Sciences Library: Guide to the Map Collection

Guide to the Sciences Library's 11th Floor Map Room

Note: Most maps are in the Sciences Maps Collection on the 11th floor of the Sciences Library. Many maps published before 1946 are located in the John Hay Library.

By Elva Mathiesen and Howard Stone,
based in part on an earlier edition by Sam Mizer

• Location 1: United States Geological Survey (USGS) maps in series
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  • Folded maps in filing cabinets at the north end of the room, starting with cabinet No.1.
  • Filed in alphabetical order according to the code letters of the series:
  • Coal Investigations Maps, C- (nos.)
  • Geophysical Investigations Maps, GP- (nos.)
  • Geologic Quadrangle Maps, GQ- (nos.) (Some GQ Maps numbered 164 and below are filed in Location #16.)
  • Hydrologic Investigations Atlases, HA- (nos.)
  • Hydrologic Unit Maps (HU, filed by state)
  • Miscellaneous Geologic Investigations: = I- (nos.)
  • Miscellaneous Investigations Series: = I- (nos.)
  and
  • Geologic Investigations Series: = I- (nos.)
  • Land Use and Land Cover Maps, L- ) nos.)
  • Miscellaneous Field Studies Maps, MF- (nos.)
  • Mineral Investigations Resources Maps, MR- (nos.)
  • Oil and Gas Investigations Charts, OC- (nos.)
  • Oil and Gas Investigations Maps, OM- (nos.)
  • Scientific Investigations Maps, SIM- (nos.) (These continue the numbering of the I-Maps, and are in the same location, but without the "I" prefix.)
  • Notes:
    1. "Antarctic Geologic Maps" and "Circumpacific Maps", formerly filed here, are now cataloged individually and filed with the Cataloged Flat Maps (Location # 9 in this room). Please consult Josiah for call numbers.
    2. Occasionally an issue is published as a flat map, atlas, or poster. These are cataloged individually and filed according to call number with the "Cataloged Flat Maps" (Location # 9 in this room).
    3. For indexes to geological maps, see the Index Box on top of the SCI MAPS Bookcase (Location # 18a).

• Location 2: State Geological Survey (USGS) folded maps in series
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  • Starting with filing cabinet No.17, these are folded maps in filing cabinets at the north end of the room, filed by state, and within states, by name of series.
  • Notes:
    1. Occasionally, an issue is published in a non-foldable format, such as a poster. Posters are cataloged individually and filed according to call number with the "Cataloged Flat Maps" (Location #9 in this room).
    2. Filing schemes of series may vary. Some series are numbered; some are not.
    3. Older state geological and mineral survey maps in series may not be cataloged in Josiah.

• Location 3: Geological Society of America's "Map and Chart Series"
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  • G3201.C5 1959 M25x:In filing cabinet No.18.
  • These are folded maps and charts, numbered MC-1 — MC61, and MCH-62 —
  • Note: Occasionally an issue is published as a non-foldable poster. Posters are cataloged individually and filed according to call number with the "Cataloged Flat Maps" (Location # 9 in this room).

• Location 4: Geological Survey of Canada: Folded maps in numbered series
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  • These start in filing cabinet No.19. Series filed here:
    1. Geologic Index Sheets
    2. Map (Geological Survey of Canada): M-92A — 900A, and M-915A — 1399A.
       Some of these maps are cataloged individually and are filed with the Cataloged Flat Maps (Location # 9 in this room). A few others, published before 1940, are in HAY MAPS. Please consult Josiah.
    3. Preliminary Series Papers
    4. Geological Survey of Canada: 1970 —
    5. Ontario. Department of Mines (or Division of Mines). Maps
    6. National Topographic Series (Canada — Dept. of Mines) ("NTS Series")

• Location 5: United States Geological Survey (USGS) topographic quadrangles
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  • Scale chiefly 1:24,000. Also 1:25,000, 1:31,500, 1:50,000, 1:62,500, and 1:63,360.
  • Filed by state, and within state, by quadrangle name.
  • U.S. Territories are in the first drawer (before "Alabama").
  • Defense Mapping Agency topographic maps (1:50,000) are interfiled with these maps.
  • Notes:
    1. Quadrangles that straddle a state line are filed by the first state listed in the quadrangle's name (e.g. "Bens Run, West Virginia/Ohio" is filed with West Virginia.)
    2. Within quadrangles, newer maps are filed on top of older maps.
    3. Pre-1940 maps are filed in Location # 14.
    4. Most of these maps circulate; exceptions are maps in fragile condition.
    5. For indexes to topographic maps showing coverage and quadrangle names, see Index Box on top of the SCI MAPS Bookcase (Location # 18a).
    6. Occasionally the USGS publishes a shaded 1:24,000 map or a flood control 1:24,000 map. These are filed here with the topographic maps.

