GIS Services
ArcGIS
The Esri ArcGIS suite of products is available free of charge to current students, staff, and faculty at McMaster University. The Esri ArcGIS suite provides users with a collection of products for analyzing and presenting a wide variety of spatial, demographic, and business information.
The ArcGIS suite includes the following products:
- ArcGIS Desktop: desktop GIS software
- ArcGIS Online: web-based GIS software
- Business Analyst Online: web-based solution that applies GIS technology to extensive demographic, consumer spending, and business data
- Community Analyst Online: cloud-based location analytics solution to explore, analyze and drive policy with detailed analysis of demographics at the neighbourhood level
- GeoPlanner: web-based planning software
- Insights: web-based, data analytics workbench for exploring spatial and non-spatial data
- ArcGIS Pro: professional desktop GIS software
- App Studio: template-based mobile app development software
- Online training available for beginners to advanced levels
To request copies of the software or training, complete the ArcGIS Software Request Form or contact GIS Services. Please note, the software is not Mac compatible.
QGIS
QGIS is a free and open source GIS software program compatible with a variety of operating systems. The software can be downloaded from https://qgis.org/en/site/.
There are several public-use PC workstations loaded with GIS and numeric data software such as QGIS, ArcGIS, SPSS and SAS located within the Lloyd Reeds Map Collection. ArcGIS and QGIS have also been installed on the workstations in Mills, Thode, and Innis Libraries.
Individual and group consultations are available for help finding and analyzing geospatial data, as well as assistance with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software.
Class instruction sessions regarding GIS tools, resources, and geospatial data can also be requested by contacting libgis@mcmaster.ca.
Sherman Centre for Digital Scholarship
Workshop content and online modules covering Geographic Information Systems (GIS) as well as digital scholarship tools, Research Data Management, data analysis and visualization is available through the Lewis and Ruth Sherman Centre for Digital Scholarship's online learning page, https://scds.ca/online-learning/.
Available GIS modules include:
- Introduction to GIS (QGIS)
- Introduction to GIS (ArcGIS Online)
- Introduction to Geospatial Data
- Introduction to the ArcGIS Business Analyst Web App (BAO)
- Introduction to ArcGIS StoryMaps
- How to Copy ArcGIS Content Between Accounts
- Making the Move from ArcMap to ArcGIS Pro
Data Analysis Support Hub (DASH)
Additional online resources and documentation can be found through the Data Analysis Support Hub website.
Esri
Esri provides a great deal of instructional material for ArcGIS and other Esri products, including web courses, training seminars, videos and hands-on lessons. Some resources are freely available, while others require access credentials.
McMaster University, through our site license for Esri products, can provide access to many of the GIS e-learning resources offered. To inquire about resources requiring a subscription, contact libgis@mcmaster.ca.
These courses expire one year from the date of registration. If you do not have the necessary software at home, you may work through these resources using the software installed on any of the computers located within the Map Collection, as well as those located in Mills, Innis, and Thode libraries.
