Friday, May 23, 2014

Feature Friday: Google Maps

Do you know how awesome Google Maps is?  Of course you can look up directions from point A to point B, but you can also see maps that show the Italy Postal Code Boundaries, or a map that shows the percentage of tree cover in Mexico.  There are all sorts of cool maps to look at.  My favorite, though is the map that shows the location of every book store and public library in the US.  I love maps in general, and I really loved looking at this map, so I thought I'd share.  Enjoy!

via

8 comments:

  1. That's awesome. I didn't know that.

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    1. Bookmark DragonMay 23, 2014 at 11:19 AM

      It's a new discovery for me too! I'm a little bit of a map-nerd so I was really excited to find it. Glad you liked it too. :)

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  • Tamara @ TamaraniacMay 25, 2014 at 7:49 AM

    Looking at my own home state, (Minnesota) it's kind of funny to me that the capital is part of this huge cluster, but the whole state is still pretty covered. But then you go slightly left of MN and there's this huge gap. It kind of makes you wonder why one state but not the one next to it...

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    1. Bookmark DragonMay 25, 2014 at 9:42 PM

      I wondered the exact same thing! My guess is that some states just have a higher library budget than others, though of course you have to take into consideration that the population of each state differs.

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  • I'm interested in the accuracy of this map, actually. I think bookstores are correct in WA, but I have about 5 libraries within about 10 miles of me. They're all part of the same system, (with MANY more branches in the Seattle metro area), so I'm wondering if all of the branches are being counted as one library? It just seems like the graphic isn't really showing an accurate representation of my area... As for bookstores, those are certainly few and far between around here. Maybe it's because we're in a high-tech consumption area and people use bookstores less than digital devices?

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    1. Bookmark DragonJune 6, 2014 at 3:01 PM

      I usually find Google maps to be pretty reliable but I don't know what the qualifications were for this specific map. They probably had some sort of parameters to determine what would qualify, though I don't know what those are. And, as for bookstores, they do seem to be a dying breed country wide. Unfortunately!

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