• Location 6: United States Geological Survey (USGS) topographic maps
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  (Drawer 1 in this cabinet.)

  • Scale: 1:25,000.
  • Filed by state, and within each state, then by quadrangle name.

• Location 7: United States Geological Survey (USGS) County Maps
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  (Drawers 2 — 5 in this cabinet)

  • Scale: 1:50,000 or 1:100,000
  • Filed by state, and then, within each state, by name of county.
  • Note: Only a few states and their counties are represented in our collection.

• Location 8: United States Geological Survey (USGS) 30 X 60 minute series
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  (Drawers 6 — 10 in this cabinet, and all drawers in the cabinet around the corner)

  • Scale: 1:100,000.
  • Topographic, planimetric, or Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Management Status maps.
  • Filed by quadrangle name.
  • For BLM maps, each quadrangle has two editions: "Surface Management Status" maps and "Minerals Management and Surface Management Status" maps.
  • Note: Some BLM maps containing National Parks have interesting information for tourists on the back. (Example: Palm Springs Quadrangle, California)

• Location 9: Cataloged Flat Maps show details
  • All scales.
  • Filed in Library of Congress call number order.
  • Call numbers start with G_
  • Last drawer contains call numbers beginning with H_ through Z_
  • Notes:
    1. Occasionally, issues of USGS's and states' folded maps in series come in poster form. These are cataloged individually and filed here, according to call number.
    2. World Aeronautical Charts are filed here with other cataloged flat maps; Please see "9a" below.
    3. Nautical Charts (G9096.P5 svar D44) are in filed in cabinets in Location # 17.
  
        Location 9a: World Aeronautical Charts show details
  • Published by the National Aeronautical Charting Office.
  Call no. = G3201.P6 s1000 U56a (in Drawer 7).
  • Notes on World Aeronautical Charts:
    1. Our collection consists of U.S. charts only: 21 charts from CC-8 through CJ-27.
    2. >We keep only the current edition.
    3. Use these maps for informational purposes only; do not use for navigation.
    4. For navigation, find the latest editions at http://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/mcd/dole.htm
  
        Location 9b: Duplicates Drawer show details
  • Last drawer in the cabinet containing "Geologic Quadrangle Series" ("GQ Series") (Location # 16).
  • Contains duplicates of some of the maps in this section ("G_" call numbers).

• Location 10: River and Dam Surveys
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  (Drawers 25 — 27 in this cabinet)

  • Published by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and the Bureau of Reclamation from the 1920s through the 1960s.
  • Scale varies.
  • Filed by state, and then by name of river system within each state.
  • Call Number: RIVER G3701.C3 1922 .G4

• Location 11: "International Map of the World"
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  (Drawers 28 — 30 in this cabinet)

  • Published by the International Map Company and other agencies, chiefly from 1920 — 1970.
  • Scale = 1:1,000,000
  • Filed by quadrangle number.
    (First sheet is an index.)

• Location 12: Army Map Service World Maps
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  • Published by the Army Map Service, Corps of Engineers, in the 1940s, '50s, and '60s.
  • Scale varies.
  • Some maps were adapted by the AMS from other sources, including mapping agencies of the countries mapped (e.g. Survey of India, Belgian Congo Mapping Service, and so on).
  • Filed according to the Army Map Service's Series and Map Numbers.

• Location 13: USGS topographic maps, 1 X 2 degree series
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  • Scale: 1:250,000
  • Filed by quadrangle name.
  • Note: Some Alaska maps, particularly those north of 59 degrees latitude, cover more than 1 x 2 degrees.

• Location 14: Pre-1940 USGS Topographic Maps
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  • Scale varies, chiefly 1:62,500 and 1:125,000.
  • Filed by state, and then by quadrangle name.
  • Notes:
    1. These maps are very fragile, and do not circulate. Please handle them with extreme care.
    2. Pre-1940 maps do not include Alaska or Hawaii.
    3. Maps for Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont are in the John Hay Library in the "HAY MAPS" collection.
       (Previously, there were no Rhode Island maps in this collection in the Sciences Library. If we own any, they are in Hay Maps. But see also "4" below.)
       
