• Introducing ArcGIS Online Services—GIS Data Services
• Improved PDF Support in ArcGIS 9.3
• EdUC Call for Papers—Deadline: October 17
• All Landsat Data to Be Available at No Cost
• New Books from ESRI Press
• Subscribe to the ESRI Press Catalog
• Featured Site—Free GIS Data and Imagery Geoblog

Introducing ArcGIS Online Services—GIS Data Services

ArcGIS Online Services provides access to high-quality basemaps (street maps, imagery, topography) for use in ArcMap, ArcGIS Explorer, and Web applications. Hosted and maintained by ESRI, ArcGIS Online Services provides access to terabytes of data on demand, so there's no need to store and manage updates at your site. Standard services are available at no cost for noncommercial use, and premium services are available by subscription.

• Standard services include a world street map, 15-meter imagery for the world with 1-meter resolution for the United States, 90-meter elevation for the world with 30-meter elevation for the United States, and topographic maps from the National Geographic Society for the United States.
• Premium services include high-resolution imagery for the United States and content from Microsoft Virtual Earth services.

The ArcGIS Online Resource Center provides previews of both standard and premium services including metadata (resolution, accuracy, date, source). Free trials are available for premium services. Learn more.

Top

Improved PDF Support in ArcGIS 9.3

ArcGIS 9.3 has improved functionality for exporting maps to Adobe PDF format. Feature attributes can now be included in exported PDFs and accessed by Adobe Reader users. ArcGIS 9.3 also adds support for the new geospatial capabilities in the PDF formats introduced in Adobe Acrobat 9 including support for coordinate readout, find x,y measurement, and markup.

For example, recipients of PDF map documents can now query and identify feature attributes, find and display a location on the map using x,y coordinates, and measure features directly on the map. Some features require the Adobe Reader 9 or Acrobat 9 Pro or higher. Learn more.

Top

EdUC Call for Papers—Deadline: October 17

Proposals are now being accepted for the 2009 ESRI Education User Conference (EdUC) and International User Conference, to be held July 2009 in San Diego, California. Instructors, administrators, librarians, youth program leaders, researchers, and others with an interest in GIS in education are encouraged to participate.

Presenters can choose between Moderated Paper Sessions and Illustrated Paper Sessions:

• Moderated sessions include three presentations on related topics in a lecture format.
• Illustrated sessions include five short presentations in a poster or slideshow format, followed by individual or small group discussions.

Full details and the proposal form can be found at www.esri.com/educ. The deadline for proposals is October 17, 2008.

Top

All Landsat Data to Be Available at No Cost

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is pursuing an aggressive schedule to provide users with electronic access to any Landsat scene held in the USGS-managed national archive of global scenes dating back to Landsat 1, which was launched in 1972, by February 2009. Currently, newly acquired Landsat 7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) data covering North America and Africa is already distributed by the USGS over the Internet at no charge, with plans for the full archive of historic Landsat 7 ETM+ data to be available for selection and downloading by the end of September 2008. Data from Landsat 1-5 will become available by February 2009.

Landsat scenes can be previewed and downloaded using the USGS Global Visualization Viewer at http://glovis.usgs.gov (under "Select Collection" choose Landsat archive: L7 SLC-off [2003-present]). Scenes can also be selected using the USGS Earth Explorer tool at http://earthexplorer.usgs.gov.

Top

New Books from ESRI Press

• The ESRI Map Book, Volume 23 showcases the most creative, fascinating, and alluring maps presented at the Map Gallery Exhibition during the annual ESRI International User Conference.
• Designing Geodatabases for Transportation addresses the use of GIS to manage data relating to transportation services and facilities.
• The Business Benefits of GIS: An ROI Approach presents a fact-based, benefits-focused methodology aimed at ensuring the sustainability of GIS initiatives by effectively demonstrating the success of the investment.
• Building a GIS: System Architecture Design Strategies for Managers helps software developers and IT managers build a successful infrastructure for GIS within their organizations.
• GIS Tutorial: Workbook for ArcView 9, Third Edition provides effective GIS training in an easy-to-follow, step-by-step format.
• GIS Tutorial for Homeland Security provides GIS training for public safety officers, government officials, and students in the fields of criminal justice and public administration with emphasis on the uses of GIS for Homeland Security.

Top

Subscribe to the ESRI Press Catalog

Would you like more information about ESRI Press books? Subscribe to the catalog (print) or the ESRI Training & Education Newsletter (e-mail) to keep up-to-date on the latest publications. See the latest issue.

Top

Featured Site—Free GIS Data and Imagery Geoblog

Are you always on the lookout for free GIS data, especially things beyond the basics (streets, Census data, DOQs, etc.)? This blog provides links to an eclectic mix of GIS data and imagery including GISFish, satellite imagery for Australia, and basemaps for Nigeria and the Philippines. Visit http://gisdata.blogspot.com/.

Top