Everyone at Grinnell College has access to ArcGIS Online for free: your account on the platform is created the first time that you log in.
You can access your account by clicking the blue “Grinnell College” button and logging in with your Grinnell College credentials at https://grinnell.maps.arcgis.com/.
ArcGIS Online is used in the browser, so you do not need to download anything special onto your computer. (The more advanced mapping software ArcGIS Pro is a desktop application that can be downloaded on Windows computers – and is available in campus lab spaces, such as the DASIL Lab, where DASIL mentors can support you in using the application.)
Publisher Role
The default role for new accounts is the Publisher Role (as of Fall 2025).
The Publisher role allows you to:
- host feature layers that can be updated as needed and used across multiple maps
- perform powerful analysis of map data, including
- the ability to “join” one dataset to another using a unique identifier column
- the ability to measure distances between points (in a straight line or via selected travel mode)
- the ability to analyze patterns.
Any users experiencing account issues (for example, if they are not seeing these features because they have an older account) should put in a Help Desk ticket (via email at ITservices@Grinnell.edu or online at Help.Grinnell.edu) to get support from an ArcGIS admin.
