digital brochure

From The Creator

Social Explorer launched in 2003 as one of the most informative and easy-to-use demographic websites in the world. It includes billions of data points spanning US demography from 1790 to the present and is actively used across the globe from research libraries to classrooms to government agencies, corporations, and the front page of the New York Times.

It has been almost 10 years since the Social Explorer platform was first developed and in this time we have seen a major shift in both the technological landscape and research needs.

In response to feedback from librarians and users, I am thrilled to announce that Social Explorer is moving to an all new, state-of-the-art platform leapfrogging current online mapping systems, allowing us to nimbly add new types of data sets from around the world and expand our user visualization and share tools.

Building on years of data and technological experience, Social Explorer has developed its own technology for online mapping. The upgraded map engine delivers dynamic visualizations with new levels of interactivity and customization. This new functionality enables maps to load faster, makes collaboration easier, allows better visualizations of the data, and supports the infrastructure that is key to growing our data and tools well into the future.

When you explore the new site, you’ll find an all new look and feel, expanded data, maps, and new features and functionality, making Social Explorer an even more useful and engaging research tool –from logging in, to building maps, to sharing your research.

I want to thank our librarians, users, Oxford University Press, and the National Science Foundation, whom without this development would not have been possible, and I would greatly value any feedback you have on the new Social Explorer.

All the best,

Andy

About Social Explorer

A Data Visualization Tool for the Future

The site relaunch will offer an expanded range of demographic information, including international data, as well as an enhanced mapping area. The relaunch will ensure that researchers have access to even more content via a single resource, saving valuable time and elevating the quality of research.

What’s New?

  • An improved map interface makes it easier to browse data, allowing users to quickly navigate their maps
  • A single sign-on and sign-up for users of Facebook and Google+, ensure that users can more easily access the site off-campus
  • Additional map customization gives users full control over color schemes, the ability to turn geographical layers on or off, and much more, ensuring that researchers at all levels can easily create maps to their exact specifications
  • An improved search technology for finding addresses and places, allows users to quickly find an exact location
  • New visualization features – such as bubble maps– allow users to inspect data in a way not previously possible, providing a more informed research experience
  • Improved sharing functionality enables users to share their maps through links and social media and will further allow them to embed maps on blogs, increasing interactivity and allowing researchers to easily share information with their collaborators
  • New data sets, all available by the June launch, including the most recent releases of the American Community Survey 2011 and Census 2010, as well as all new business, religion, crime, and election data, and historical data from Ireland, allow users to streamline their research and save time
  • An enhanced snapshot tool will allow users to more easily develop interactive presentations without ever leaving the site

Before and After

First conceived in 1999 with the ambitious goal of becoming the most informative, easy-to-use demographic site in the world, Social Explorer has consistently found ways to innovate. The forthcoming site relaunch reflects feedback that the Social Explorer team has gathered from you, our users, and ensures that we continue to meet that goal.

“Researchers needing access to long-time series of U.S. socioeconomic data will benefit greatly from Social Explorer.”

— Bobray Bordelon, Firestone Library,
Princeton University


Data Sets

Before

  • US Census from 1790 to 2010
  • All annual updates from the American Community Survey (ACS)
  • InfoGroup data on religious congregations for the United States
  • Religious Congregations and Membership Study from 1980 to 2000
  • Carbon Emissions data for 2002 from the Vulcan Project

After

  • US Census from 1790 to 2010
  • All annual updates from the American Community Survey (ACS)
  • InfoGroup data on religious congregations for the United States
  • Religious Congregations and Membership Study from 1980 to 2000
  • Carbon Emissions data for 2002 from the Vulcan Project
  • Updates to ACS and Census 2010 data including urban supplement and Census Zip Codes (ZCTAs)
  • County-based Religion Data
  • County and zip based business pattern data
  • Crime data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reports
  • Ireland Census data from 1863 to 2001

Benefit to User

Provides access to even more data via a single resource, streamlining the research process and saving time


Mapping
Functionality

Before

  • Find tool instantly locates addresses, cities, zip codes, and towns
  • Convert maps into reports

After

  • Find tool instantly locates addresses, cities, zip codes, and towns
  • Convert maps into reports
  • Navigate map menus by category, map set, and year
  • Ability to turn map layers on and off
  • Enhanced geographical labeling

Benefit to User

Researchers at all levels can quickly customize maps to their exact specifications, allowing them to analyze data quickly and with as much precision as possible


Share Functionality

Before

Ability to send link to current map

After

Ability to save, share, and embed interactive maps and projects for blogs, Facebook, Twitter, and other social media

Benefit to User

Researchers can easily share information with their peers, increasing interactivity, productivity, and encouraging collaboration


Visualization Tools

Before

Density displayed through map shading

After

Variables can be displayed through shaded area, bubbles, or dot density maps

Benefit to User

Allows users to analyze data in a way not previously possible, providing a more informed research experience


How it Works

Social Explorer provides easy-to-use tools for visual exploration of demographic information, from census and economic data to election and religion data, and more. With these interactive online tools, users can visually explore change over time and understand the patterns behind the raw numbers.




