Daily Archives: January 17, 2022

Donald W. Hamer Center for Maps and Geospatial Information Fall Highlights

By: Tara Anthony

The Donald W. Hamer Center for Maps and Geospatial Information, Penn State University Libraries would like to share some highlights from fall 2021.  

We held sessions on map and GIS resources and applications including “Getting to Know GIS Data/Introduction to ArcGIS Online,” and “Paper Maps to Digital Product: Using ArcGIS to Make Maps Accessible,” via Zoom. We also worked with instructors for BBH 305, HIST 473, and FR 137 classes to assist with the inclusion of ArcGIS Online StoryMaps into class assignments, along with ANTH 579/SOC 579 related to geospatial data available for projects. In addition, the newly created Donald W. Hamer Center for Maps and Geospatial Information Kaltura channel compiles shorter videos, outreach programs, and other presentations to highlight geospatial content. Additional outreach opportunities included introducing incoming history graduate students to geospatial content, Penn State GIS Day activities, Penn State GIS Users group mtgs, along with promotion of Research Informatics and Publishing services and activities to the Research Computing Community of Practice, the Libraries Reference Community of Practice, and the Libraries Student Advisory Group. We participated in meetings on the BIG Ten Academic Alliance (BTAA) Geoportal, including participating in the BTAA GIS Conference and a Geoportal interface review sprint.  

We continued to work with the new equipment of the unit by revising and updating documentation on the Trimble and Bad Elf GPS units, along with the GPS guide. Maps and GIS guides were reviewed and updated for current links and additional content was added to include updates to content. We are actively working with StratTech on content for the new interactive digital map display in our entrance area. More information on viewing this content and visiting this touchscreen display will be available this semester. We also began planning future map scanning projects using our new roller scanner of Pennsylvania Important farmlands and forest capability maps.  

This fall wrapped up an aerial imagery inventory of 1940s Pennsylvania images available on the PASDA site to help facilitate identification of missing photos. We recently received notice from the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) of the availability of requested scanned images and will be working on inventorying these and updating appropriate files and directories. Additional coordination is also underway for the future availability of additional scanned Sanborn maps and indexes within the Digital Map Drawer. Also, additional aerial photos were received related to the Susquehanna River Basin Commission and the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission.  

We updated Maps and GIS projects pages as well. Maps and GIS Assistants also have continued to highlight content on the Maps and GIS blog site. We reviewed and updated content to the Donald W. Hamer Center for Maps and Geospatial Information ArcGIS Hub site that compiles ArcGIS Online content created by many Maps and GIS Assistants over the recent years for various locations of Pennsylvania and international locations. 

Spring 2022 semester users can visit in person from 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday through Friday in 1 Central Pattee Library, on the University Park campus, or set-up a Zoom consultation for information on maps and geospatial resources, software demonstrations, and information on using geospatial information in projects, research, and/or teaching activities. 

 

Tech Tip: How can I see what email lists and listservs I’m on or manage?

With the retirement of the University Library Listserv application a few years ago, it may be difficult to know what email lists and listservs you are a member of or may have created or manage yourself. Below is the process you should try to follow:

The first thing you can do is to check the Library Listservs page on the staff site.  This page lists all the lists currently managed by Library Strategic Technologies.  For any questions or changes to these Listservs, please fill out a helpdesk request. Please note, members of the lists are not available on the web page itself.

Next, you can check the Penn State Listserv page, which is managed centrally by Penn State IT. Click on Subscriber’s Corner to see your list subscriptions.  Please note the Library Listservs don’t appear here.

If you don’t see your email list as a listserv, the next place to check would be Penn State Account’s page accounts.psu.edu.

User Managed Groups (UMG’s) are another platform for email lists.  A UMG is a list of people created and managed by one or more students, faculty, or staff members to facilitate one or more of the following:

  • Communication and collaboration with the individuals in the group,
  • Granting or restricting access to files, folders, websites, or other resources, and/or
  • Granting or restricting permissions related to those resources.

Select User Managed Groups icon on the accounts home page.  You can now view All My Groups or Groups I manage.

 

Finally, the email list you are looking for might be a Microsoft 365 Distribution list.  Distribution lists are accessible by clicking on your Settings icon in Outlook on the web.

Click on the search box under settings and type Distribution and click Distribution lists when it appears.

Customer Service Tip: How customer service leaders can make it easier to do good work

By: Jeff Toister (submitted by Carmen Gass)

“Be more managerial, or you’re fired!”

The director issued this ultimatum to his two managers. There had been some customer service issues within the department. The director wanted to see change, now.

The managers stared at their boss in disbelief.

I stared, too. The director had brought me in to meet with his leadership team and help create a strategy to improve the service culture. This was our first meeting, and it felt like a set-up.

The director looked to me for validation. What I said flummoxed him instead. “What exactly does ‘be more managerial’ look like?” Read more here.