*The National Atlas of the United States of AmericaTM*Partnership Opportunities**Fact Sheet FS-234-95 (May 1997)**

[Information]

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is seeking dynamic partners in a challenging project toproduce a new National Atlas. The USGS published *The National Atlas of the United Statesof AmericaTM* in 1970. This printed volume contained765 maps that included scientific information on national characteristics, such as thefollowing:
- Physical Features - relief, geology, climate, water resources
- Economic Activities - agriculture, minerals and mining, manufacturing, trade,transportation
- Historical Evolution - discovery, exploration, territorial growth
- Sociocultural Conditions - population, income, education
- Administrative Subdivisions - counties, Standard Metropolitan Statistical Areas, judicialdistricts, congressional districts.
The new National Atlas will meet or exceed the standard of excellence inherent in the originalatlas. But *The National Atlas of the United States of AmericaTM* project will also exploit geospatial information technologiesdevelopedduring the past 25 years to make products that are more adaptable, interesting, and useful thanany book of maps. National Atlas products on CD-ROM will use geographic information system(GIS) data viewing and analysis tools with authoritative and up-to-date sets of federally collectedgeospatial and geostatistical data, providing users with the capability to make their own maps. 
Users will have the flexibility to select, combine, symbolize, and display the data sets of interestto them. High-quality maps of visually stimulating and stable subject matter will be printed. Inaddition, Internet access to National Atlas sites on the World Wide Web will allow users to getthe latest time-sensitive information and data base updates and will provide links to other sitesthat provide data discovery tools, higher resolution data, or more appropriate or local sources forinformation.
This ambitious undertaking cannot succeed without the energetic, experienced, and focusedparticipation of business partners. The scope of *The National Atlas of the United States ofAmericaTM* is so extensive that the USGS could notpossibly satisfy the varied expectations of individual personal computer users without havingpartners.
We have the resources, experience, and talent to accomplish the following:      
- organize Federal Government data cooperatives, 
- foster data production, exchange, and integration standards, 
- perform GIS design and conduct geospatial data analysis, and 
- determine and produce the highest quality cartographic representation of National Atlascontents.  
Our partners from the private sector must have experience in designing, developing, andmarketing products that individual consumers find useful and compelling. Our partners will workcooperatively with the USGS in the activities shown:
- conduct market research as a basis for product development decisions, 
- develop quick and easy-to-use software that combines GIS and multimedia functionalityin innovative ways to promote an understanding of the Nation's heritage, resources, andprogress, and 
- distribute the product through a widespread retail sales network.
In the past few months, the USGS began preliminary product development. Some recentaccomplishments of *The National Atlas of the United States of AmericaTM* project are listed below:
- completing base cartographic data sets that provide a consistent and accurate frameworkfor thematic mapping efforts,
- starting market research activities, including customer assessment (focus groups, surveys,and so on) and product assessment (analysis of point of sales results and comparison ofexisting electronic map products),
- finishing an electronic prototype that demonstrates the potential of the National Atlas andsupports customer assessment activities; it also served as a research and developmentopportunity to assess graphical user interface alternatives, and allowed the USGS toinvestigate the integration of multi-media and GIS functionality, and
- beginning map prototypes that have a modern design and that uphold the USGS traditionof producing some of the finest maps in the world.
The *National Atlas of the United States of AmericaTM* will provide millions of Americans a national, map-like view intothewealth of information collected by the Federal Government. The project represents a uniqueopportunity to cooperatively research and develop consumer-level products that take GIS to itsnext step of acceptance - societal use that leads to a deeper understanding of our nationalheritage. A geographically aware populace is a primary goal of the National Atlas project. Yourorganization should consider reaching the potential markets that *The National Atlas of theUnited States of AmericaTM* can stimulate and serve.
Your company can obtain more information about these possibilities from:
Steve Strader, CRADA CoordinatorU.S. Geological Survey519 National CenterReston, Virginia 20192Phone: 703-648-4652Fax: 703-648-5542E-mail: [email protected]or
Jay Donnelly, Project ManagerU.S. Geological Survey508 National CenterReston, Virginia 20192Phone: 703-648-5395Fax: 703-648-5939E-mail: [email protected]Additional up-to-date information is available on our Web site at www.usgs.gov/atlas
Information
For information on other USGS products and services, call 1-888-ASK-USGS, use theAsk.USGS fax service, which is available 24 hours a day at  703-648-4888, or visit the generalinterest publications Web site on mapping, geography, and related topics at mac.usgs.gov/mac/isb/pubs/pubslists/index.html.

For additional information, visit the ask.usgs.gov Website or the USGS home page at www.usgs.gov.

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*This document has undergone official review and approval for publications establishedby the National Mapping Division, U.S. Geological Survey.*

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