Find open and licensed data from the Library's collections with Abacus
The UBC Library provides access to GIS resources, including data, software, online courses and support.
We can assist you with locating and acquiring geospatial data; subsetting data and converting it into different formats; recommending GIS and mapping tools, and learning more about using GIS software.
We can also assist faculty and instructors by creating and facilitating workshops and other learning materials on finding geospatial data for your students.
Please let us know how we can partner with you:
If you have questions about GIS and data or need assistance with Abacus contact:
If you have questions about maps or geospatial data contact:
UBC Library offers GIS software, including ArcGIS, QGIS, GRASS, and Google Earth Pro. Software is available in computer labs at these locations:
Six Digital Scholarship Lab computers are accessible through Remote Labs (remotelabs.ubc.ca). Simply log in using your CWL, select one of the appropriate labs, and choose a machine. These remote lab machines are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
See this page for a full list of software and UBC-V Library labs where each is available.
The UBC Geospatial Resources website serves as a campus-wide resource for useful information related to maps and GIS, including news, events, scholarships, etc.
Before starting your search for data, it's good to consider:
UBC's research and licensed data can be found in Abacus.
Another great starting point for research using spatial data is the GIS Research Guide.
When searching the internet for GIS data, try the smallest administration that covers your entire geographic area, such as the City of Vancouver's Open Data Portal.