Indirect Outreach in a GIS Environment: Reflections on a Map Library's Approach to Promoting GIS Services to Non-GIS Users

摘要

Promoting non-traditional library resources to the academic community can be a challengingnand sometimes ineffective process if not coordinated and planned thoroughly.nThe University of Waterloo Map Library (UML), specializing in cartographic and geospatialndata resources, diligently visits dozens of classrooms yearly, promoting its resourcesnand services. The nature of the content is often intimidating to the students however,nbecause Geographical Information System (GIS) technology is unfamiliar to them. InnSeptember 2007, the Map Library instigated a new indirect outreach approach of connectingnwith students and introducing them to geospatial information literacy concepts.nInstead of leaving students confused about the technology and the library‟s vast amountnof resources, the new approach encourages students to learn at their own pace andnleaves them responsible for seeking more information when they need it. This approachnhas resulted in establishing relationships with many more students, and thus increasingnthe number of GIS users in the library and on campus