Thanks to a new Web-based interactive map, finding your way around the University Park campus and surrounding neighborhoods has become a lot easier.

The map – powered by Google and featuring the familiar pushpin icons that identify a particular building or other location – was developed by USC Web Services and based on the standard University Park campus map produced by the Office of Public Relations. It can be found at web-app.usc.edu/maps or by clicking on the "UPC Interactive Map" link on the USC Web home page.

Visitors can search by building name, three-letter building code or building function (dining, residential, etc.); parking lots, plazas and parks also are identified, along with campus entrances. Clicking on a location will bring up a photo and description of the building, park or other feature; clicking on the campus entrances will display the hours of operation for each entrance.

"The new map is extremely user-friendly, and it is easy to keep up to date," said Susan Heitman, associate senior vice president, University Public Relations.

The ability to update the online campus map quickly has proved useful already, Heitman said. When parking lot 2 on Downey Way was identified as the location for the new temporary dining facility that will serve students and faculty during the construction of the new Ronald Tutor Campus Center, the updated information was available in less than an hour. (A rendering and description of the new facility, affectionately dubbed "The Lot," can be found by clicking on "Future Temporary Dining Facility" on the list of dining facilities.)

The map includes nearby off-campus locations, such as the USC Community House at Hoover and 28th Street or the USC Roski Master of Fine Arts Gallery at Flower and 30th Street, along with off-campus student residences. Plans call for more distant locations to be added soon, said Candy Borland, director of Web Services. A similar interactive map for the Health Sciences campus is in the process of development, she added.

Three different views are available, allowing users to select the perspective of campus they prefer. The main view, called 3D, shows models of the buildings; the Flat view displays a graphical representation of the campus, while the Satellite view shows a Google-generated aerial photograph of the campus. Campus entrances and parking lots are visible in all views. Users can zoom in or out to isolate areas of interest.

For more information, or to request updates or report errors, contact Annette Moore, director of special projects in the University Public Relations office, at (213) 821-5933 or annettem@usc.edu.