The Geography and Map Division is excited to support the newly launched “Library of Congress Geospatial Applications” Hub site! Hosted in ArcGIS Online, a web-based platform created by Esri, “the Hub” provides online users with a new way to explore the Library’s wide range of StoryMaps and web map applications in one site.
Conveniently located at geo.loc.gov, the Hub is designed to provide an entry point to the Library’s geospatial products within ArcGIS Online, enabling thousands of digital map enthusiasts to discover our resources from where they are online. The Hub also provides map-based and faceted search capabilities to help you find specific applications or browse serendipitously.
The Library of Congress Geospatial Applications Hub was spearheaded by the Geospatial Hosting Environment (GHE), a team within the Library’s Office of the Chief Information Officer that works to expand the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technologies across the Library. The GHE worked in close partnership with the Geography and Map Division and other groups within the Library on this effort. The Hub complements the Geospatial Applications online collection, which showcases Library of Congress StoryMaps and web maps directly through loc.gov.
Taking a look at the front page of the Hub, users can search through all Library Hub content through the search bar, or scroll down to browse through our most popular and most recent applications. By selecting “See all apps,” you can browse our applications through different display styles or filter content by application types and tags, publishing division, and date of last application update. Additionally, a “Location” inset map or the larger “Display map” allows users to filter and search content that is geographically located within the extent of the web map.
If we were interested in seeing content relating to Chicago, for example, a targeted search returns several Story Maps created by the American Folklife Center showcasing field surveys the Center conducted in the 1970s exploring the city’s legendary blue and jazz clubs and multiethnic cultural centers. This Hub search also returns the Geography and Map Division’s Sanborn Volume Finder application for Chicago. The Sanborn Volume Finder project helps users navigate our popular Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps for over a dozen major U.S. cities.
As the Hub continues to develop, the Geography and Map Division is looking forward to further contributing content to this growing platform, from new StoryMaps and web maps, to potentially digital datasets and other resources. Stay tuned!