Explore by Place is part of the Explore area of JISC MediaHub (http://jiscmediahub.ac.uk/explore) where you will find a number of different ways to browse and explore interesting images, video, and sound.
A preview (click for a larger view) of the new JISC MediaHub Explore section. The Explore headings in purple are our newest additions: Explore by Place and the recently released Explore by NewsFilm.
How does Explore by Place work?
Explore uses geographic information, which we have for many but not all items in JISC MediaHub, to create a map of the world that connects the image, video or sound to the place it was shot or created. The first screen you will see is a map of the world centred on the UK and Northern Europe:
This is the first screen you will see when you choose to Explore by Place. It shows an interactive map of the world centred on the UK.
From this map you can zoom out to explore other areas of the globe or you can zoom in to explore content from the UK. The map works just like Google maps: you can use the scroll wheel of your mouse, or the + and – keys on your keyboard, to zoom in and out. If you want to move around the map just click and drag or slip the map around so that is focused where you want it to be.
At every zoom level you will see different icons. Circular pins with a number on them indicate the number of items in a large area. If you click on these circular pin you will be automatically zoomed in closer to see the locations of those items. The other icon you will see is a JISC MediaHub logo which indicates that you have reached the content in this geographic area. Click on the logo to see previews of all images at that location. You can page through multiple images using double arrows like those on the JISC MediaHub front page.
When you zoom into the map you will see two different types of markers. The circles are clusters of located items, the JISC MediaHub icons indicate an exact location of image, video or sound content.
When you find an image, video, or sound clip you want to find out more about just click on the preview and you will be taken to the full record for that item where you can find out more and, if logged in, download it.
If you want to search around a particular location look for the nearest JISC MediaHub icon and, if there are too many images to browse through, click on “search on this location” to open up a search results page where you can filter the images in the usual way. This is particularly useful if there are a large number of images at one point on the map – for instance a collection from Wick in the Highlands has over 7,000 images at one location:
Wick, in the Highlands of Scotland, is home to a large number of images so is a good example of where “Search at this location” may be useful.