Great Local Event: All-Day Series of Talkson Geographic Information Systems

The Library of Congress will celebrate GIS (Geographic Information Systems) Day on Nov. 16 with an all-day series of talks on the use of GIS technology in the federal government, the private sector, academia and K-12 schools. The discussions will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 16, in the reading room of the Library’s Geography and Map Division, on the basement level of the James Madison Memorial Building, 101 Independence Ave. S.E., Washington, D.C.  Tickets are not required for this event, which is free and open to the public. A Geographic Information System is a computer system for storing, analyzing, manipulating and displaying digital data that is linked to positions on the Earth’s surface.  GIS provides the modern basis for digital geographic analysis and map-making. GIS Day is held during Geography Awareness Week (Nov. 13-19)—an annual, global celebration of GIS technology, with events held by organizations around the world.  Formally started in 1999, GIS Day aims to provide a forum to promote the benefits of GIS research, demonstrate real-world applications of GIS and foster open idea-sharing and growth in the GIS community.

The Library’s morning session will include presentations from high-school and university students and recent graduates showcasing their environmentally-focused GIS research.  The morning will also feature talks on the use of GIS in the federal government and by non-profit organizations and will highlight career opportunities in the growing field of GIS. The afternoon session will focus on GIS activities and resources throughout the Capitol Hill complex.  Cartographers, GIS analysts and library technicians from the Library’s Geography and Map Division and the Library’s Congressional Research Service will discuss ongoing projects and services.  These are designed to broaden the availability of geospatial data and provide GIS analysis and custom cartography to Congress.  The afternoon also will feature talks from congressional aides using GIS to visualize geographic data and inform constituents of policy issues and news through digital cartography. The program will conclude with tours of the Geography and Map Division’s collections, including rare cartographic treasures. Learn more about the schedule as well as information about the Library of Congress’ largest and most comprehensive collection of maps and atlases in the world, some 5.4 million cartographic items that date from the 14th century to the present time by visiting loc.gov.

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