Ralph welcomed the group and thanked Pam Hays for hosting the meeting.  We then introduced ourselves.

Aleda Freeman from MassGIS replaced the scheduled speaker, Paul Nutting, who was unable to attend.  Aleda is a programmer at Mass GIS. MassGIS, part of the Massachusetts Office of Environment Affairs, collects and stores digital information.  GIS can be used for maps and for data analysis. The MassGIS website currently has information on wetlands, roads, topographic maps, and black and white aerial photographs. They want to gather as much Massachusetts information as possible.   Aleda demonstrated the MassGIS web site (www.state.ma.us/mgis).  Aleda recommends the online mapping section of the web page as the first place to go when helping patrons.

Some layers are done and some still in progress.  Some data is continually refreshed, other data layers are not updated.  Data usually includes text providing scale and purpose of data and telephone number of contact person.  MassGIS distributes data on CD-ROM.   "Other GIS Resources" has links to other states.  There is also a link to MGIC, the Massachusetts Geographic Information Council, which  holds monthly meetings on GIS topics .  The meetings are open to the public.

Ralph introduced the next speaker, Johanna Meyers , GIS Coordinator, GIS Resource Center, Tish Library, Tufts University and  he read a quote from Johanna:  "One of the greatest strengths of GIS is its ability to cross many fields and bring together different disciplines for a new perspective on data relationships.  One of the reasons I got involved with GIS is it is a cross between art and analysis.  I enjoy not only the amount of information you can transfer quickly in a map, but the different perspectives the mapping of data allows."

Johanna spoke on the use of GIS in an academic/university setting.  She gave several reasons why the GIS Resource Center is located in the library: 1) library is used for accessing information and data, 2) it supports the curriculum of the university, 3) the library is very accessible; it has longer hours than a department would. This year six classes used GIS: Environmental Studies, Civil & Environment Engineering, Environmental Policy Planning and classes in the Veterinary, Medical and Nutrition Schools. The Center gives seminars and workshops and facilitates interdisciplinary work and data sharing between groups.  The Center is usually staffed from 12-8.  There is a director, GIS coordinator, a library liaison, and interns.  Johanna teaches and coordinates classes and trains interns.  She has guest speakers, such as Aleda, come in to do presentations.
 

Business Meeting began at 12:10.

Pam Hays had one change to the November minutes: The money to be considered for CD was #1 Savings Account - $1,013.00.  The rest of the minutes were accepted.

Treasurers Report:
Account #1 for speakers, etc. - $1017.08
Account #2 for current expenses - $845.39

Both accounts are currently earning 3%.  Ralph and Pam proposed keeping current expenses in savings account and the other account in a CD.  A one year CD with at 5.17% was agreed upon.   When money is needed from current expenses, Pam will get a money order.

Bette mentioned two meetings that are coming up.  On March 8 the State Data Center Affiliates meeting on the census will take place at 1 Ashburton Place.  The state plan will be discussed at a meeting at University of Massachusetts in Worcester on March 16.
 
The next Meeting will be held at the U.S. Court House Library in Boston
 
Meeting adjourned 12:25PM

Submitted by: Sonia Ensins

Attendance:

Sonia Ensins, Boston College
Gordon Pow, U.S. Courts Library
Kristie Randall, U.S. Courts Library
Tim Hays, U.S. Army Corps - New England District
Pam Hays, Harvard University
Sean Casey, Boston Public Library
David Cobb, Harvard University
Christina Finneran, Wellesley College
Thelma Thompson, University of New Hampshire
Bette L. Siegel , State Library of Massachusetts
Kathleen Brearley, State Library of Massachusetts
Bob Kehner, MIT
Ralph Szymczak, Brandeis University
Vida Margaitis, Harvard University
Tim Slaughter, Harvard University
Johanna Meyer, Tufts University
John Fobert, Roger Williams University