Introduction.(Geographic Information Systems )

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) data collections and services within the library environment are not new concepts. For years libraries have been active in collecting geospatial data and handling GIS-related reference questions. In the early 1990s librarians often contributed to the literature while researching and learning the best methods for developing geospatial collections and incorporating GIS services in libraries. But during the last ten years, while there have been enormous advancements in the field, the literature related to GIS in libraries has been somewhat scarce. In a time when librarians are busy perfecting their technical GIS skills, creating and defining service models, working closely with data producers, discovering new ways of building collections, and researching ways to archive and preserve digital geospatial data, it is only appropriate that the current issues and topics within the field of GIS librarianship be high-lighted in the literature.

In this first-ever issue of Library Trends dedicated to GIS and libraries, we present thirteen authors contributing ten profoundly informative articles that address a variety of current issues and trends in the field. These authors share their experience, expertise, and opinions regarding the most prominent concerns within the field of GIS librarianship today. In an effort to create a comprehensive issue that spans the most current and relevant topics, careful consideration was made in the selection of articles included in this issue.

This introduction provides a brief overview of the topics covered in this issue and gives readers a taste of the diversity of these topics. Readers will see emerging trends among the topics in several articles, particularly those related to geospatial data acquisitions, distribution, and preservation. They will also gain exposure to new ideas related to GIS mentoring programs, analysis of GIS reference statistics, the application of centralized and distributed GIS…