Moving to the New Social Explorer


Transition

A beta site for the new site is now available at beta.socialexplorer.com. We encourage you to start exploring and familiarizing yourself with the new site now.

The new Social Explorer site will become available on June 20, 2013. At this point all visitors to www.socialexplorer.com will be presented with a banner giving them the option to either continue onto the new site or return back to the previous version of the site at old.socialexplorer.com.

Users will have this option until July 24, 2013, enabling them to update bookmarks and links and become familiar with the new site. Although we will be retaining the old site for the first month of this transition, we would like to encourage all users to visit the new site as soon as possible so that they can reap the many benefits of the new platform and content.

Accessing Social Explorer


Access Method

Library Card Access

Information

The existing login URL, www.socialexplorer.com, will remain the same


IP Authentication

Links to www.socialexplorer.com do not need to change as these will automatically go the new site


Referring URL

All referring URLs will automatically send users to the new Social Explorer site


Athens and Shibboleth

If logging in via MyAthens or Shibboleth, users will automatically be sent to the new Social Explorer site. If using WAYFless URLs you will need to contact us in order for us to provide you with new details


Username and Password

If you currently login directly to www.socialexplorer.com to view Social Explorer you do not need to do anything in order to see the new site


EZProxy

EZProxy details will remain the same. You do not need to do anything in order to see access the new site.


Please contact us at onlinesubscriptions@oup.com if you need assistance.




Updating Links and Bookmarks

Any bookmarks to www.socialexplorer.com will automatically direct users to the new site. Bookmarks further into the previous version of Social Explorer will have automatic redirects in place to the new page.

Any projects currently saved to personal accounts will be moved over to the new site.

Browser Compatibility

All current standard web browsers will be supported, including:

  • IE8/Windows
  • IE7/Windows
  • IE6/Windows (version 6.0.2900.2180 or higher)
  • Firefox 3/Windows
  • Firefox 2/Windows
  • Firefox 1/Windows
  • Firefox 2/Macintosh
  • Firefox 1/Windows
  • Safari 3/Macintosh
  • Safari 2/Macintosh

For maps to display, Flash version 9 or higher is required. Pages will also display on other browsers. Please feel free to contact us if you have a specific browser or platform question.

How to Market the New Social Explorer Site to Your Patrons

Oxford University Press is here to help you through this transition; below are just a few ways that we can help you market the new Social Explorer site to your patrons. Please contact us onlinemarketing@oup.com if we can be of any further assistance.

In-library support – A variety of promotional items are available to you free of charge to help you promote new site within your institution. Please visit www.oxfordonline.com for additional information or contact library.marketing@oup.com.

Training Opportunities – we are pleased to offer live demonstrations and training sessions hosted by our product expert, introducing you to the new Social Explorer. Demonstrations are conducted using a service called WebEx – all you need is a phone and a computer with an internet connection.

On-site training opportunities can also be arranged where necessary. Please contact us at online.training@oup.com for additional details or to schedule a demonstration.

How To Videos – Quick “How To” videos will be available on the site at launch.

Increase your usage – we would be happy to provide you with an email template, which you can then use to let your faculty know that Social Explorer has relaunched. Please contact us library.marketing@oup.com for further information.

Tell us What you Think

Do you have any suggestions on how we could improve this transitional process for you? Please let us know at library.marketing@oup.com

Contact Us

Purchasing Options and Free Trials

To learn more, request pricing, or to set up a free trial, contact your library sales representative.

CUSTOMERS IN NORTH AND SOUTH AMERICA

Email: library.sales@oup.com
Telephone: 1.800.624.0153
Fax: 919.677.8877

CUSTOMERS OUTSIDE NORTH AND SOUTH AMERICA

Email: institutionalsales@oup.com
Telephone: +44 (0) 1865 353705
Fax: +44 (0) 1865 353308
Transitional Process & In-library Support

ENSURING A SMOOTH TRANSITION

If you have any queries leading up to the relaunch or suggestions about how we could improve this transitional process for you, please do not hesitate to contact us at onlinemarketing@oup.com

IN-LIBRARY SUPPORT

Oxford is pleased to provide you with a variety of tools to help you promote Social Explorer in your library including:

  • Onsite and remote training opportunities
  • Online tutorials, videos, and quick user guides
  • Promotional tools including customizable email templates, posters, bookmarks, and more

To request any of the promotional tools, or to offer suggestions about other ways we can help support your library, please email us at onlinemarketing@oup.com