-------- Original Message --------
Subject: RE: SimplyMap Database
Date: Thu, 7 Oct 2010 08:53:12 -0400
From: Weessies, Kathleen <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
My map fund isn't enough to cover such an expense, but I did acquire buy-in from our Business librarians and they are bearing the brunt of the cost. Labor and Industrial Relations and Urban Planning folks like it too. Like Terri said, it is popular with advertising. In addition, we have strong program in marketing research, which is the 'sweet spot' of Simplymap data. I think the product has grown beyond the scope of its name as it is by no means only a mapping tool. All the data can be exported in tabular form.
The great plus of the data is that it is massaged into census-tract geographies so students can compare neighborhoods on hundreds of factors. Small geography data is otherwise problematic outside of the census. We pay extra to extend our census data back to 1980, but it also has a lot of consumer group and consumer behavior information. We have full IP access through the Proxy server which allows off-campus access to currently enrolled students plus of course faculty and staff.
My coworker Breezy and her predecessor made a very nice guide to using Simplymap, which you can see here: http://libguides.lib.msu.edu/simplymap
On the 'Creating Maps' tab you can see a lot of the categories of variables.
I have found the company to be very responsive to suggestions and feedback. The product has evolved quite a lot in the last few years and promised features really do happen. We had some trouble on our 'selected resource' computers which are locked down to disallow community patrons from having freewheeling access to the Internet while still having access to all the library endorsed Internet resources. I don't recall if it was a java issue or something to do with the server names, but we got it resolved.
Kathleen Weessies
Geosciences Librarian
Head, Map Library
Michigan State University
100 Library W308
East Lansing, MI 48824
[log in to unmask]
Phone (new) 884-0849
The Map Library main number remains 517-884-6467
-----Original Message-----
From: Maps, Air Photo, GIS Forum - Map Librarianship [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Angie Cope
Sent: Wednesday, October 06, 2010 5:15 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: SimplyMap Database
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: RE: SimplyMap Database
Date: Wed, 6 Oct 2010 16:19:32 -0400
From: Robar, Terri J.<[log in to unmask]>
To: Maps, Air Photo, GIS Forum - Map Librarianship
<[log in to unmask]>
Greg,
We've had SimplyMap here at UM for about a year now. It's not heavily used but most of those who have tried it, love it. It's been especially popular with our Advertising Department.
Cost: I only have the prices from last year. You not only choose the number of users but also the level of data. Five users with only the basic data package was $9250. Here at UM, we decided to get only one user with all the data packages; that way, we could attract a wider audience of users. So far, I've heard no complaints about access. The list price for our package was about $12,000 but I think we got a consortial discount.
Data: You cannot at this time import your own data but that is supposed to be a "coming feature." Their data comes from a variety of sources including Census Bureau and Mediamark.
Is it worth the cost? I like to describe SimplyMap as layman's GIS. It's great for those people who don't know GIS and don't have time and/or interest to learn it.
Please let me know if I can give you any more information.
Terri
********************************
Terri J. Robar
Education& Outreach Librarian
Otto G. Richter Library
University of Miami
T: 305-284-6028
C: 305-484-4988
F: 305-284-9848
********************************
-----Original Message-----
From: Maps, Air Photo, GIS Forum - Map Librarianship [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Angie Cope
Sent: Wednesday, October 06, 2010 3:38 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: SimplyMap Database
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: SimplyMap Database
Date: Wed, 6 Oct 2010 19:16:02 +0000
From: March, Greg<[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]<[log in to unmask]>
Hello,
I thought I saw some posts about the product called SimplyMap in the past, but couldn't find any in the archives. I have a few questions to those who have subscriptions with SimplyMap, or who may have done some research on this database product:
Is this database worthy of the cost for a subscription?
How much does it cost for 5 simultaneous users?
I think I remember hearing that SimplyMap uses their own proprietary data, and other file formats cannot be imported into SimplyMap. Is this true?
Thank you,
-Greg
Gregory H. March
Assistant Professor, Map/GIS Librarian
University of Tennessee
Map Services
G21A Hodges Library
Knoxville, TN 37996
865-974-3878 (phone)
865-974-3925 (fax)
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