Citizen Cartography @ NYPL Workshop

Citizen Cartography @ NYPL Workshop 

Redefining New York City’s Environment: Newtown Creek

Friday, October 29, 2010, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, 5th Ave & 42nd St, Room 117

R.S.V.P. citizencartographer@gmail.com

22 participants max. (16 bring laptops/6 no laptop required)

Newtown Creek

A tributary of the East River, Newtown Creek delineates the northern section of the border of Brooklyn and Queens. In the mid 19th century, the adjacent area was one of the busiest hubs of industrial activity in New York City, resulting in massive pollution that persists to this day. Newtown Creek is poised for environmental remediation having just been designated an EPA Superfund site.

Background

The New York Public Library has created a new set of historical map tools available at maps.nypl.org that allow library staff and the general public add valuable geographic context to old maps. Make a difference in your community! Participate in our inaugural Citizen Cartography @ NYPL Workshop.

Workshop Activities

Participants will learn how to align historical maps of the Newtown Creek area using maps.nypl.org, and in the process, create timely new resources to help researchers, students, environmental activists, and the general public study and clean up this waterway.

Tentative Agenda

Friday, October 29, 2010

10:00am - 10:30am Introduction to Map Division

10:30 am - 10:45am Introduction to Map Warper

10:45am - 1:00pm Warp!