       HAY MAPS call numbers:
       • Conn.(2 maps only):
         • Derby Sheet: BOX G3784.D7 1893 G4
         • Niantic Quadrangle: BOX G3784.N59 1938 G4
       • Mass.: BOX G3760 1889 .G4
       • N.H.: BOX G3740 1898 .G4
       • Vt.: BOX G3750 1896 .G4
    4. The University of New Hampshire has digitized the historical topographic maps for all of New England. See http://docs.unh.edu/nhtopos/.
    5. Some pre-1940 maps were later reprinted with minor revisions and corrections. A few were published in a different scale. These later publications are filed with the main collection of 7.5 and 15 minute topographic maps (Location # 5 in this room).

• Location 15: Folios of the Geologic Atlas of the United States (USGS)
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  (Drawers 1 to 6 in this cabinet)

  • We have No.1 — No.225, published 1894 — 1929.
  • Call Number: FOLIO G1201.C5 U5
  • Note: These are fragile and do not circulate.

• Location 16: Geologic Quadrangle Maps of the United States (GQ Series)
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  (Drawers 7 — 9 in this cabinet)

  • Published by the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
  • Scale varies.
  • 2 drawers of maps:GQ2 — GQ164, published in 1949 — 1962.
  • Some maps numbered 2-164, and all maps starting with No. 165, are filed in Location # 1, filing cabinets 2 — 4.

• Location 17: Nautical Charts
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  • Published by the National Ocean Service (NOS), the National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA), and the Defense Mapping Agency (DMA), NIMA's predecessor.
  • G9096.P5 svar D44
  • Scale varies: Some charts are general and cover large areas; most, however, cover small areas in great detail.
  • Filed by chart number.
    • To locate a chart, begin with the DMA/NIMA catalog: Nautical Charts and Publications. (A current edition is located on the nautical chart cabinets near the elevators.)
    • The leaflet "Dates of Latest Editions" is no longer being printed. It is available on the Internet at http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS14202. (http://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/mcd/dole.htm will also get you there.)
  • For World Aeronautical Charts, see Location #9, Drawer 7.
  • Notes:
    1. We keep only current editions.
    2. Use these copies for informational purposes only; do not use for navigation.
    3. For navigation, the most recent editions and patches with updates are available at http://www.naco.faa.gov.

• Location 18: "SCI MAPS" Books, Guides, and Atlases
        Location 18a: "SCI MAPS" Bookcase show details
  • Books, atlases, and guides with "SCI MAPS" location in the call number. Arranged in Library of Congress call number order, without regard to size. (Regular size, 1-SIZE, and 2-SIZE only.)
  • Note: For "3-SIZE" material, please go to the roller cabinets (Location # 18b in this room.
  
        Location 18b: "SCI MAPS" Roller Cabinets show details
  • These cabinets contain large atlases and books with "SCI MAPS" location in the call number and "Triple Oversize" ("3-SIZE") designation in the call number.
  • Note: For regular size, "1-SIZE", and "2-SIZE" material, please go to the SCI MAPS Bookcase (Location # 18a) in this room.)

• Location 19: US Documents
        Location 19a: US Documents, Cabinet 1 show details
  • Cabinet #1
  • Drawers "16" — "30".
  • Miscellaneous maps, charts, and posters with Sudoc numbers A — N.
  
        Location 19b: US Documents, Cabinet 2 show details
  • Cabinet #2
  • Drawers "36" — "45". (Top five drawers of this cabinet are empty.)
  • Sudoc numbers PrEx — Z.
  • (PrEx = CIA maps of countries around the world.)

• Location 20: Census Maps (4 cabinets)
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  • These four cabinets contain block and tract maps and other census maps for various states from the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s.

• Index Box 1: General Index to Geologic Maps
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  • In file box on top of SCI MAPS Bookcase, Location # 18a.
  • Indexes, by state, covering geologic maps published by the U.S. Geological Survey, state agencies, commercial organizations, universities, and professional societies.
  • Note: Small states are grouped together: Mass./R.I./Ct.; Md./Del./D.C.; N.H./Vt.
  • This information is also available online at http://pubs.usgs.gov/publications (USGS's "Publications Warehouse").

• Index Box 2: Index to USGS Topographic Maps
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  • In file box on top of SCI MAPS Bookcase (Location # 18a).
  • A key to USGS topographic map series, by state. The Index presents the grid lines and quadrangle names of each U.S. topographic map series, superimposed over a state map. Find the area that interests you on the map and take note of the quadrangle names that cover the area.
  • Note: Indexes for small states are grouped together. For example, R.I. is with Connecticut and Massachusetts; Maryland is with Delaware and D.C.; New Hampshire is with Vermont.