Monthly Archives: October 2011

Map of National Homicide Rates

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Yesterday, The Guardian’s DataBlog posted the above map of homicide rates, per 100,000 people, of countries around the world. The data is gathered from national sources by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and can be found here. A handful of countries in South America and Africa show the highest rates while most of Europe, China, Australia, and Canada, among others, show the lowest rates. The United States falls in between.

Connecticut Forum on Digital Initiatives – October 28, 2011 at Connecticut State Library

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Connecticut State Library presents the Connecticut Forum on Digital Initiatives

The Connecticut Forum on Digital Initiatives will bring together academic and research libraries, museums and cultural institutions from around the state to talk about the digital projects happening in our historic state. It’s a chance for institutions to bring their projects and ideas to the table and learn from each other about how to improve and enhance them. The theme of this forum is collaboration, and how in the face of ever tightening budgets, Connecticut institutions and organizations can work together to create better digital projects for the people of Connecticut.
Speakers from institutions including Yale University and the Hartford History Center will cover issues just as diverse. Topics will cover the digital lifecycle of a project, from digitization to preservation as well as platforms, like Omeka and Historypin. Several successful collaborative projects underway in Connecticut will be highlighted.
The forum will broaden participant’s skills and perspectives on digital initiatives, and encourage participants to form new collaborative partnerships. This may be a simple collaborative collection, or a complex grant partnership. In order to facilitate this, we hope to create a project repository where institutions can list their digital projects. Take this opportunity to meet people institutions next door and help create a community that will move Connecticut forward.

Date: October 28, 2011

Time: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Location: Connecticut State Library, Memorial Hall, 231 Capitol Avenue, Hartford, Connecticut
Who Should Attend: This is not an introduction to digitization. It is strongly recommended that attendees currently be involved in some form of digital project or initiative. Attendees must be from Connecticut based institutions.
Cost: There is no fee for registration.
Register: To register access the Connecticut Continuing Education Calendar of Events @ http://evanced.info/cslib/evanced/eventcalendar.asp
Presenters:
  • Paul Baran, Assistant State Archivist, Connecticut State Archives
  • Michael Bennett, Digital Projects Librarian & Institutional Repository Coordinator, University of Connecticut
  • Jack Dougherty, Associate Professor of Educational Studies, Trinity University
  • Chris Edwards, Digital Studio Production Manager, Beinecke Rare Books and Manuscripts Library
  • John French, Director, Visual Resources Department, Yale Art Gallery
  • Kathleen Foulke, Project Director, Connecticut History Online
  • Michael Howser, Undergraduate Education and GIS Librarian, Homer Babbidge Library, University of Connecticut
  • Gail Hurley, Statewide Library Catalog Coordinator, Connecticut State Library
  • Brenda Miller, Curator, Hartford History Center
  • Leah Prescott, Digital Projects Coordinator, Getty Research Institute
  • Tom Scheinfeldt, Managing Director, Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media
  • Nick Stanhope, CEO, We Are What We Do/Historypin
  • Kendall Wiggin, State Librarian, Connecticut State Library

A special thank you to the Connecticut Humanities Council for sponsoring Nick Stanhope, CEO, We Are What We Do/Historypin.
For more information please contact:
Christine Pittsley
Digital Collections Technician
Connecticut State Library
231 Capitol Ave.
Hartford Ct. 06106
860-757-6517

Media Advisory — Census Bureau to Hold Webinar Prior to Releasing List of Jurisdictions Required to Offer Language Assistance to Voters

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What:

The U.S. Census Bureau will hold a webinar to discuss the upcoming release of a list of jurisdictions that must provide language assistance to voters. Under Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act, jurisdictions must provide assistance to specific minority groups who are unable to speak or understand English adequately enough to participate in the electoral process. This is the first time American Community Survey estimates will be used to determine the list of jurisdictions.
The event will consist of an audio conference and online presentation. The webinar will explain background information on Section 203, how the list of jurisdictions is determined and provide information on the upcoming release. It will conclude with a question-and-answer session for reporters. We suggest participants log in and call in early.
When:
Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2011, 1 p.m. (EDT)
Who:
Cathy McCully, chief, Census Redistricting Data Office
Rod Little, associate director, Research and Methodology Directorate
Details:
Audio conference ― access information
Toll free number: 1-888-324-8115
Participant passcode: CENSUS
Note: Stay on the line until operator asks for the passcode. Do not key in passcode.
Online presentation ― access information
Please login early, as some setup is required.
URL: https://www.mymeetings.com/nc/join/
Conference number: PW8555041
Audience passcode: CENSUS

Connecticut GIS Day – Moved to November 17

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Connecticut’s GIS Day events are usually scheduled for the Wednesday of Geography Week in mid-November but this year that Wednesday is the last day of the annual NEARC conference. Because of this conflict, CT’s GIS Day celebration has been moved to Thursday, November 17!  
The map poster gallery will still be in the Hartford Legislative Office Building (LOB) for the entire month.  The presentations, table displays and demonstrations are now scheduled for Thursday, November 17th.
We look forward to seeing everyone at Connecticut GIS Day on Thursday November 17th!

