GIS

Introduction to Mapmaking with QGIS

February 2, 2026, 10:00 am to 11:00 am

Date: Monday, February 2, 2026
Time: 10:00am - 11:00am
Presenter: Lily Crandall-Oral
Location: Online

This workshop and resource provides an overview of mapmaking with QGIS, a free and open-source Geographic Information System for analyzing, modifying, and visualizing spatial data. By the end of this short overview, you will:

  1. Be able to identify different kinds of spatial data;
  2. Understand how GISs work and the advantages of using QGIS;
  3. Know when to use a reference map vs. a thematic map; and
  4. Be familiar with the QGIS interface.

The skills and concepts introduced by this resource are fundamental to mapmaking with QGIS. Reviewing this resource, either by attending this 1-hour facilitation or working through it on your own, is a prerequisite for attending any of the Research Commons' GIS and Mapping workshops.

This workshop is designed for those with no experience using this software or GIS. It is taught by a graduate student in Geography with expertise in GIS and cartographic methods.

Workshop link: https://ubc-library-rc.github.io/gis-mapping-intro/

Things to do before arriving:

QGIS is a free and open source desktop geographic information system (GIS). It can be installed on Windows, MacOS, and Linux using the download instructions here: https://www.qgis.org/en/site/forusers/download.html. This workshop will use the latest Long Term Release version. Please make sure you have this installed on your computer.

Location details:

Location:
*ONLINE*

If you have questions, concerns, or accessibility needs, please email alexandra.alisauskas@ubc.ca

To keep up-to-date with all our workshops, consults, and events, subscribe to the UBC Library Research Commons monthly newsletter.

This event is online. Registrants receive the link 3 hours before the event. Registration closes at that time.
Campus/Source
UBC Library–Vancouver

https://libcal.library.ubc.ca/event/3973775

  • GIS
  • Maps
  • Research Commons

First Nations land acknowledegement

We acknowledge that UBC's two main campuses are located on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territories of the xwmə0– kwəyˇəm (Musqueam) and Syilx (Okanagan) peoples, and that UBC’s activities take place on Indigenous lands throughout British Columbia and beyond.

Research Data Management @ UBC

UBC Vancouver & UBC Okanagan
UBC Library | Office of the Chief Information Officer | Vice-President, Research and Innovation,
Website rdm.ubc.ca

UBC receives support for managing its research enterprise from the federal Research Support Fund.

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