Helena Students Celebrate GIS at the Montana State Library
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 13, 2007
Contact: Sara Groves
(406) 444-5357
(HELENA) -- As part of a global Geographic Information System or GIS Day celebration, the Montana State Library's Natural Resource Information System (NRIS) will demonstrate GIS technology to fifth graders from Smith School. Staff from NRIS, the Montana Natural Heritage Program, and the Montana Department of Administration will give interactive presentations using information collected by the children as they walk from Smith School to the Montana State Library.
Montana's First Lady, Nancy Schweitzer, and staff will join the students as they walk to the State Library using hand-held GIS devices to plot their way.
Mrs. Schweitzer and other presenters will pick up the students at Smith School at 12:20 p.m. on Wednesday, November 14, 2007, and will then walk over to the State Library to demonstrate some NRIS mapping applications from 12:40 - 2:40 p.m.
"As part of the Montana State Library, NRIS provides access to geographic information for government agencies, private businesses, and the general public," said Jim Hill, Administrator of the Montana State Digital Library. "GIS Day provides a perfect opportunity for us to expand our audience. Introducing students to the power of GIS is a great way to get them interested in geography."
GIS Day 2007 is a global event that celebrates how geography and geographic information systems are changing the world. It will be held as part of Geography Awareness Week (November 12 - 16) and is principally sponsored by the National Geographic Society, the Association of American Geographers, the Library of Congress, ESRI, and other partners.
A Geographic Information System is a computer system that links geographic information (where things are) with attribute information (what things are). Unlike flat paper maps, Geographic Information Systems help people analyze relationships between many different layers of information at once. GIS is used throughout the world to solve critical problems in fields such as health, transportation, law enforcement, natural resources, and agriculture.
Sibyl Govan, manager of Montana's Natural Resource Information System, said, "GIS Day is an opportunity to increase public awareness of GIS and its important contributions to society. GIS professionals are always happy to teach others how to incorporate geographic information into their everyday decisions and business practices."
NRIS' Geographic Information Clearinghouse is one of the many resources available from the Montana State Library at http://msl.mt.gov.
For more information, contact Sara Groves at (406) 444-3115 or visit the NRIS Web site at: http://nris.mt.gov.
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