and classroom instruction.

Access to GIS Software

A large service to patrons is just providing access to GIS software.  This access can be to proprietary software, such as ESRI's ArcGIS, or it can be to open source and/or free software, such as GRASS and QGIS.