Research Guides: Geography and Environmental Studies Research: Find Maps

Maps

Map Basics
Searching for Maps in the Catalog

Location of Maps

Single Maps: Maps printed by the US government will have Government Documents as the location. Maps printed by any other publisher will have Maps as the location. Both locations are located in the Government Documents area of the Library (near the University Center entrance).

Atlases: Atlases are located in either the Main Collection, Main Oversize, Reference or Oversize Reference.

Need more help finding the correct location? Click here for a pdf map of the Library.

Call Numbers

Some map call numbers look a bit different from "normal" call numbers. Government-published maps have call numbers refering to the issuing agency like the US Geological Survey or the Central Intelligence Agency.

Non-government maps follow the Library of Congress classification system.

If you need help finding a specific map, contact a Librarian at the Research Assistance desk.

Government Document Maps

The Library collects the following kinds of Government Document Maps:

Geological Survey land use and land cover maps
Geological Survey misc. filed studies maps
Fish and Wildlife Service maps and charts
Land Management Bureau maps
Central Intelligence Agency maps
Colorado Maps

Begin your search by selecting the Advanced Search option in the Catalog.

Enter in your keyword and select MAPS from the material type option. Click Submit.

Image of catalog fields for searching maps

Records for maps in the catalog are accompanied by an orange map icon.

Individual item record for a map showing the orange map icon

Suggested Resources

The National Map
The National Map comprises a variety of products and services
that provide the Nation with access to base geospatial information
to describe the landscape of the United States and its territories. The
National Map (http://nationalmap.gov/) supports data download,
digital and print versions of topographic maps, geospatial data
services, and online viewing.
USGS Historical Topographic Map Explorer
The United States Geological Survey (USGS), with help from Esri, has created an app that lets you view an extensive collection of USGS topographic maps in one central location. The USGS Historical Topographic Map Explorer makes it easier to explore and enjoy the library of more than 178,000 historical maps, dating back to 1882, in a web application that organizes the maps by space, time, and map scale.