ArcGIS software and GIS Training is available at no cost to UB Faculty, Staff and Students through our campus-wide site license with Esri (Environmental Systems Research Institute).

To obtain ArcGIS software for your personal computer, please refer to the ArcGIS Software tab.

For access to our free Esri courses, please refer to the Esri E-Learning tab.

UBIT's ArcGIS page has more information regarding accessing ArcGIS software using:

• UB Libraries computer workstations
• My Virtual Computing Lab
• My Virtual Public Site

UB Geography faculty and students may also go to: Geographic Information and Analysis Laboratory (GIAL).

• ESRI (Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc.). The leading GIS company. Several useful ESRI links:
  • GIS Dictionary (ESRI). Database of terms, acronyms, GIS/cartographic words.
  • ArcGIS Help Library
• GIS Glossaries. Selection of glossaries/dictionaries of GIS and Cartographic terms.
• Bird's Eye View GIS. GIS technology service with emphasis on "solving the world's mounting ecological, economic and social problems." Company's focus is on environment, nature, and human ecology.
• Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. Includes GIS data files.
• Dictionary Of Abbreviations And Acronyms In Geographic Information Systems, Cartography and Remote Sensing(UC Berkeley). This webpage is no longer updated but continues to include useful acronyms GIS users may encounter.
• Electronic Cultural Atlas Initiative (ECAI). This site features cartographic tools for "visualizing and analyzing historical and cultural phenomena." Users may create "maps based on a theme, era and region." The "Projects" section provides examples, and the "Participating" section provides instructions. Also includes information about the underlying technology. Note: Access to some datasets requires a password. Sponsored by the University of California, Berkeley.
• Geologic map databases for the United States: Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia (Open-File Report (2005-1325)). Geological maps, data, and metadata for 5 states. Useful for GIS applications with Arc Export, ArcView shapefiles, and Attribute Tables.
• Geographic Resources Analysis Support System (GRASS). Free Geographic Information System (GIS) software used for geospatial data management and analysis, image processing, graphics/maps production, spatial modeling, and visualization. GRASS GIS is currently used in academic and commercial settings around the world, as well as by many governmental agencies and environmental consulting companies. GRASS GIS is an official project of the Open Source Geospatial Foundation (OSGeo).
• National Gap Analysis Program (GAP). A Geographic Approach to Planning for Biological Diversity (USGS program). GIS system providing regional assessments of the conservation status of native vertebrate species and natural land cover types and to facilitate the application of this information to land management activities.
• New York GAP Analysis - Part of the GAP program. Involves mapping the distribution of animals and plants on land and in aquatic ecosystems.
• National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis (University of California at Santa Barbara, University at Buffalo, and University of Maine).
• New York State Gazetteer & GeoData Collection. This UB Libraries page provides a gazetteer, along with the digital collection of downloadable USGS topographic maps, such as georeferenced Digital Raster Graphics (DRG's). These maps are suitable for both general use and GIS applications.
• Office of Geomatics (US National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA)). UTM, MGRS Shape files for World and specific regions.
• Ontario Basic Mapping. View/create maps showing a variety of layers.