Did you know that VKC Library offers a variety of workshops, events, and other outreach programming focusing on data, visualization, tools, software, government information and collections housed within VKC Library and other libraries?

Check out what they are offering this semester below and RSVP to them (or on their website here).

Mapping and Data at your Fingertips! An introduction to SocialExplorer, PolicyMap, and SimplyAnalytics

Monday, Jan 14, 2019, 1pm – 2pm 
VKC MMR
RSVP

Did you know that USC Libraries subscribes to 3 powerful mapping platforms that offer instant access to a wide range of data from sources such as, census, government agencies, and marketing firms? Moreover, each platform has sophisticated yet amazingly easy ways to produce maps that can be used for presentations and reports. In this workshop we will go over and compare each platform highlighting availability of data and mapping functionalities. Take advantage of these tools while you are a USC student! 

Theme(s): Finding Data
Keywords: data, open access, datasets

Introduction to Data Sources

Thursday, Jan 17th, 2018, 12:30pm – 1:30 
VKC MMR
RSVP

Having trouble finding the data you need for your project? This workshop will describe the data landscape and give you tools to learn how to efficiently find data sources to suit your needs.
Learning Objective: Participants will understand how to access publically available data as well as data available through USC Libraries.
Keywords: data, open access, datasets

StoryMaps: What are they and how to get started making them!

Tuesday, Jan 22nd, 2019, 11:00am – noon 
VKC MMR
RSVP

Do you think your research might be a candidate for a storymap? Come learn more about how to engage, inspire, and connect with others through a storymap. We will walk through some example storymaps and break down the elements that are needed for you to make your own. We will focus on ESRI’s StoryMap platform but we will also take a look at two other popular alternatives StoryMap.JS and Odyssey.JS. 

Theme(s): Visualing Data
Learning Objective: Understand basic elements of a storymap. Learn about different tools and methods for making a storymap.
Keywords: storymaps, ArcGIS Online, Odyssey.js, StoryMap.js

Finding Los Angeles Neighborhood Data

Thursday, Jan 24th, 2019, 11:00am – noon 
VKC MMR
RSVP

Find neighborhood statistics and data specifically for Los Angeles via USC Libraries databases (Social Explorer and Simplyanalytics) and publicly available tools like the Census American Factfinder and open data portals like City LA.

Theme(s): Finding Data, Visualizing Data
Learning Objective: Participants will understand how to navigate databases and open source data portals to find neighborhood statistics, data and maps.
Keywords: statistics, data, mapping

Introduction to OpenRefine (Part 1)

Tuesday March 19th, 2019, 10:00pm – 11:30 
VKC MMR
RSVP

Have you ever spent hours cleaning a large dataset with excel? This workshop will provide an introduction to OpenRefine, a powerful open source tool for exploring, cleaning and manipulating “messy” data. This workshop will have several hands-on activities and a laptop is required to attend.

Theme(s): Cleaning and Preparing Data
Learning Objective: Participants will learn how to explore and identify patterns in a dataset; normalize data using facets and clusters; manipulate and generate new textual and numeric data; and transform and reshape datasets.
Keywords: datasets, data, open source

OpenRefine using GREL (Part 2)

Wednesday March 20th, 2019, 10:00am – 11:30 
VKC MMR
RSVP

This workshop will focus on OpenRefine’s special language called ‘GREL’ (General Refine Expression Language). GREL is Regular Expressions for OpenRefine and will be used to manipulate datasets. This workshop will have several hands-on activities and a laptop is required to attend. It is recommended to attend ‘Introduction to OpenRefine’ (Part 1) prior to attending this workshop.

Theme(s): Cleaning and Preparing Data
Learning Objective: Participants will understand how to use GREL to manipulate datasets in OpenRefine.
Keywords: datasets, data, opensource, regular expressions

Introduction to Python: From Basics to Real-World Datasets 

Tuesdays in February – 2/5, 2/12, 2/19, 2/26  all workshops from 11am – noon  
VKC MMR
RSVP

This four-part series will provide a great introduction to working with data in Python. From the basic Python environment, to wrangling data using the Numpy package, to plotting with Matplotlib and Seaborn, to more advanced data manipulation using real-world datasets. Check RSVP for more detailed workshop descriptions.

Theme(s): Cleaning and Preparing data, Visualizing data
Learning Objectives: Develop basic literacies in using Python in order to work with data.
Keywords: python, data, datasets