Skip to main content

PolicyMap: Mapping with Data

An Introduction to Policy Map

What is PolicyMap?

​PolicyMap is a GIS mapping tool that allows users to manipulate and plot data by geographical location. 

Data included in PolicyMap ranges from Census data (including income, education, and housing), to economic data, food availability information, crime stats, and health data, quality of life data, Federal eligibility zones, etc.. 

Log into policy map here: https://sacredheart.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://sacredheart.policymap.com

Be sure to use this Sacred Heart University link, because it will give you access to subscription-only data sets such as:

  • FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer,
  • GreatSchools District Performance and School Points,
  • National Center for Charitable Statistics at the Urban Institute
  • New Localism Advisors: Social Needs Index
  • PolicyMap and Urban Mappping (public transportation and transit)
  • Zillow Transaction and Assessment Dataset (ZTRAX, home sales indicators)
  • Nielsen TDLinx Grocery Retail Locations

If you click on data sources, support, and other information, you should open a new window or tab using your mouse (see Usage Note, on the left).  Otherwise you must use your browser back button to return to Sacred Heart University Library's licensed access to PolicyMap, or you will go directly to "public" policy map without these subscription-access resources, and you will lose access to any of your previous search results.

For more information, see:

PolicyMap Primer

Printing and Sharing

Saving Data
If you save your custom regions, maps or other work in PolicyMap, it will save to the Sacred Heart University Library account, and become available for all users logging in on the Library's subscription.  The saved files will be cleared about every six months.

If you wish to save your results longer, or more privately, you can Create an Account by clicking on the button near the upper right-hand corner of your screen.   You will be asked to give your e-mail address, create a password, and choose or indicate your first and last names.  You will have to use your @sacredheart.edu or @mail.sacredheart.edu address.  PolicyMap will not share this information with any other vendor.

 

Printing Your Results

You can choose to save your map to your local first as a PDF (for printing) or as a .JPG or .PNG so you can easily add it to other documents.

Sharing from PolicyMap

PolicyMap offers the following methods of sharing your results.  Not all options will be available for all search types (maps. tables, 3-D maps and reports).

The options that are available for each search will be present in the top right of the screen.

 

  • Link provides a link directly to the results, such as a created map.  Anyone using the link has to be able to use PolicyMap at Sacred Heart University
  • Email will ask you for addresses.
  • Saving your map makes it available in the Saved Work area, where it can be viewed by anyone using the Binghamton University Libraries' PolicyMap subscription. 
  • The Embed option generates HTML to be able to insert objects such as Maps directly into a web page or other document than can handle an embed code. 
  • The Social option offers a choice of posting a map on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn.