1 - Looking after your map collection
Cataloguing of maps
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Guide to Cataloguing Printed Maps - Guidance notes for the occasional map cataloguer by Paula Williams and available on the Historic Libraries Forum website.
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Guidelines for Cataloging Cartographic Resources Using RDA, by the Map and Geospatial Information Round Table
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MARC standards for cataloguing Also information on RDA in MARC
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LSCM map cataloging webcast series Staff explore map cataloging at GPO (U.S. Government Publishing Office); series of short webcasts with accompanying slides
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Map Cataloger's Toolbox from State University of New York at Buffalo
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Library of Congress Map Cataloging Manual in their Cataloger's Reference Shelf
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Useful information of the changes to genre/form subject headings for maps made by the Library of Congress in 2010 and on current practice
Reference materials on cataloguing special materials; not map specific but may be useful:
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Descriptive Cataloguing of Rare Materials (Manuscripts), or DCRM(MSS)
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DCRMR: Descriptive Cataloging of Rare Materials (RDA Edition)
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See also the Reference works section for the basic texts on map cataloguing
Map scale and coordinates
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Help from the US Geological Survey on scale
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Scale Finder converts linear scales to representative fractions and vice-versa. Written by Nigel James when he worked at the Bodleian Library, it is an invaluable tool for cataloguers and map users and is free to non-commercial users.
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Scale Buddy Help with scale calculation from Maps International. Does not need to be downloaded.
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Map Scale Calculator. MapTools also produces grids, corner rulers, roamers, and rulers to assist with plotting or measuring positions on many different scales of maps. Tools for both UTM/MGRS and Latitude/Longitude coordinates are available.
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Scale Calculator Inches, centimeters, miles, kilometres. From Terry Reese.
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This guide to map scale was produced by the University of Arizona.
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Some of the links of the Cambridge University Library Map Department web pages may also be useful.
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Bounding Box Free online tool for determining bounding coordinates of maps.
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Extent Helper Lets users sketch a variety of geometry types to return the object extent in a variety of formats.
Natural scale indicators
These devices enable a quick calculation of scale from scale bars and degrees of latitude.
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East View Map Link Scalefinder by East View Press (paper natural scale indicator)
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The U. S. Geological Survey has published a poster to aid the conversion of bar scales to representative fractions: Miscellaneous Field Studies Map, No.MF 1141, 'Graphs showing linear to fractional scale conversions for maps', by Alpha, T.R. and Poole, D.W., 1979, SAP Number 30236.
Conservation of maps
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The Institute of Conservation (Icon). Their Conservation Register will help you find qualified conservators / restorers in the UK and Ireland
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Suppliers - For conservation suppliers see the equipment and supplies page
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Queries on conservation or preservation can be placed on the Global Conservation Forum, an international listserv at Conservation OnLine
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Preservation Leaflets from Northeast Document Conservation Centre (NEDCC).
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Scrapbook. "Learn how to prevent destruction and preserve personal and historical items for future generations. This page is designed to be the most extensive, and comprehensive page on the protection and preservation of paper on the internet".
These pages were compiled by the Map Curators' Group of the British Cartographic Society.
To contribute any changes or updates to the directory, please email admin@cartography.org.uk