Reference Tools and Finding Aids

ALICE, the Library's computerized catalog, lists most atlases and books in the Collection and an increasing portion of the individual sheet maps, but you will need to use the finding aids within the Collection to locate others.

Some maps are assigned LC (Library of Congress) call numbers -- the same type used for most books -- while others have SuDoc (Superintendent of Documents) call numbers. These two systems are interfiled. Please inquire at the service desk for help in locating map materials. Finding aids in the Department include:

• Catalogs for the USGS, DMA, AMS, etc. (please inquire)
• The Index to U.S. Geologic and Hydrographic maps, which is one of the most useful finding aids, especially for subject or location access. It is updated annualy, please inquire at the Government Documents desk on the fifth for the most recent edition.
• Research Catalog of the American Geographical Society (& supplements) (MAP COLL Z6009 A48). This series is a photographic reproduction of catalog cards arranged by a systematic subject classification and a regional classification. Though specific information is more easily accessed electronically these days, this set remains a useful browsing tool for pre-l975 material. The Research Catalog's usefulness is enhanced because it's unique classification schemes and because it combines books, periodicals, pamphlets, and government documents.
• New York Public Library's Dictionary Catalog of the Map Division. (MAP COLL. Z60028 N58). This set is a photographic reproduction of some 165,000 catalog cards through about 1970, arranged in one sequence by title, place, subject, and author. The New York Public Library Map Division is one of the most comprehensive map collectons in the world and these printed cataloges still include titles and editions not found by way of electronic catalogs.
• American Geographical Society. Index to Maps in Books and Periodicals. (MAP COLL. Z6028 AS) There are several supplements and more recent materials have been indexed in Current Geographical Publications.
• Another useful series is the Geologic Map Index of ... (state) published by the USGS and revised periodically. Please inquire at the Government Documents Department service desk.
• The definitive source for the serious "regional geography" or "scientific cartography" scholar is the three-volume loose-leaf Geo Katalog 2, Geosciences, MAP COLL GA300 G46x. One valuable asset is the sheet diagram indexing for all map series worldwide. The GeoCenter has a website for ordering and most recent additions, but still prefers to send updates for the loose-leaf printed GeoKatalog for its ease of use and sheet diagrams.

Reference Online

The Library's "InfoTree" database is a good place to start browsing for on-line maps and atlases, and other map reference sources.

National Geographic's Map Machine is a nice general reference gazetteer which shows the location on a map.

Searching InfoTree under "gazetteer" provides a good list of on-line geographical dictionaries.

The Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection (University of Texas at Austin) Cartograhic Reference Resources has a classified listing of on-line ready-reference resources. e.g. gazetteers, distance calculators, projections, tides, time zones, glossaries, etc.

Maps for street addresses, etc.