The "Geographic" part of the phrase indicates that in addition to normal tabular data like a name, color, value, or phone number, we keep an important additional piece of information in our tables - the geography.
The geography is a special tabular data-type that stores the physical location of a record. The "Information Systems" portion suggests that it takes a technology infrastructure to maintain data in this fashion.
We use a complex combination of software and hardware to interact with the above described geographic information. We maintain a system that allows us to: save and store data, host websites that share data to the internet, and automate data maintenance. From that Geographic Information System, we can then do things like create maps, run reports, and run analytic models. The GIS Department plays a complex role not only within the department itself but also within other County departments.
As geographic information is collected, edited, and distributed, it takes central management to make all of the data work together. We call that Enterprise GIS. By centralizing data and infrastructure management, we make it possible for other County departments to be specialized in their core tasks - gps-tagging wells, delineating trails, locations of crimes, etc.
While the GIS Department does maintain information internally, such as parcel boundaries, survey locations, and parcel designations, we also facilitate the creating, collection, and dissemination of that data for other County departments. What do we do with all this information? We create maps, we share the data online with the public and private sectors, and we archive and library the data for the purpose of record-keeping and research.
