Maps in the Library
|
Maps in the Library |
|
The Blume Library's maps come from a variety of sources, but most are from either the U.S. Government (primarily the Central Intelligence Agency) or the National Geographic Society. Maps can be found in many different sizes, from large maps suitable for classroom use, to standard page size, useful for copying and inclusion in papers. Older editions (some from the early 1900's) of some maps are kept for historical purposes. Old maps are often the best place to look for information such as changing country names, political changes resulting from wars, and so forth.
The two main locations for maps in the Library are:
Map File Case
In the Map File Case, you may find maps by browsing in the case, or by searching for a particular area in the Map Catalog. The maps in the case are arranged, for the most part, by continents. The Map File numbers found in the Map Catalog consist of three parts: the first two refer to groups of folders within the Map File Case, and the final number is a unique sequential number for the particular map. For more detailed information on the arrangement of maps in the case, consult the guide sheets inside the top of the case, or this detailed explanation of map arrangement.
DOCS PREX 3.10/4: . Binders at this classification number in the U.S. Documents collection hold maps from the CIA which are standard page size or slightly larger. Arrangement is by Superintendent of Documents classification number, which usually, but not always, corresponds to country or area of the world.
Here are some good sources of maps and other geographic information on the Web:
Maps online
Geographical Information
Link collections related to maps and geography
Using a map in a paper or presentation and need to know how to cite it? Check out this guide from the Library at Ohio Weslayan University. Blank, or outline, maps can be useful for web pages, teaching, and other applications. What you need to know about geography offers free outline maps of continents and countries. Another source for U.S. state outline maps is 50states.com. |
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.
