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Geo4LibCamp 2025: University of Minnesota Twin Cities - Minneapolis

Info

University of Minnesota Campus, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Monday, May 19 - Friday, 23, 2025

  • Main Sessions: Tuesday-Thursday (Presentations & unconference sessions)
  • Optional Co-working Sessions: Monday & Friday

Registration Form

Registration Fee: $175

Conference Venue

Geo4LibCamp 2025 will be held at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis campus. Our scheduled activities took place in the Elmer L. Andersen Library, which is home to the University's Archives and Special Collections Department. Andersen Library is located at the western end of the Washington Avenue Pedestrian Bridge.


Registration

Register for the conference by filling out this form on the University of Minnesota’s registration system. The form will collect basic information and ask about your attendance at optional social events. The $175 registration fee covers daily lunches and snacks.

Accomodations

We are reserving a limited number of rooms in a conference hotel:

Courtyard by Marriott

  • 1500 Washington Ave S Minneapolis, MN 55454
  • Conference rate: $149 + tax per night
  • Cutoff Date: 4/27/2024

Hotel reservation info

Register by April 27, 2024 to access the conference discount for reserved hotel blocks. The event discount code will be sent to you after you register for the conference.

Conference Themes

Day 1: DATA

Stewardship and Infrastructure

Focus on managing our geospatial resources: data, metadata, maps, cataloging, formats, and workflows. Topics may include:

  • Metadata schemas and processing workflows
  • Data formats (e.g., PMTiles, COGs)
  • Repositories, databases, and backend infrastructures
  • Map collection development

Day 2: SERVICES

User Engagement and Discovery

Focus on support and platforms for researchers, educators, and students. Topics may include:

  • Library support services and programs
  • Web services (e.g., IIIF, GeoServer, ArcGIS Online, AllMaps)
  • Front-end delivery systems (e.g., ArcGIS Hub, GeoBlacklight)
  • Strategies for implementing and optimizing discovery platforms

Day 3: FUTURES

Innovation, Community, and Collaboration

Focus on emerging trends, new ideas, and collaborative futures in geospatial librarianship. Topics may include:

  • The future of Geo4Lib as an ongoing community
  • OpenGeoMetadata
  • Evolving roles of Metadata APIs
  • Emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence

General Schedule

Time Monday 5/19 Tuesday 5/20 (DATA) Wednesday 5/21 (SERVICES) Thursday 5/22 (FUTURES) Friday 5/23
8:30 Coffee & Social Coffee & Social Coffee & Social Coffee & Social
9:00-11:30 Presentations & Lightning Talks Presentations & Lightning Talks Presentations & Lightning Talks Co-working Time or Field Trip
11:30-12:00 Unconference Pitches Unconference Pitches Unconference Pitches
12:00-1:30 Lunch Lunch Lunch
1:30-4:00 Co-working Time Unconference Sessions Unconference Sessions Unconference Sessions
4:30-5:00 Group Discussion Group Discussion Group Discussion & Wrap-up

Traveling to the Conference

By Air

From the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP), light rail can bring you directly to the University:

Airport to West Bank (Andersen Library and Courtyard by Marriott Hotel)

Depending upon how long you want to walk, do one of the following:

Option A

  1. Take the northbound Blue Line light rail towards Minneapolis
  2. Exit at the Cedar Riverside Station.
  3. Walk 0.5 miles to the Courtyard by Marriott or 0.7 miles from Andersen Library.

Option B

  1. Take the northbound Blue Line light rail towards Minneapolis
  2. Exit at U.S. Bank Stadium Station.
  3. Transfer to an eastbound Green Line and exit at the West Bank Station.
  4. Walk 0.03 miles (5 minutes) to either the Courtyard or the Library.

By Train

For those traveling to the Twin Cities via Amtrak, your stop will be at St. Paul’s Union Depot. From there, take a westbound Green Line light rail directly from Union Depot to the University of Minnesota. Exit at the West Bank Station.

By Car

  • From the North or South: Interstate 35W provides a direct route into Minneapolis, with named exits leading to the University of Minnesota.
  • From the East or West: Interstate 94 is your best approach, offering exits that place you near the campus area.
  • From the Southeast: Interstate 90 connects to Interstate 35W northbound, bringing you into Minneapolis about 90 minutes later.

Getting around

Walk

While campus is large, the conference venue is centrally located and just a 6-minute walk (0.3 miles) from the conference hotel, the Courtyard by Marriott Minneapolis Downtown. Many campus buildings, restaurants, and attractions are within a comfortable walking distance.

Bus

The University’s Minneapolis campus is served by Metro Transit and campus buses. Metro Transit’s bus system provides convenient connections across the city, including frequent service to downtown, nearby neighborhoods, and major attractions. The free Campus Connector shuttle runs between the Minneapolis and St. Paul campuses on weekdays.

Bike

Minneapolis is one of the most bike-friendly cities in the U.S., with an extensive network of bike lanes and scenic trails. The city’s Lime or Veo Ride systems offer public e-bikes for rent, while shared electric scooters are available seasonally. There are multiple docking stations and designated parking areas around campus and downtown.

Light Rail

The Metro Green Line provides direct access between downtown Minneapolis, campus, and downtown St. Paul, making it a convenient option for getting around. From the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP), take the Blue Line to downtown and transfer to the Green Line for a direct ride to campus, with stops near the conference venue and hotel.

Local Guide

The University of Minnesota Twin Cities is one of the nation's top public research universities, with an award-winning library system to match. Come visit the institution that invented the pacemaker, the retractable seat belt, and the Honeycrisp apple. Meet library colleagues who launched the BTAA Geoportal, the Mapping Prejudice Project, the Data Curation Network, and who host the world's largest transgender oral history archive. Wherever your professional interests lie, you'll find dedicated and welcoming counterparts here at the University of Minnesota.

Minneapolis is a vibrant, diverse city located on the traditional homelands of the Dakota people. Known for its parks, lakes, museums, theaters, food, and music scene, the city offers plenty to explore.

Places to eat & drink near campus

Museums

Within walking distance

On transport

Shopping

  • Dinkytown (0.8 miles, about a 10 minute walk)
  • Mall of America (12 miles, hop on the Blue Line lightrail to get there)