Tom Brittnacher assists students in the GIS/research Data Lab.
The launch of UBC Library’s GIS/Research Data Lab last June marked the beginning of an ambitious concept – a Research Commons, based in Koerner Library, with the space and tools necessary to spur innovation and inquiry.
The GIS (or Geographic Information Systems) Lab is the first part ofthe Research Commons project, which will serve those working in the humanities and social sciences. The goal is to have researchers and subject specialists collaborate, supported by a suite of services and technology. “We want to heighten Library resources for researchers’ experience,” says Peter James, Head of UBC Library’s Humanities and Social Sciences division. “The Research Commons will provide a unique library component to ensure success.”
The aim is to have the Commons established within 18 months. Along with colleague Margaret Friesen, James is surveying graduate students and faculty to determine how a Research Commons can best serve their needs. He also hopes to launch a suite of instructional services by September 2011.
Users of the GIS/Research Data Lab, which offers spatial and statistical analysis to support research, come from a range of UBC departments and units, including environmental Science, Geography, the School of Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), and Pathology and Lab Medicine. “They’re really eager to use the lab,” says Tom Brittnacher, GIS Librarian.
“The lab is an invaluable resource that allows me to run the software suite when I need it, for the time I need it,” says Simon L’Allier, a graduate student at SCARP. “I recommend to all students who think about using GIS in their work to do so. You’ll never consider doing GIS work on your laptop again!”
This story first appeared in the UBC Library Community Report (2011)