BTAA-GIN Blog

  Image Source: US Department of Defense We just finished our 3 rd  Interface Sprint, where we do different challenges to see if we can test recent changes to the interface, find problems, or even to see if we can "break" something. This doesn't always result in interface issues. For example, at our most recent sprint, we put forward the challenge of finding maps of countries in their native language. This was used to test the new language facet. But it's revealed that we don't seem to have maps of several countries in their native language. China in Chinese being very prominently absent.  The Geoportal does have over 1700 Russia maps in Russian. One issue found during this sprint has already been fixed! We had a task to explore the site for potential accessibility concerns. An automated checker found some of the colors used to have concerns with contrast. So the color scheme was updated to give better contrast!  So what do we do with

By Meg Mering Featured Item: 1930s map which divided Lincoln, Nebraska into sections, rating the levels of risk for bank lenders What is the item? This map rated the level of risk for lenders by color. The green or aqua sections were the best areas. The blue sections were still desirable. The yellow sections were definitely declining. The sections marked in red (thus the term "redlining") were hazardous. Interesting tidbits The map was largely based on poverty and racial makeup. The areas marked as "hazardous" were the parts of the city where African American families lived. In 1916, Sheridan Boulevard became the first neighborhood in Lincoln to stipulate that only "those of the Caucasian race" could buy homes. Many African Americans who lived in almost every section of downtown Lincoln were displaced as the University of Nebraska-Lincoln grew and took over properties. Where can I find out more? Mapping Inequality: Redlining in New Deal America https://dsl