Facilitating PPGIS Through University Libraries

Abstract

Equitable access to local geospatial data continues to pose challenges to the knowledge production efforts of marginalized citizen groups. While local government agencies have provided greater access to public data sets through their internet Geographic Information System (GIS) sites, data cannot always be downloaded and used directly by citizens. Past research demonstrates that data sharing at the local level can be a challenging task, mired by legal, institutional, and personal issues. Despite the hype about open data in government, its acceptance and implementation is slow at the local scale. The need for a centralized data repository system at the local scale is thus crucial. This research explores the recent groundbreaking effort to establish a state-wide geospatial portal among the 26 University of Wisconsin (UW) library systems. Through a survey and follow up interviews conducted among public land information professionals in Wisconsin, we find that GIS professionals in local and county governments are open to data sharing through a common geospatial portal. Simultaneously, the efforts to introduce open source GIS software and technical skills through workshops conducted by the library staff demonstrate new ways to facilitate Public Participation GIS (PPGIS). Our research thus demonstrates that university libraries can emerge as an effective model for advancing PPGIS through geoportals, web services, and data and applications in the cloud.