Esri Press Announces Five New Titles

Esri Press has announced five important new books. The titles include a new volume of case studies, a laboratory guide for local government users, and several books that explore the traditional role and potential uses of geographic information.

GIS in Public Policy,
by R.W. Greene
Geographic information systems are quickly becoming one of the most powerful technological tools in the arsenal of local and national policy makers. GIS is one of the key elements in recent efforts, such as the National Partnership for Reinventing Government, to make public agencies more efficient and more responsive to the constituents they serve. Used to their full capacity, GIS can help reenergize our democratic institutions. With an introduction by Ann Azari, the former mayor of Fort Collins, Colorado, and one of the nation's most articulate visionaries of the power of GIS in government, this case study book shows how progressive policy makers across the nation have already put GIS to effective use.

Beyond Maps: GIS and Decision Making in Local Government,
by John O'Looney
Originally published by International City/County Management Association (ICMA), this comprehensive resource has been reissued with dozens of new map examples. It looks beyond the mechanics of systems and screens to show how local governments can make GIS a true management tool. Exploring innovative ways to use GIS to improve local government operations, the report explains the unique capabilities of GIS, describes a wide spectrum of applications for local governments, and covers implementation issues and pitfalls to avoid.

GIS County: Lab Exercises in GIS,
by William Huxhold
This workbook, written to complement the Windows NT version of ArcInfo software, is intended to give readers "hands-on" experience in exploring a wide range of GIS applications. The exercises are designed to give readers direct experience with geographic data--building their own topological databases, creating and using property and population data, and learning firsthand how GIS processes geographic information so effective applications of the technology can be designed and used by local government officials.

Modeling Our World,
by Michael Zeiler
Geographic data models--formal frameworks that describe the location of things in space--are "lenses" through which we can perceive and interpret the infinite complexity of the real world. ArcInfo 8 GIS software from Esri introduces a new object-oriented data model called the geodatabase. Modeling Our World introduces the geodatabase model used in ArcInfo 8 and leads you through the concepts of data modeling, from defining and capturing information for a GIS database to proper spatial analysis methods and effective visual presentation.

For the GIS specialist, Zeiler's new book provides a good introduction to the broader database world. For the database specialist, this book serves as a good answer to the question "What is so special about spatial?," says Scott Morehouse, Esri director of software development.

GIS for Health Organizations,
by Laura Lang
The latest volume from the Esri Press case study series gives health care managers and executives a closer look at how to use geographic information system technology to improve patient care, better manage their facilities, and increase their market share. A dozen real-world examples tell the stories of GIS at work doing things like tracking infectious diseases, mapping the human body, and assigning new patients to the best room and bed based on many variables.

Esri Press books are available at better bookstores, online at www.esri.com/gisstore, or by calling 1-800-447-9778.

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