Summary
GEOGRAPHY
Typical questions
• Where can I find recent research on the impact of hurricane Katrina?
• I need to get GIS data for Sri Lanka.
• Where can I find out what causes a tsunami?
Points to consider
• The subject area of geography can be wide ranging. Students of physical geography may need access to Maps; or information about the Environment; while those focusing on human geography may find the coverage of human societies in the Sociology section relevant. Materials relating to Development Studies may be useful for those studying the human geography of developing nations.
• An increasing demand is for geospatial data. This can also be called geographical information systems or GIS, and commonly refers to software that combines features of cartography and other databases to overlay reference information (such as number of people living in a specific location, or the extent of soil erosion in an area) on computer-generated maps.
Where to look
Key organizations
Use these to find information on the main scholarly journals and conferences. They also contain careers advice for students.
UK
British Geological Survey
www.bgs.ac.uk
UK's national centre for earth science information. Coverage includes geology, climate change and natural hazards.
Geographical Association
www.geography.org.uk
Specialist organization for UK teachers. Free access to hundreds of resources for primary and secondary classes. These include suggested lesson plans and links to recommended websites, many covering topical news stories.
Royal Geographical Society (RGS)
www.rgs.org
Established in 1830, the main professional organization for the UK. Website has detailed information on where to study Geography, and news about research grants. Its Unlocking the Archives section, www.unlockingthearchives.rgs.org, provides free access to historic images/ documents and associated lesson plans for schools. Topics covered include the race to the South Pole. Other features of the site include a commercial picture library with access to photographs and prints of travel and exploration.
International
Association of American Geographers
www.aag.org
Main US body. Website includes information on cutting-edge projects which it has supported.
HERODOT – Network for Geography in Higher Education
www.herodot.net
Seeks to improve the quality of Geography teaching and learning in higher education in Europe. Website is a good starting-point for locating training, forthcoming conferences and links to innovative teaching and learning projects.
International Geographical Union (IGU)
igu-online.org
International organization of geographers. Website has a directory of links to national bodies and university departments worldwide.
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- Information
- Know it All, Find it Fast for Academic Libraries , pp. 153 - 163Publisher: FacetPrint publication year: 2011