Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

A guide to GIS resources at UTSA Libraries

UTSA Faculty, Students, and Researchers

UTSA Faculty and Researchers

UTSA Faculty and Researchers can request ArcGIS Pro Desktop for their work computers from UTSA at no charge. Please get in touch with Stuart Foote for the ArcGIS Pro desktop and all its programs.

For the ArcGIS Online account, UTSA Faculty and Research can email your department ESRI administrator or me to help set up a profile on ArcGIS Online. ArcGIS Online also includes ArcGIS Pro Desktop, which only comes with its core programs.

University Technology Solutions

UTSA Engineering Students

ArcGIS software is available on all the Engineering Computers on the 2nd Floor of the John Peace Library. A list of software loaded on these computers is found on the College of Engineering site.

Engineering computers are available at the AET Library.

UTSA Students

ArcGIS Online offers public accounts for FREE!

Please read Quick Start Guide (provided below) for more information about ESRI ArcGIS Online accounts.

UTSA students, please contact me with any questions at diane.lopez2@utsa.edu

*if you want to create a quick map, please consider using the Maps & GIS databases.

Key Databases

Mapping Databases

PolicyMap This link opens in a new window
Use PolicyMap to bring sophisticated data, mapping and analytics to fields beyond traditional GIS and planning departments. From public health to sociology and law, students can use PolicyMap to create maps, reports and analyses to enable a deeper understanding of crucial areas in their fields.
SimplyAnalytics This link opens in a new window
This web-based mapping and data analysis application enables users to develop interactive thematic maps and reports using demographic, business, and marketing data variables by state, county, city/place, ZIP code, census tract, block group, or custom area. Additional modules include:
1. SimmonsLOCAL, a targeting and profiling system that provides insights into consumer behavior for all of America's 210 media markets drilled down the block group level.
2. Claritas PRIZM, a consumer segmentation system which combines demographic, consumer behavior, and geographic data into 66 consumer segments to help marketers identify, understand, and target their customers and prospects.
3.Claritas ConneXions, a consumer segmentation system which classify U.S households into 53 consumer segments based on the technology and communications purchasing and usage preferences.
4. Claritas P$YCLE, a consumer segmentation system which classifies U.S. households into one of 58 consumer segments based on the income-producing assets.
Only a few people can use this database at one time.

These databases are good places to start searching for journals and articles about geography-related topics.

GeoRef (ProQuest) This link opens in a new window
Selectively indexes and abstracts the geoscience literature of the world including journal articles, books, maps, conference papers, reports, theses and dissertations. Coverage for North America is 1785 to the present; coverage for the rest of the world is from 1933 to the present.
Academic Search Complete (EBSCO) This link opens in a new window
Comprehensive multidisciplinary, multilingual source for articles in scholarly and professional journals, magazines, newspapers, conference proceedings and more. All subjects.
Coverage: 1867-current. Updated daily
ScienceDirect This link opens in a new window
Provides full-text access to thousands of scholarly journals and e-books published by Elsevier. Indexes and abstracts articles from journals in the life, physical, medical, technical, and social sciences.
Web of Science This link opens in a new window
Search current and retrospective information from 12,000+ high-impact research journals worldwide. Provides seamless access to Science Citation Expanded (1900- ), Social Sciences Citation Index (1900- ), Arts & Humanities Citation Index (1975- ), Conference Proceedings Index (1990- ), and Emerging Sources Citation Index (2005-2017). Cited reference searching enables tracking prior research, gauging the impact of research, and to locate articles that share common references.

Free GIS Viewers

ArcGIS Explorer
ArcGIS Explorer is a free, downloadable GIS viewer that gives you an easy way to explore, visualize, and share GIS information. ArcGIS Explorer adds value to any GIS because it helps you deliver your authoritative data to a broad audience. (Description from ArcGIS Explorer homepage.)
TatukGIS Viewer
Desktop GIS Viewer - a free application for viewing and querying GIS data and creating projects. The Viewer is a slimmed-down version of TatukGIS Editor, without the data editing and programming features. (Description from TatukGIS products homepage.)