Arrangement of Maps in the Map File Case

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The maps in the Map File Case are arranged, for the most part, by continents. Historical and other thematic maps are not filed separately, but rather with other maps covering the same geographical area.  Maps of the entire continent are filed first, followed by maps of regions within the continent (encompassing more than one country) and then by individual countries within the continent.  Exceptions to this general rule occur in the "North America" category. Here the order is: NORTH AMERICA (whole), CANADA (including regions and individual provinces), U.S. (whole), U.S.--REGIONS, U.S.--STATES. Maps of cities or states (except for states of the U.S.) are filed with the "country" maps.

These special categories do not strictly follow this scheme:

ANTARCTICA, AUSTRALIA/NEW ZEALAND

This category includes both regions and individual countries.

INTERCONTINENTAL REGIONS

This category includes parts of the world encompassing more than one, or parts of more than one, continent; e.g., the Middle East.

LATIN AMERICA

This category includes South and Central America and Mexico.

LOCAL AREA

This category includes maps of San Antonio, Bexar County, and surrounding counties. Maps of other parts of Texas are found under NORTH AMERICA--U.S.--STATES.

NON-TERRESTRIAL AREAS

Planetary and star maps.

OCEANS AND ISLANDS

This category includes oceans and islands not geographically near continents, nor politically related to larger countries.  Maps of these latter islands are filed with the continent or country with which they are related.

WORLD

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Listed below are all headings used in Map File Case, in the order in which they appear:

INTERCONTINENTAL REGIONS
WORLD
OCEANS AND ISLANDS
ANTARCTICA, AUSTRALIA/NEW ZEALAND
EUROPE
EUROPE--REGIONS
EUROPE--COUNTRIES
ASIA
ASIA--REGIONS
ASIA--COUNTRIES
AFRICA
AFRICA--REGIONS
AFRICA--COUNTRIES
LATIN AMERICA
LATIN AMERICA--REGIONS
LATIN AMERICA--COUNTRIES
NORTH AMERICA--CANADA
NORTH AMERICA--U.S.
NORTH AMERICA--U.S.--REGIONS
NORTH AMERICA--U.S.--STATES
LOCAL AREA
NON-TERRESTRIAL AREAS

To find a particular map's location number in the Map File Case, use the Map Catalog.  The numbers given after the title, authoring agency and date for each map give its location in the case.  The first two numbers of the three-part number for each map refer to groups of folders within the Map File Case.  The final number is a unique sequential number for the particular map.

If you have any questions about the Blume Library's map collection, call the Reference Desk at 210/436-3508 or contact the Documents Librarian.

page created 1998

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