91´«Ã½

Every librarian with a connection to the Internet now has access to several hundred thousand maps in digital form--more maps than can be found in all but the largest paper-based map collections.

The chief limitation on providing map reference service is no longer lack of maps, but lack of knowledge. The Web sites listed below provide entry to the rich collection of cartographic resources on the Internet.

FINDING MAPS

Driving Directions and Street Maps

Probably the most common map reference questions are for driving directions or city street maps. Several sites do an excellent job of providing this kind of information. Try:
,
, or

General Reference Maps and Atlases

--
has a large collection of small-scale maps, which are good for including in school reports.

--
is for those who want to get their maps directly from the government.

--
offers numerous resources, including an online atlas.

--
offers many resources, including the National Atlas of the United States.

Topographic Maps

--
has topographic maps, along with aerial photos and community information.

--
: "We've got
every USGS 1:100,000, 1:63,360, 1:25,000, and 1:24,000 scale topographic map for the entire United States." Free.

Aerial Photographs and Satellite Images

In addition to the popular Microsoft TerraServer (above), try
for aerial photos and satellite images of the United States.

NASA's
is a fascinating worldwide collection of satellite images. Investigate local and regional sources for aerial photographs of your area. Look for USGS digital orthophotoquads (DOQs), which can be downloaded for a small fee from the
, and are available online for selected regions from many state agencies and academic institutions.

Historical Maps

The best starting place is the
. For maps of specific places, investigate the links at
. Two outstanding sites for historical maps are hosted by the
, and by
.

There are many excellent regional collections of historical maps, for example: the
at the University of Georgia, the
and the
.

All Other Maps

is the most comprehensive collection of links for all aspects of cartography, and is particularly useful for areas outside of the U.S. Infomine () has a more selective collection of map and GIS links, focusing on the U.S. For regional and state sources, consult the Web pages of research libraries in your area.

LOCATING PLACES: ONLINE GAZETTEERS

--
. Geographic Names for the U.S.

--
. Foreign place names.

--
. Both U.S. and foreign names, some historical names.

GIS RESOURCES

Librarians who want to acquaint themselves with GIS (Geographic Information Systems) can experiment with several Web sites that use GIS-type interfaces. These include the Census Bureau's
, the EPA's
, and David Rumsey's
.

Supporting a full-fledged GIS service may be beyond the resources of many libraries, but a small investment in time and money will make it possible to download, view, and print numerous maps from the Internet. Investigate the free ArcExplorer from
, and the sources of free data listed at the
.

LEARNING MORE ABOUT MAP LIBRARIANSHIP

The Map and Geography Round Table (
MAGERT) of the 91´«Ã½ Web site has numerous links to professional resources. Deserving of special mention are the listserv Maps-L and
from the Western Association of Map Librarians.

Compiled by David Y. Allen


Revised 7/22/03

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