Hurricane Tracker Map 2011

A large format poster was created to track hurricanes in the youth services section of the library.

Just in time for Hurricane Irene, one of our youth services librarians requested the creation of a large format map of the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean, and eastern seaboard of the United States. This map would be used to track paths taken by hurricanes during the 2011 hurricane season.

A young boy works on the computer under the
hurricane tracker display poster.

The librarian submitted a map to me that she had found and liked, but it was a relatively small .jpg file—certainly one that wouldn't enlarge to the requested 10x5 foot size needed. So I sourced domain free vector art websites and found an alternative map that had great graphic appeal and wouldn't lose any integrity in its line work when being enlarged.

She liked the alternate map too, and, after some modifications, I printed it out in three 10 foot x 36 inch strips, then taped them together to create one large poster. Additional signs would be created to provide more information about hurricanes as well.

We pinned the poster up on the wall about a week before Hurricane Irene formed. After the storm blew through the New England states, I revisited the map to see if the storm trek had been posted. Sure enough it had; hurricane symbols followed the path indicated by yellow yarn arching up the coast of the United States. And there were others too...names of hurricanes I didn't even know had occurred. How could I have missed news of them...where had I been? Well, certainly not in front of the Hurricane Tracker 2011 map!

If the librarians take good care of the map and store it well, they can make use of it again in coming years. No dated information was placed on it that couldn't be covered up with a simple patch of new text written on it. So for the low, low cost of producing this in-house cheaply (ink and paper) and with free art, it could be a good investment for years to come.

Installed wall view with computer terminals in front.

Closer look at the map with hurricane treks in place.