We are thrilled to announce the soft launch of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln (UNL) Libraries’ new Geoportal (https://geoportal.unl.edu/portal/home/index.html), powered by ArcGIS Enterprise and ArcGIS Server. The UNL Geoportal serves as a centralized hub for discovering, accessing, and utilizing a wide array of geospatial resources. Designed with the University of Nebraska–Lincoln community in mind, the Geoportal aims to enhance access to geospatial data and services, supporting research, teaching, and learning across Nebraska.
The UNL Geoportal will be integrated with SANDY (https://sandy.unl.edu/), UNL’s new research data repository platform. Launched in December 2024, SANDY adheres to the FAIR data principles—Findability, Accessibility, Interoperability, and Reusability—and meets federal guidelines for sharing research outputs from federally funded projects.
To explore the data in UNL Geoportal, simply visit https://go.unl.edu/geoportal, where you can browse available datasets. To illustrate the platform’s capabilities, we have provided two sample datasets at this time:
- Nebraska_Census_Blocks_2020: This vector dataset comprises the 2020 U.S. Census data for Nebraska. Researchers can utilize this data for spatial analysis, demographic studies, and resource allocation planning. The data can be downloaded in different formats, such as CSV, Shapefile, File Geodatabase, GeoJSON, and Excel.
- NE_LC_NLCD_2016: This raster dataset features land cover data for Nebraska from the National Land Cover Database (NLCD) 2016. The NLCD provides raster data that classifies land cover into categories such as forests, wetlands, urban areas, and agricultural lands. This information is invaluable for environmental monitoring, land use planning, and ecological research. These data are also available for download as a ZIP file.
These samples serve as practical examples of how different data types are stored and accessed within the Geoportal.
At the UNL Libraries, we understand that quality data are essential for meaningful research. To ensure that your datasets meet the highest standards of accuracy and usability, we offer professional geospatial data curation support. We will work with you to review your datasets to ensure they are complete, properly formatted, and accompanied by appropriate metadata. Proper curation enhances the discoverability and long-term value of your data, enabling other researchers to use it in their own projects.
Another key feature of the UNL Geoportal is its robust data storage capabilities. Utilizing ArcGIS Server’s enterprise geodatabase, the Geoportal offers high-availability support, backup and recovery options, and scalability to accommodate extensive datasets. This ensures that your geospatial data is securely stored and readily accessible whenever needed.
We invite researchers at UNL to deposit their geospatial data into the Geoportal. By contributing your datasets, you enhance their discoverability within the academic community and beyond. Moreover, the UNL Geoportal assigns Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs) through SANDY, fulfilling publication requirements and ensuring persistent, citable references for your work.
The UNL Geoportal is designed to foster collaboration and make geospatial research more accessible and impactful. By using this platform, you contribute to the creation of a vibrant and dynamic research ecosystem at UNL and beyond. Whether you’re a researcher looking to share your findings or a student seeking valuable datasets for your projects, the Geoportal is the place to connect, collaborate, and discover the resources you need.