geographical library reference online data / statistical resources

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GEOGRAPHICAL LIBRARY REFERENCE ONLINE DATA / STATISTICAL RESOURCES BY KACIE WEIPER

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Geographical Library Reference online data / Statistical resources. BY KACIE WEIPER. The importance of Online Data / Statistical resources in the library. SATISFYING PATRONS’ RESEARCH NEEDS: - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Page 1: Geographical Library Reference online data / Statistical resources

GEOGRAPHICAL LIBRARY REFERENCE

ONLINE DATA / STATISTICAL RESOURCES

BY KACIE WEIPER

Page 2: Geographical Library Reference online data / Statistical resources

SATISFYING PATRONS’ RESEARCH NEEDS: Online data/statistical resource sites are instrumental in providing geographical information to your library’s patrons. Data/statistics provide the raw material to support any geographical research. The ability to identify key sites for your patron’s geographical research needs is essential to any reference librarian.

LIBRARIANS MAKE COMPLICATED RESEARCH LESS COMPLEX: Librarians help sort through the endless geographical resources on the internet. Patrons depend on librarians for guidance and advice on what resources to use. The abundance of geographical information available requires librarians to know the diff erence between what makes a good or bad resource.

THE IMPORTANCE OF ONLINE DATA / STATISTICAL RESOURCES IN THE LIBRARY

Page 3: Geographical Library Reference online data / Statistical resources

CURRENCY: I t is essential that onl ine data/stat ist ics be up-to-date. Data and statist ics can change dai ly. Fortunately, many onl ine resources al low for frequent, sometimes dai ly or even hourly updates.

RELIABILITY: When researching on the internet i t is important to establ ish trustworthy sources. Educational inst itutes and government entit ies, usual ly .edu or .gov sites, should be safe. .org sites could go either way. I t is good practice to always research the author or organization providing the information.

AVAILABILITY: As onl ine resources, they should be general ly easy to access as long as you have a computer and the internet. However, not al l resources wi l l be free. Depending on your situation and inst itut ion, the resource you choose may or may not be avai lable to you.

RELEVANCE: Certain sites are best ut i l ized for special ized topics. For example, the NOAA’s National Cl imatic Data Center website is best suited for meteorological research. Determine what type of information your patron is looking for and work from there.

WHAT MAKES A GOOD ONLINE DATA / STATISTICAL RESOURCE?

Page 4: Geographical Library Reference online data / Statistical resources

TYPES: Examples of the types of geographical data/statistics needed by patrons:

Factual/census/statistical data by geographical region such as location names, population, ethnicity, income level, or government info

Geospatial or cartographic data used for GIS (geographic information systems) and LIS (land information systems)

Meteorological data

CATEGORIES: It might be helpful to organize geographical into 3 regional groups:

1. International 2. National3. Provincial and local

AND NOW FOR A FEW EXAMPLES…

TYPES AND CATEGORIES OF DATA/STATISTICAL INFORMATION

Page 5: Geographical Library Reference online data / Statistical resources

TYPE: Factual/census/statistical data CATEGORY: National

The United States Census Bureau provides facts, statistics, maps, and charts on the nation’s population, economy, and business. They are perhaps best well-known for conducting a census of every l iving person in the United States every ten years. The site off ers a variety of interactive internet data tools such as The American FactFinder, QuickFacts, and DataFerrett.

PROS: As part of the United States Department of Commerce, it is a reliable,

extensive source of information on the world’s people and economy The site is well-organized and categorized for simple to in-depth

research needs Data is updated regularly and provides the most accurate U.S. census

possible / the homepage has live updates including the current world’s/nation’s estimated population

CONS: A majority of the data is limited to the U.S. only

U.S. CENSUS BUREAU HTTP:/ /WWW.CENSUS.GOV/GEO/

Page 6: Geographical Library Reference online data / Statistical resources

TYPE: Geospatial/cartographic data CATEGORY: International Geo.data.gov offers an impressive array of maps, government data, and geospatial services. It provides access to over 400,000 downloadable datasets and metadata information produced by over 172 agencies in the Federal Government. You can search its three catalogs of data utilizing a variety of fi le formats to view results.

