3D Explorer Application Wins American Library Association (ALA) Award

Published April 3, 2023

The Map and Geospatial Hub is honored to report that it is the recipient of the 2023 Best Emerging Technology Application (BETA) Award of the American Library Association’s Reference and User Services Association (RUSA) for its 3D Explorer application. The ALA award committee, from the RUSA Emerging Technology Section (ETS) honored Hub staff with the BETA award for “developing an original technology that benefits the library and its patrons".

In the words of the award selection committee, “We found the 3D Explorer to be an innovative method for mapping and discovering library spaces and assets. This program seems to simplify a number of processes involved with retrieving, cataloging, and viewing large physical assets, such as cartographic and geospatial information resources, in a spatially-oriented manner.”

View of the 3D Explorer Application showing 3D modeled Map and Geospatial Hub with an informational sidebar of drawer inventory and a pop-up featuring a map and it’s information
The 3D Explorer increases accessibility and public awareness of the services offered by the Map and Geospatial Hub.

Notably, this third time the Hub team has been recognized with an award for the 3D Explorer application, marking a figurative “hat trick”. The previous two awards came from the GIS industry (Esri 2022 Special Achievement in GIS (SAG) Award) and the ASU community (ASU 2022 President’s Award for Innovation).

The 3D Explorer application is an ongoing project designed and created by the Map and Geospatial Hub team. Please direct any questions about the 3D Explorer or other Map and Geospatial Hub projects to our staff via a service request form. 

-Paityn Schlosser, Map and GIS Assistant