Numerous tools are available to help professionals stay current in the various aspects of the mapping professions—new products and services, technology developments, contract awards, appointments and promotions, new companies, mergers and acquisitions, and so on. Professional societies hold conferences, publish journals and newsletters, host online discussion groups and online exhibits, and more. Electronic and print publications known as the trade press make free subscriptions available to qualified subscribers. Portals aggregate information about conferences, training and educational opportunities, and more. Discussion lists for software packages provide a good way to get advice about upgrades and hardware issues.

Professor Gordon Petrie maintains an incredible Database of more than 10,000 web links related to Geoinformatics—Surveying, Geodesy, Imaging, Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing, Mapping, Cartography & GIS. The category "Magazines & Journals" is organized into subcategories by geographic region--there are eight. The category "Professional & Scientific Associations, Organisations & Societies" has 14 geographic subcategories.

Many publications in the geotechnologies have twitter accounts. The twitter stream below show tweets from publications on Tina Cary's twitter list geopubs.

Professional Organizations

Professional organizations publish journals and newsletters for their members, organize annual conferences, have scholarships and awards programs, make the member directory available to members, provide moderated lists to which members can subscribe, have regions or chapters that host local social and educational events, and more.

Association of American Geographers (AAG)
A scientific and educational society whose members share interests in the theory, methods, and practice of geography.

American Congress on Surveying and Mapping (ACSM)
A non-profit educational organization whose members include surveyors, cartographers, geodesists, and other spatial data information professionals working in both public and private sectors throughout the world. The objectives of ACSM are to advance the sciences of surveying and mapping and related fields, in furtherance of the welfare of those who use and make maps; to encourage the development of educational programs in surveying, mapping and charting; and to support publications that represent the professional and technical interests of surveying and mapping.
  The society is made up of four member organizations, which serve as special interest groups:

• The American Association for Geodetic Surveying - AAGS
• The Cartography and Geographic Information Society - CaGIS
• The Geographic and Land Information Society - GLIS
• The National Society of Professional Surveyors, Inc. - NSPS

American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS)
An international scientific association serving whose mission is to advance knowledge and improve understanding of mapping sciences to promote the responsible applications of photogrammetry, remote sensing, geographic information systems (GIS), and supporting technologies.

Geospatial Information and Technology Association (GITA)
A non-profit educational association that focuses on applying Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) and related information technology applications for utilities, telecoms, oil and gas pipelines, public works departments, and other organizations.

Management Association for Private Photogrammetric Surveyors (MAPPS)
The only national association of firms in the surveying, spatial data and geographic information systems field in the United States. MAPPS member firms are engaged in surveying, photogrammetry, satellite and airborne remote sensing, aerial photography, hydrography, aerial and satellite image processing, GPS and GIS data collection and conversion services. Their associate members include firms that provide products and services to member firms, as well as other firms worldwide.

National Association of Counties (NACo)
A national organization that represents county governments in the United States that provides services including legislative, research, technical, and public affairs assistance, as well as enterprise services to its members. The association acts as a liaison with other levels of government, works to improve public understanding of counties, serves as a national advocate for counties and provides them with resources to help them find innovative methods to meet the challenges they face.

National States Geographic Information Council (NSGIC)
An organization of States committed to efficient and effective government through the prudent adoption of geographic information technology (GIT). Members include delegations of state GIS coordinators and senior state GIS managers from across the United States. Other members include representatives from Federal agencies, local government, the private sector, academia and other professional organizations.

Urban and Regional Information Systems Association (URISA)
A non-profit association of professionals using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and other information technologies to solve challenges in all state and local government agencies and departments.

The twitter stream below shows geo-related organizations that are included in Tina Cary's twitter list geo-prof-orgs.