Digital Spatial Data

Data by Theme

Above are links to the information on the basic digital spatial datasets at the AGSL. Although the AGSL collects and archives worldwide datasets, its main focus is the Milwaukee metropolitan area.  Some spatial datasets cited in this section include analog data and internet applications (interactive mapping and/or data download services).

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Popular Datasets

Below is a list of major & popular datasets held by the AGSL - mostly on CD-ROM.

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Finding Data at the AGS Library

For more titles, conduct a search on Panther Cat. The AGSL Digital Spatial Data Clearinghouse now has over800 CD ROM titles of digital spatial data. To find specific titles that have been cataloged on the Panther Cat online catalog, do a keyword search for "CD" after setting search limits to "American Geographical Society Library- CD ROM's" under location.

If you are looking for Wisconsin data, please visit our Wisconsin data page to check availability of the Wisconsin datasets.

Not all CD ROM's in the AGS Library are cataloged yet. Come into the AGSL Digital Spatial Data Clearinghouse to see the complete collection. Contact the AGSL at 414-229-6282 or gisdata@uwm.edu for more information on digital spatial data.

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Citation Guide

It is important to give proper credit to the data producers and sources when using digital spatial data (and documents also). There are several ways to cite maps and spatial information sources depending on the style guide you choose. Please consult the style guide for the specific type of citation information. 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.

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.  * use [ ] for an assumed title known to you but not stated on the map.
• Example2: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.
• * use [ ] for an assumedtitle known to you but not stated on the map.

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. 
• * use [ ] for an assumed title known to you but not stated on the map.

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 for the AGSL? Send them to agsl@uwm.edu.