New, Interactive Campus Map now Available Online

Many universities provide online, interactive maps of their campuses. The maps include a detailed listing of buildings, along with the programs, departments and offices within them, and guide students and visitors throughout the campus.

But such a tool has been missing at USU, says Ben Renard-Wiart, the university’s webmaster, who has stepped in to fill the void.

 

“I always wanted to provide this kind of tool since I have been on campus, and I finally found the time to develop something,” Renard-Wiart said.

 

After detailed research, Renard-Wiart opted for the free Google Map API to assist his effort. Google offers its mapping system to any free Web site. The consumer, in this case Utah State University, must build its own application, but Google provides much of the “backend” functionalities and allows use of its graphic map, satellite map and geo-coding system.

 

There are other advantages to using the Google Map API, Renard-Wiart said.

 

“This is a system that many people know and use every day,” he said. “The map runs smoothly on most computers, and you benefit from all the updates Google will do in the future.”

 

The current USU interactive map is still being beta tested, but is nearly complete. An overlay of the Utah State University campus has been placed on top of Google Map so users can switch between the different views (road map, satellite map, etc.). Most of the main campus is currently available. Users can look for buildings through a list or click the map to find offices, housing and dining locations, parking lots, Aggie Shuttle routes, regional campuses and more.

 

“We are still missing some offices, and we hope people will point these out so we can complete the list,” Renard-Wiart said. “An interesting feature for students is to be able to look for a building code — the code that is usually used on their class schedule for a course location —  and find where the building is located.”

 

Another feature allows departments and offices to provide a link from their own Web sites to the map. The map will open, showing the building in which they are located.

 

Most of these functions are explained in the help section on the map, Renard-Wiart said.

 

“This has been a huge project and fun, most of the time,” he said. “I hope to add more to the interactive map during the next six months. We are still missing pictures, and I would like to add more information, such as handicap access to buildings and wireless coverage. The map is also a great way to show our beautiful campus, and we could expand it to a campus tour, maybe with videos.”

 

Visit the new interactive campus map.