Geospatial data
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Big Ten Academic Alliance GeoportalThe Big Ten Academic Alliance Geoportal provides discoverability and facilitates access to geospatial resources. The resources in the portal are selected and curated by librarians and geospatial specialists at ten research institutions in the Big Ten Academic Alliance. The resources include GIS datasets, web services, and digitized historical maps. Learn more about the research institutions involved and the sources of the geospatial records.
- BTAA Geoportal Video Tutorials (Intro, searching for data, finding maps)
- BTAA Geoportal Tutorials (general)
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Geospatial Data ResourcesWhile this list is not exhaustive, its goal is to identify and provide access to as wide a variety of online GIS data and resources as possible.
data.gov
New data site with a subset of federal data and geospatial data available. Advantage: Can look easily for some specific formats including KML/KMZ and Shapefiles.
Finding GIS data
Framing Your Data Search
What geographic level are you trying to represent/analyze? What types of features do you need to represent?
For example,
- Do you need to represent states, counties, cities (points or polygons), etc?
- Do you need to see streets, water, elevation information?
- Do you need parcel or ownership information?
Who would create this kind of data?
- federal government (specific agency or branch?)
- state government (specific branch or group?)
- county government
- city government
- commercial entities
- ??????
Would this type of data be publicly available or restricted in some way?
- Could the information be restricted to protect someone from harm?
- Might the information be restricted because of privacy issues?
- Other restrictions?
What data formats are you willing/able to work with?
What kind of online tools might help you locate the data you need?
- Data search tools.
- Mapping tools that provide access to the data too.
- Imagery search and or display tools.
Online mapping and databases
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PolicyMap This link opens in a new windowWeb-based online data and mapping application that provides access to thousands of indicators related to demographics, housing, crime, mortgages, health, jobs and more. Data is available at all common geographies (address, block group, census tract, zip code, county, city, state, MSA) as well as unique geographies like school districts and political boundaries. Data comes from both public and proprietary sources.
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Social Explorer This link opens in a new windowCreate customized maps and reports of demographic, housing, and employment patterns throughout the United States using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Census data available from 1790 to the present. Includes additional data types such as crime, health, election, and development indicators.
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SimplyAnalytics This link opens in a new windowCreate custom maps and reports on SimplyAnalytics using extensive data on demographics, consumers, real estate, housing, employment, crime, health, and more. Data includes Nielsen Scarborough local insights and crosstabs, AGS Census, Claritas PRIZM consumer segment, MRI Simmons consumer survey data, consumer expenditures and buying power, as well as public data sources such as the US Census, American Community Survey, FBI uniform crime reports, NOAA climate data, and CDC health data.
Limited to 5 simultaneous users. "Sign in as a guest" if you do not wish to register for a free personal account. A personal account allows you to save your work.
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More online mapping and databasesWhile not exhaustive, the list below highlights many of the map and geography-related resources that the University Libraries license for use by faculty, staff and students.
Historical aerial photographs
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Twin Cities Historical Aerial ComparisonAerial photographs for 1956 and 1966 with the ability to compare to the present.
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Minnesota Historical Aerial Photographs OnlineMHAPO provides access to over 121,000 digital copies of Minnesota air photos dating between 1923 and 2007.
Citing maps, atlases, and geospatial (GIS) data
Tracking your research
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Citation Managers (e.g. Zotero, EndNote Online, etc.)Citation managers are software packages used to create personalized databases of citation information and notes. They allow you to: import and organize citation information from article indexes and other sources; save links to pdfs and other documents; format citations for your papers and bibliographies using APA and many other styles; and include your own notes.
Last Updated: Oct 1, 2025 9:39 AM
URL: https://libguides.umn.edu/GIS/5571