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Map Collection Policy
Philosophy and Goals
The Map Collection at Ingram Library is provided and maintained to support for the University of West Georgia curriculum. The collection is intended to be a resource for the academic programs at UWG, as well as for research and study by members of the UWG community. Local and regional community members also have access to this collection. By preserving, making available, instructing, and assisting the campus community and the public in the use of maps, department staff contributes to cartographic education and ensures the preservation of the map collection for future generations.
Selection Responsibility
The primary selection responibility for the Map Collection lies with the Documents Librarian.
Maps Contained in the Collection
- Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) Maps
- The largest part of our map colletion consists of maps acquired through the FDLP. These are primarily United States Geographical Survey (USGS) Topographic maps and State Highway Maps, which are housed in map cabinets by state and area. The library does receive other maps through the FDLP, maps from agencies such as the CIA and the Census Bureau, and these maps may be housed with the regular Documents Collection.
- Other United States Maps
- Ingram Library does receive maps from other sources such as National Geographic. These maps may also be housed in the map cabinets arranged by Library of Congress Classification.
- Foreign Maps
- We have a limited collection of foreign maps, which are found in the map cabinets arranged by Liibrary of Congress Classification.
- Atlases
- A small collection of atlases are kept in atlas stands in the map area and in the reference area. These include historical atlases, general U.S. atlases, and limited other national and thematic atlases.
Levels and Dates of Coverage
This is a list of geographical areas covered by the map collection. The collection level explanations can be found in the Collection Development Policy for Government Documents, Appendix B.
| Geographical Area | Level of Coverage | Dates of Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Georgia | 4 | All |
| Southeast United States | 3b | Current, with some historical |
| United States | 3a | Current, with some historical |
| World | 2 | Current, with some historical |
| North America | 1 | Current, with some historical |
| South America | 1 | Current |
| Africa | 1 | Current |
| Asia | 1 | Current |
| Australia | 1 | Current |
| Europe | 1 | Current |
| Nautical Charts (Oceans, Seas, etc.) | 0 | None |
| Moon, Planets, Solar System | 1 | Current |
Language
English language materials are primarily collected, but other languages may also be considered and are sometimes the only choice.
Format
While the traditional sheet format is primarily collected, other formats (e.g. CD-ROMS, microforms, etc.) may be collected when the information they convey is considered essential to the philosophy and goals of the map collection.
Support Materials
Geographical gazetteers, map indexes, map use manuals, cartobibliographies, dictionaries, glossaries, map dealers' catalogs, books and periodicals on map librarianship, and other reference works directly related to the map collection and its management and preservation may be acquired.
Policy Revision
This collection development policy will be reviewed at least yearly and amended as considered necessary by the Documents Librarian. Changes in the FDLP as well as changes in programs at UWG and the needs of the UWG community will be reflected in any revisions to this policy.