WhereCamp Boston – October 29&30

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WhereCamp Boston is a volunteer-created unconference for anyone interested in geography and technology. This year’s event will be happening October 29th-30th, with a two full days of unconference sessions and keynotes at the Microsoft NERD Center in Kendall Square.

An unconference is a conference planned by the participants through an online wiki and on the spot. The event is open to anyone, but you don’t just attend WhereCamp Boston — you can host or participate in discussions, demo your projects, or join another cooperative event.
WhereCamp Boston topics include: GIS, web mapping, technology, marketing, startups, development, social media, gadgets, communities, design, hardware hacking, entrepreneurship, open source software, mobile computing, social software, and much, much more!

When: October 29-30, 2011
Location: Microsoft NERD Center, One Memorial Drive, Cambridge, MA 02142
Registration: To register for WhereCamp Boston 2011 visit: http://wherecampboston.eventbrite.com/?ref=ebtn

A Sense of Place: Exploring Newport and Narragansett Bay Through Historic Maps Exhibit

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“A Sense of Place: Exploring Newport and Narragansett Bay Through Historic Maps” exhibit includes several maps from the Redwood Library, Newport County Preservation Society and maps on loan from private collections. This exhibit includes Des Barres charts, Ezra Stiles’ map of Newport, Blaskowitz charts and some very rare maps of Rhode Island. 

Time: Now until December 30, 2011

Location: Redwood Library and Athenaeum, 50 Bellevue Avenue, Newport, RI

Cost: Free (although donations are welcome). On until December 30th.

For more information on the Redwood Library & Athenaeum map exhibition and symposium click here.

Envisioning the World: The First Printed Maps, 1472-1700 Exhibit

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This exhibit includes the first known printed map of the world (T and 0), the first two-color printed world map, the oldest printed road map (the Peutinger Table), Mercator and Ptolemy maps and so much more. It’s a private collection from California and will be at the museum until December 31, 2011. 

Location: Naval War College Museum, Newport, RI


Time: Now through December 31, 2011


Cost: Free!


Reservations: The Naval War College Museum is open to the public and visitors must obtain a Visitor Pass to access the naval base and the Naval War College Museum. To obtain a visitors pass call (401) 841-4052 at least one day prior to your visit to obtain authorization to access the naval base to visit this museum. 

For more information on the “Envisioning the World: First Printed Maps, 1472-1700” exhibition at the Naval War College Museum click here.

Geocube – The world of Geography at your fingertips

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Linkedin is a great site for professional networking and yesterday it led me to have a brief but very informative email conversation with Karl Donert (president of EUROGEO) about geography education outreach.  Karl led me to a very polished interface called Geocube.  Geocube is an interface that resembles a Rubik’s cube that allows a user to discover different geographical topics in an interactive fashion.

Primary interface of the Geocube

Once a general topic is selected an additional interface opens showing more specific topics of discussion.

Secondary interface of the Geocube

Within each of the specific topics (numbering 54) of discussion is written text with terms and definitions, as well as images and embedded videos. All in all a very comprehensive site covering the multidisciplinary aspects of geography enabling the education of the next generation.  The project is an European initiative from the HERODOT  Network for Geography in Higher Education

Nationwide Protests Continue

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This map, from Mother Jones, shows protests across the country.

For over two weeks protesters have gathered on Wall Street in New York City. This movement, catalyzed by a sluggish economy, income inequality, and corporate greed has spread nationally and internationally. The protests have included mass arrests on the Brooklyn Bridge, questionable use of force by police, as well as people sharing personal stories of  why they are upset. The map above, created by Mother Jones, uses Google Maps to show protests across the United States.

For more check out:

Twitter Hashtags – #ows #occupywallst
The Guardian’s Live Blog
We are the 99% Tumblr

Consolidated Federal Funds Report: 2010 and Federal Aid to States for Fiscal Year 2010

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These two reports provide an overview of virtually all federal spending at the national, state and county levels. The Consolidated Federal Funds Report shows spending for procurement contracts, salaries and wages, direct payments and loans, grants and insurance. The Federal Aid to States report show federal grants to state and local government.


Consolidated Federal Funds Report: 2010 <http://www.census.gov/prod/2011pubs/cffr-10.pdf> [PDF] 


Federal Aid to States for Fiscal Year 2010 <http://www.census.gov/prod/2011pubs/fas-10.pdf> [PDF].

Highlights [PDF]