GIS users come in many forms: managers, analysts, programmers, professors, students—the list is extensive because the GIS field is so dynamic. Regardless of your title, your role is important inside and outside your organization. At times, you may find it difficult to effectively translate your GIS expertise to those unfamiliar with the technology. GIS Day provides GIS users with the exciting opportunity to share their passion for their work with colleagues and their communities and explain the role GIS plays in our daily lives.

About GIS Day

The eleventh annual GIS Day celebration will be held Wednesday, November 18, 2009.

GIS Day is an international grassroots event where thousands of GIS users around the world invite guests to attend GIS workshops, tour map galleries, receive hands-on GIS technology training, learn about educational and career opportunities, and much more. The event continues to gain momentum each year, thanks to the GIS user community. GIS Day was celebrated in 77 countries and on all seven continents in 2008.

What You Will Gain

GIS Day is exciting, fun, and a break from everyday job duties. It also benefits attendees and hosts alike. GIS Day participants in the past have utilized the event as a way to

• Make colleagues aware of their contributions to the organization.
• Recruit students for school departments and student organizations.
• Demonstrate work to potential clients.
• Educate youth and volunteers for community projects.
• Raise awareness about the services offered by their organziations.
• Recognize the work done by their GIS departments.
• Give back to their respective communities.

How to Participate

Whether you are a veteran participant or new to GIS Day, there are plenty of resources to help plan an event. Begin by brainstorming ideas with colleagues, visiting the GIS Day Web site (www.gisday.com) to register your event and download free materials, and contacting your community to get the word out.

Read how organizations celebrated GIS Day last year.

Corporation of the District of Saanich

The Corporation of the District of Saanich, Vancouver Island, Canada, held an open house at its municipal hall to educate municipal staff about GIS and explain how it is being used. "This celebration of GIS Day was the municipality's first, and it proved very successful, with much interest and positive feedback received," explains Nicola Parfett, geomatics technologist.

University of South Florida

The University of South Florida, St. Petersburg, invited industry leaders, government entities, and student and faculty researchers to demonstrate GIS technology to fourth-, fifth-, and ninth-grade students. The event was so successful that it made the local newscast.

Municipality of Anchorage

The Municipality of Anchorage, Alaska, celebrated GIS Day by hosting an open house. The GIS staff provided training sessions on its Web application, called Advanced Mapper, which is heavily used by municipal employees and the public. "Attendees were asked to fill out a survey on their use of municipal GIS data layers," says Terry Lamberson, GIS technician, Municipality of Anchorage. "This valuable feedback will help the GIS Services group target the use of their resources more efficiently."

City of Hinesville

In honor of GIS Day, the GIS office at the City of Hinesville, Georgia, invited a young "cartographer want-to-be" to the office so she could become exposed to the technology. "She learned that GIS is more than mapping," says Anna Phillips, GIS coordinator, City of Hinesville. The office also displayed its work for employee and community viewing.

More Information

Join the global celebration. Visit www.gisday.com to learn more.