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LSNTAP's GIS Project (2009 Update)

Submitted by eva on Tue, 08/18/2009 - 10:49am

 

This year, NTAP surveyed the legal services community about map use in legal services. We asked who was creating maps, what types of maps, what mapping programs were used, and what maps were used for. We also asked what programs would like to do with maps, what information they want to impart, and what goals they want to meet.

 

Programs reported that they were concerned about

  • the learning curve for using the software
  • how to show their data in an aggregated form on a map versus revealing actual addresses, and
  • being able to find more community data easily for their maps.

In response, NTAP has compiled a package of free and very low cost GIS tools to meet the needs of the legal services community.  This package includes:

  • A GIS application.  Google Earth, a free mapping application available at http://earth.google.com/).
     
  • Census data at various granular levels.  Participants will learn to use the University of Tennessee's KMZ Census Mapper to create a KML/KMZ file for each of their census data requirements for each region they want to map.

    • For those who have used this service in the past: the University of Tennessee files are now hosted on a dedicated GIS server at the University so the file speed has improved greatly.  Dr. Ralston has made the LSC shapefiles available to NTAP and in turn we will share these with participating programs.
  • Geocoding: Programs need to geocode their zip code files and NTAP has several suggestions on how to do this inexpensively or free.  NTAP has found a solution which allows users to input CMS data into Excel, aggregate the data at zip code level and add latitude and longitude data. This aggregated data can be exported as a CSV file -- and the CMS data never needs to leave the user's computer.

  • NTAP will also train programs on the census's American FactFinder site's map offerings, which provide a rich collection of data, including the annual mini-updates to the census.

Together, these applications will allow legal aid programs to map their case management data within the boundary of their service area, layered that data with other census data, and display it in such a way that actual client locations are not visible.

 

NTAP's Training Opportunities for GIS Mapping in 2009

  • September Training Series: GIS Mapping: Mapping Case Management Data, Fridays in September, 11, 18, 23 2009: A three part series providing step-by-step instructions about how to use GIS tools, including Google Earth, to map case management data in conjunction with census and other freely available data for your area. (This series, which was also offered in July 2009, is a small workshop session and no more than 20 participants may attend.)  Pre-register for all three sessions via the Poverty Law Survey Tool.

  • GIS Roundtable: October 8, 2009 - Join NTAP for an hour-long roundtable to discuss questions and share tips about Google Earth and mapping for your program.
     
  • Join NTAP in person at the NLADA Annual Conference in Denver in November 2009 for a special GIS showcase.


See the GIS Mapping Section of NTAP's Tech Library for links to training materials and further resources about GIS.

 

 

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