PROS: It offers a variety of helpful “extras” such as RSS Feeds, Widgets,

Data Mining and Extraction Tools The U.S. government is a trustworthy and reliable source for

information Information is free and more easily accessible by the general

public due to President Obama’s Open Government Initiative in 2009

CONS: Even with its recent renovations, the website is still lacking a

simple user interface

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIORGEO.DATA.GOV

HTTP: / /GEO.DATA.GOV/GEOPORTAL/CATALOG/MAIN/HOME.PAGE

Page 7: Geographical Library Reference online data / Statistical resources

TYPE: Factual/census/statistical data CATEGORY : International/National

The CIA World Factbook provides information on the history, government, people, economy, geography, communications, transportation, mil itary, and transnational issues for 267 world entit ies. It provides various world maps and fl ag information. It is an excellent source of basic factual/statistical information on the countries of the world. You can easily compare diff erent categories of information about each country simultaneously.

PROS: Updated weekly - extremely current information Data comes from a trustworthy, highly respected government agency Free and easily accessible on the internet; also available in print form Easy to navigate, use, and understand by anyone – the information is easily

searchable by a country drop-down menu

CONS: Information is restricted to national-level information on countries; patrons

in search of state/province-level information would need to look elsewhere

CIA WORLD FACTBOOK HTTPS: / /WWW.C IA.GOV/L IBRARY/PUBL ICAT IONS/THE-WORLD-FACTBOOK/

Page 8: Geographical Library Reference online data / Statistical resources

TYPE: Meteorological data CATEGORY: International

NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center is the ultimate source for weather and climate data. It provides charts, maps, summaries, professional publications, global surface data (annual, monthly, and hourly), and historical climate and weather data.

PROS: Information is updated regularly – records range from Paleoclimatic

data to centuries-old journals to data less than an hour old  NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) is a

reliable government resource established as far back as 1807 Information is free and easily accessible on the internet to anyone

CONS: For the layman, the site can be complicated and diffi cult to find

specific information. The mass amount of information can be intimidating if you don’t know how to sort through it

NATIONAL CLIMATIC DATA CENTERHTTP:/ /WWW.NCDC.NOAA.GOV/

Page 9: Geographical Library Reference online data / Statistical resources

TYPE: Factual/census/statistical data CATEGORY: International

The World Bank provides information on the fi nancial and economic situation of countries across the world. The World Bank is made up of fi ve international organizations that provide fi nancial and technical assistance to countries in need. It’s easy to util ize its many searchable and downloadable information via its Data Catalog, Microdata, and DataBank.

PROS: The site is dedicated to providing free and accessible information to the

public The site is incredibly user friendly with access to various databases and

catalogs - Data can be searched by country, topic, and indicator

CONS: Social data is only collected on a yearly basis or even less often while

some economic and financial data may be monthly or quarterly Much of the data comes directly from developing countries which are still

in the process of improving their capacity, effi ciency, and effectiveness with collecting data

THE WORLD BANKHTTP:/ /DATA.WORLDBANK.ORG/

Page 10: Geographical Library Reference online data / Statistical resources

There are many sites that focus on a particular geographical location or place. Research the local data sites for your desired topic. For example, the Detroit metro area off ers a few of the following websites for geographical research:

State of Michigan Data

Data Driven Detroit

The Center for Urban Studies

SEMCOG – Southeast Michigan Council of Governments

LOCAL GEOGRAPHICAL RESOURCES

Page 11: Geographical Library Reference online data / Statistical resources

The internet provides access to endless geographical data and statistical information. This presentation has named just a few of the best reference sources available. It is up to you determine which sources best fi t your patron’s needs.

Remember to evaluate each and every online resource you come across. Ask yourself these questions:1. Is it from a reliable source (eg. .edu or .gov sites)? 2. How frequently is the information updated (yearly, monthly,

daily, hourly)?3. Are you or your patron able to access the information freely or

easily?4. Is the source satisfying your patron’s specific research needs?

GOOD LUCK!

AND MANY, MANY MORE! THE REST IS UP TO YOU