ESRI Software at MSU
Michigan State University has a site license to ESRI software, including some extensions. Most PC computers in labs on campus administered by the campus computing department (Academic Technology Services or ATS) are loaded with ArcGIS 9.3 with ArcInfo. Macintosh computers do not have ESRI software.
The Main Library has 348 patron PCs loaded with the full suite of lab software including ArcGIS 9.3. The MSU Map Library (Main Library, west wing, 3rd floor) has two lab computers. Users must have an active MSU NetID to use any of these computers.
MSU staff may also purchase ESRI software licenses from the MSU Computer Store. Students may request a free 1-year license to ArcGIS 9.3 or ArcGIS 10. For more information see MSU Computer Store.
The MSU Geography Department, located in the Geography Building, has PC and UNIX labs for students enrolled in Geography classes. These are not open public labs.
GIS Training at MSU
Free online training:
MSU's Site License gains us access to numerous free online GIS training modules. See this list of classes. These training modules will each take several hours but may be completed at your own pace. Contact Kathleen Weessies to be enrolled in any of these classes.
Workshops (non-credit or C.E.U.):
Remote Sensing & GIS is a unit on campus that offers one and two-day CEU certified workshops. The trainers are ESRI certified.
For-Credit Classes:
The MSU Geography Department teaches several GI - related courses including Geo 325, Geographic Information Systems, a 3-credit hour course. For more information see the Geography Department Course Listing.
GIS Lite
- Scribble MapsScribble Maps and Scribble Maps Pro are both free products that enable users to create customized maps online. Users can mark up maps, measure distances, import KMLs, Shapefiles, tabular files, add placemarks, text, images, and shapes. Finished maps may be embedded into webpages or exported in various formats.
- MapmeMapme is similar to Scribble Maps in that users can customized maps by adding points, labels, lines, images, then share their product with others via URLs or widgets.
GIS Utilities
- BatchGeoGeocode addresses. Make a Google map with the addresses, or export latitude/longitude coordinates for export to a GIS.
- FME (Feature Manipulation Engine)Free licensing (either individual or loating) tool can be obtained by academic institutions through Safe Software. FME can convert between a tremendous range of data formats and is very helpful for CAD, GIS, KML and imagery conversions.
- Zonums KML to shipZonums Software offers several utilities including: Epoint2GE: Excel to Google Earth; Kml2shp 2: Google Earth to GIS; DigiPoint 2: Points export from Google Maps; Shp2kml 2: Shapefile to Google Earth; Epoint2CAD: Excel to AutoCAD; Ucons: Units Conversion Tool; Color-it: Color your Map; KMLTolbox: KML online tools
- Quantum GISQuantum GIS is an emerging oepn source GIS software licensed under the GNU General Public License. QGIS is an official project of the Open Source Geospatial Foundation (OSGeo). It runs on Linux, Unix, Mac OSX, and Windows and supports numerous vector, raster, and database formats and functionalities.
Interactive mapping
- Social ExplorerCreate maps and reports from selected census statistics.
1790 to 1930: County, state and national data.
1940-2010: Census tract, county, state and national data.
2006- : ACS - SimplyMapSimplyMap provides detailed US data including thousands of population, demographic, business, and marketing data variables from data partners like US Census, consumer expenditure, real estate, crime and many more. See also a guide to using Simplymap at
Guide to Using Simplymap
Geosciences Librarian; Head, Map Library |
 Kathleen Weessies |
Ask Kathleen - Meebo
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