Digital Spatial Data

How to Find Data

Datasets in the Clearinghouse that were acquired as published CDs or DVDs are usually cataloged and can be found in PantherCat, UWM's online library catalog. Set the Quick Limit to "American Geographical Society Library" to limit your search to materials within the AGS Library. If you add 'and "[electronic resource]" ' to your keyword search, you will further limit your search to materials within the Digital Spatial Data Clearinghouse.

Wisconsin Data
Many of the GIS datasets for Wisconsin are not on published CDs or DVDs. If you are searching for GIS data pertaining to Wisconsin, the best place to look is the Wisconsin Data Catalog. This online listing is organized by subject and by county. This is the most up-to-date catalog of the available GIS data files for Wisconsin in the AGS Library.

Additional Resources
If you do not find what you are looking for there, check our GIS-Related Links website to find other websites that might have data available for download.

Of course, you can always contact the Digital Spatial Data Librarian at (414) 229-6282 or gisdata@uwm.eduto consult with the GIS Librarian regarding your data needs. In person inquiries are welcomed at the AGS Library, located on the third floor, east wing of the Golda Meir Library at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. For more information, see our Location and Hours web page.

How to Request Data

Data requests can be made by coming in to the AGS Library, consulting with the GIS Librarian or GIS Student Assistants. All data requests require a signature of the data requestor on the AGSL data request forms. For more detailed requests, it is suggested that you make an appointment with the GIS Librarian at (414) 229-6282 or gisdata@uwm.edu. Basic data requests can be taken over the phone or by email.

Many of the GIS datasets in the Digital Spatial Data Clearinghouse are licensed or copyright protected. In these cases, datasets can only be made available to University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee students, faculty and staff for educational purposes.

Data Citation Guide

IIt is important to give proper credit to the data producers and sources when using digital spatial data. There are several ways to cite maps and spatial information sources depending on the style guide you choose. Please consult individual style guides for specific citation formats.

Below are the citation examples from a style guide for cartographic materials titled Cartographic Citations: A Style Guide by Suzanne M. Clark, Mary Lynette Larsgaard, and Cynthia M. Teague, published by the American Library Association in 1992 as MAGERT (Map and Geography Round Table) Circular No. 1. The examples below are listed by materials type.

NOTE: Besides format, use brackets [ ] for an assumed title known to you but not stated on the map.

Map-data/digital spatial data

• Citation Style: Author. Title [format]. Edition. Place of production: Producer, Date of copyright or production.
• Example: U.S. Bureau of the Census. TIGER/Line Precensus FIles, 1990: New England [computer optical disk]. Washington, D.C.: Bureau of the Census, 1990.

Map created from digital spatial data

• Citation Style: Author. Map title [format]. Scale. Computer database title [format]. Edition. Place of production: Producer, Date of copyright or production. (May be followed by) Using: Author. Computer software title [format]. Edition. Place of production: Producer, Date of copyright or production.
• Example 1: PC Globe. [Idaho – Elevations] [computer map]. 1-1/8” = approx. 100 mi. PC USA [computer disk]. Tempe, Ariz.: PC Globe, 1989.
• Example 2: U.S. Geological Survey. [Alaska] [computer map]. Scale not given. 1:2,000,000-Scale Digital Line Graph (DLG) Data [computer optical disk]. Reston, Va.:USGS, 1990.

Satellite data

• Citation Style: Author. Title [format]. Place of publication: Producer, Date when data collected.
• Example: U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration. [Santa Barbara Region, California] E-2 429-17512-4, 5, 7 [computer reel]. Sioux Falls, S. Dak.: EROS Data Center, 1976. 

Aerial photographs

• Citation Style: Author. Title of frame number(s) [format]. Scale. Flight title (if part of flight). Place of publication:  Publisher, Date of image collection (NOT date of reproduction).
• Example: Mark Hurd Aerial Surveys. San Miguel Island [aerial photographs]. 1:12,000. Goleta, Calif.: Mark Hurd Aerial Survey, 1964.

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Comments or questions for the AGSL? Send them to agsl@uwm.edu or call (414) 229-6282.