User:Rmorcutt/Sandbox

=New York State Gazetteer and GeoData Collection Database=

The University at Buffalo Libraries provides free access to the NYS Gazetteer and GeoData Collection, a web-based database that facilitates searching and location of more than 38,000 places, features, and other geographic information within New York State. Developed by Geosciences Librarian, Michele Shular, the database links US Geological Survey (USGS) digital Topographic Maps with the New York State portion of the “Geographic Names Information System” (GNIS), a Federal repository of official domestic geographic names maintained by the USGS. This Collection allows the importing of digital topographic maps, termed georeferenced Digital Raster Graphics (DRGs) into Geographic Information System (GIS) applications, as well as the downloading of maps for class use, field work, or regional planning.

Applications
Ever wonder how many more canals there are in New York State other than the Erie Canal? Where are “falls” other than at Niagara? (there are 163 more). The NYS Gazetteer and GeoData Collection allows searches on geographic names, feature type, US Geological Survey map quadrangle, or the merging of multiple categories is also possible. How many hospitals are there in Suffolk County? And how close are they? Convenient links are provided to Google Maps In addition, the Digital Raster Graphics maps can be combined with other geospatial data, such as Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) to enhance terrain visualizations. This type of gazetteer/geodata resource follows the lead of the Virginia Gazetteer, a similar product of the University of Virginia Libraries.

The Database promotes and facilitates public access to free topographic maps and gazetteer information for New York State through an easy, searchable interface. A hiker may need a field map; a teacher may want a graphic visualization of terrain, roads, or vegetation cover; a regional planner may want to import a digital topographic map of streams and/or swamps in a county to import into a GIS application.