UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Geologic Field Trip Guidebooks: Characteristics and Value

Geologic field trip guidebooks provide geologic information for a particular geographic area, both general information about the regional geologic setting, as well as specific information about each stop on the trip. Guidebooks contain information of value to teachers, researchers, students, and the public. The following link leads to additional information about guidebooks and their value.

Link to information about geologic field trip guidebooks and their value:

The Guidebooks Committee of the Geoscience Information Society

Purpose of the Committee

1. Identify geologic field trip guidebooks that fall within the scope of the Geologic Guidebooks Database (http://www.agiweb.org/georef/onlinedb/gnaintro) and submit the relevant information about them for inclusion into the database.

2. Resolve questions about the description of geologic field trip guidebooks in the database.

3. Collaborate with AGI to facilitate indexing of geologic field trip guidebooks in the database and in Georef.

4. Provide information to GSIS and AGI on matters pertaining to geologic field trip guidebooks, a unique form of "grey literature," of special importance to the geosciences.

5. Has a subcommittee "Guidebook Standards Subcommittee" which awards a Best Guidebooks Award.

Link to information about the Guidebooks Committee and the Geoscience Information Society (GSIS)

Resources for Authors & Editors of Geologic Field Trip Guidebooks

Members of the Guidebooks Committee of the Geoscience Inforamation Society have prepared a document detailing standards for preparation of field trip guidebooks. Help from authors of guidebooks and trip leaders is needed to preserve guidebooks and make them available for use by future generations. Below is a link to resources for use by authors, editors, and leaders.

Link to a collection of tools for authors and editors of geologic field trip guidebooks

Resources for Finding and Accessing Guidebooks

Geologic field trip guidebooks are, by their nature, often difficult to identify, and it is equally difficult to find a copy for use. The following link leads to resouces for finding and accessing guidebooks.

Link to resources and suggestions for finding and accessing guidebooks

Resources for Geology Librarians; Collecting Guidebooks and Preserving them for Future Use

By their very nature, guidebooks are difficult to acquire for library collections. Geology Librarians are responsible for adding guidebooks to their collections, for educating other librarians of their value, and for encouraging authors and trip leaders to follow standards and to help preserve the intellectual content of guidebooks. The following link leads to resources for librarians.

Link to resouces for geology librarians who collect and manage guidebooks

About the Geoscience Information Society

"The Geoscience Information Society facilitates the exchange of information in the geosciences through cooperation among scientists, librarians, editors, cartographers, educators, and information professionals. GSIS is a member society of the American Geological Institute (AGI), and an associated society of the Geological Society of America (GSA)."

Link to the home page of Geoscience Information Society.

Created 4/18/2011 by Lura Joseph

Revised 4/18/2011