Historical GIS Workshop

Toronto-area HGIS workshop resources

Jim — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 15:15:26 +0000

Toronto-area HGIS workshop resources

In preparation for the HGIS workshop, participants are asked to examine the following resources:

What is GIS?

http://www.gis.com/whatisgis/index.html

Web Resources

http://gislounge.com

http://directionsmag.com

GIS Datasets

www.geobase.ca

www.geogratis.ca

www.gisdatadepot.com

Maps Online

http://www.davidrumsey.com

Library of Congress Maps Collection online:

http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/gmdhtml/gmdhome.html

Canadian Maps Online

Mirage http://gdr.nrcan.gc.ca/mirage/index_e.php historical map images

Library and Archives Canada Maps Online (and not online): http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/archivianet/020154_e.html

http://www.library.utoronto.ca/maplib/digital/ or your own institution’s map library web page

Historical GIS at work:

http://mercator.geog.utoronto.ca/georia/home.htm

http://www.hgis.org.uk/resources.htm

http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~chgis/

http://civilwar.gatech.edu/histgis/

http://www.ancient-tree-hunt.org.uk/

http://gislounge.com/ancient-tree-hunt/
Google Earth and Google Maps

http://www.gearthblog.com/

http://googlemapsapi.blogspot.com/

Open Map

http://openmap.bbn.com/

Books

Knowles, A.K. Past Time, Past Place: GIS for History.(Redlands, California: ESRI Press), 2002

A Place in History: A Guide to Using GIS in Historical Research available in print and at http://hds.essex.ac.uk/g2gp/gis/ for free online.

Knowles, A.K. Placing History: How Maps, Spatial Data, and GIS are Changing Historical Scholarship. (Redlands, California: ESRI Press), 2008

Workshop Outline

Jim — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 15:13:18 +0000

Historical GIS Workshop Outline

Instructor: Marcel Fortin, GIS and Map Librarian, University of Toronto Libraries

Location: Robarts Library, University of Toronto, July 24-25^th 2008

Purpose of Workshop

The goal of this workshop is to introduce attendees to the main concepts of Historical GIS by getting them comfortable with GIS software, data, and resources. It should be considered a springboard for building new skills and incorporating them into historical research.

Workshop Structure

The workshop will be divided into two distinct sections. The first section will deal with the fundamentals of GIS while the second section will be concerned with introducing Historical GIS to the group. Each section will comprise of presentations and examples by the instructor and several hands-on modules. Group discussions will also be interspersed during both days.

Workshop Breakdown

Thursday, July 24^th

8am: Coffee and pastries (4049 Robarts)

Part I) Fundamentals of GIS

9am (Robarts fourth-floor computer lab)

1) Introduction to GIS Software

Module 1 – Introduction to ArcGIS

2) Creating a Printable Map

Module 2 – Creating a Printable Map in ArcGIS

3) Building GIS Projects

Module 3 – Creating a GIS Project in ArcGIS

Module 4 – Creating a GIS Project in Quantum GIS

4) GIS Data

Module 5 – Raster vs. Vector data and Projections

Module 6 – Understanding Attribute Data

Module 7 – Understanding Geographic Data

5) GIS Analysis

Module 8 Thematic Mapping

Thursday Lunch will be served at noon in 4049 Robarts

Thursday session will end around 5pm, followed by dinner at a nearby restaurant (tba)

Friday, July 25^th

Part II) Historical GIS

9am (Robarts fourth-floor computer lab)

6) Working with Historical/Historic Maps

Module 9 – Georeferencing Large Scale Raster Images using ArcGIS

Module 10 – Georeferencing a Map with a known Coordinate System using ArcGIS

Module 11 – Georeferencing a Map in Quantum GIS

7) Building a Historical GIS

Module 12 – Creating Point Features

Module 13 – Creating Polygon Features

Module 14 – Creating Line Features

Module 15 – Automating your Data creating using ArcScan

8) Metadata

9) Web Mapping

Friday Lunch will be served at noon in SSH1078, Sidney Smith Hall Workshop will end around 5pm

David Rumsey Historical Map Collection

Jim — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 19:38:23 +0000

David Rumsey’s Historical Map Collection is a very interesting website for those of us interested in historical GIS. The website has digital copies of maps from around the world. Many of the maps can also be found in Google Earth. You can find the Rumsey Historical Maps layer in the Gallery section of layers in the bottom left of the program’s screen. Once the layer is activated you will see its icon on cities and countries (there are ever a few globes found in the Atlantic Ocean). When you click on the icon the historical map will pop up and you will have the option to overlay in Google Earth.

Historical GIS Workshop

Jim — Tue, 27 May 2008 18:20:00 +0000

Toronto Area HGIS Worshop Application Form

On July 24th-25th 2008, Marcel Fortin, map librarian at the University of
Toronto, will be leading a two-day introductory workshop on Historical
Geographic Information System. The workshop will be held at U of T’s St.
George campus and is free to participants.

The goal of this workshop is to introduce attendees to the main concepts of
Historical GIS by getting them comfortable with GIS software, data, and
resources. It should be considered a springboard for building new skills and
incorporating them into historical research.

The workshop will be divided into two distinct sections. The first day will deal
with the fundamentals of GIS while the second day will be concerned with
introducing Historical GIS to the group. Each section will comprise of
presentations and examples by the instructor and several hands-on modules.
Group discussions will also be interspersed during both days.

There is a limited number of spots for the workshop; therefore, we ask that
interested individuals complete the attached application form indicating what
they hope to get out of the workshop. Please send this application form to
hgisworkshop@gmail.com no later than June 26th. Applicants will be notified of
their status by July 3rd.

The workshop will offer a small travel subsidy for those travelling outside the
Greater Toronto Area.

Please feel free to direct any questions to: hgisworkshop@gmail.com

Cheers,

The Toronto-area Histoical GIS Workshop organizing committee:
Jim Clifford
Brittany Luby
Tom Peace
Andrew Watson
Krista Weger
Jay Young

Two day Historical GIS Workshop

Jim — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 19:24:46 +0000

Computers are a necessary tool for all types of historians. They facilitate access to sources via digital archives, help manage large quantities of documents, and influence our interpretation. Despite these time- and cost-saving benefits, the growth of computing technologies also challenges the pedigree of the historian. Often the historian is required to gain intermediate or even expert knowledge in a particular type of software in order to carry out his or her analysis. Computer skills are also increasingly important in teaching and communicating with students. This is an area seldom taught during the historian’s formal training.

We are currently seeking funding to hold a two day “crash course” in historical GIS. The workshop is tentatively schedualled for July 24th and 25th and it will take place in Toronto.

Marcel Fortin, GIS and Map Librarian at the University of Toronto, will offer hands-on training to a group of interested historians.