Maps and Atlas Collections

General Scope

The overall purpose is to provide cartographic materials in support of user needs in instructional and research activities for the College and the Dartmouth community.

1. Audience
   The collection assists many disciplines. The largest amount of use comes from the Geography and Earth Sciences Departments at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. There is a broad user base from other instructional and research areas throughout the Dartmouth curriculum. Some of the major users in this category are History, Government, Languages, Environmental Studies, and individual programs such as African & Afro-American Studies and studies related to developing nations. This collection is a resource for users outside of the Dartmouth community. The collection has a large collection of local area maps used for local, historical research and genealogy.
   
   
2. Boundaries
   The collection covers the entire world at different levels of scale. Collection development for the Evans Map Room collection falls under the following Library of Congress classifications:
   
   G 1001-3102 - Atlases
   
   G 3160-9999 - Maps
   
   GA 101-1999 - Cartography, selectively
   
   D, E & F Gazetteers (i.e., geographic place listings which give map coordinates) Gazetteers are a resource we do not collect any longer unless the item is more than a listing of coordinates. Any gazetteers purchased must include information such as name changes and historical significance of a location.
   
   Z 6021-6028 - Bibliographies by request
   
   
3. Partnerships
   Most of the Ivies Plus institutions have their own significant map collections. We do not lend paper maps. However, we do have a large format scanner and will scan any map for users if the physical condition allows.

Specific Delimitations to collecting in this subject area

1. Languages
   Although the preferred language is English, maps created and produced in non-English speaking countries will be in the vernacular. We will still acquire those cartographic items.
   
   
2. Geographical Areas (if applicable)
   The map and atlas collection emphasizes (but is not limited to) the following (given in order of priority): (1) Dartmouth College, 2) Hanover and the surrounding towns, 3) the state of New Hampshire, 4) the state of Vermont, 5) New England, 6) the northeastern region of the United States, 7) the polar regions, 8) the United States, Mexico and Canada, 9) Europe and 10) the rest of the World.
   
   
3. Types of Materials Collected
   

   The collection includes sheet or flat maps, roller maps, atlases and globes. However, we have chosen to not keep roller maps and some types of federal depository maps. The roller maps were not used and kept in storage for years. The depository maps are now available online or they were never used also We still collect atlases but most are shelved in the regular stacks in Baker/Berry Library. Very few of the atlases are shelved in the Evans Map Room unless they are specific to New Hampshire, Vermont or New England, very expensive or very large.

   We do not collect aerial photographs. We did inherit photographs of the Upper Valley from a local company that took them. If we do purchase aerial photographs, digital orthophotos or similar items, they are digital in nature and available online or on other media.
   
   We also do not collect Braille maps, raised relief models or other unusual cartographic items. The items we have such as these are legacies.
   
   We do collect reference resources for cartography and map librarianship.
   
   We do collect serial publications but most of those titles shelve in the regular collection. The Evans Map Room only keeps those serials that directly pertain to map librarianship.
   
   We do collect data files for use in geographic information systems (GIS) software. As GIS has increased in visibility, more money has gone towards getting these types of data files.
   
   
4. Format of Materials Collected
   The primary format for cartographic materials has been print or paper. However, more resources are available electronically. We have made an effort to purchase electronic resources rather than print. Social Explorer and PolicyMap are examples of electronic resources for mapping.
   
   
5. Collective Collections
   Outside of Borrow Direct, there are no other partnerships with other institutions.

Revision History

Revised by Lucinda M. Hall on 09/29/2016; originally created by Lucinda M. Hall

Current Bibliographer

Lucinda M. Hall