The Map Library holds maps from the nineteenth, twentieth, and twenty-first centuries for Illinois, the United States, and the world. Maps can be quite large and are often stored in flat file drawers. But they also can be the size of a sheet of notebook paper or smaller. Map Library staff will assist in identifying and retrieving sheet maps. Library users are welcome to independently browse atlases on the shelves.
Most maps are cataloged with records in the UIUC online catalog . However, it can be difficult to find maps in the online catalog. Potentially useful maps might belong to map sets or be included in atlases. Some subject headings may be confusing or include archaic terms.
Maps in the Map Library are organized by the Library of Congress G-Classification System. Most maps are cataloged individually. Topographic maps and nautical and aeronautical charts are cataloged as sets and require indexes specific to the sets to identify needed sheets.
Maps Housed at the Oak Street Library Facility
A sizable collection of maps and atlases is housed off campus at the UIUC Library’s Oak Street Facility. These items include maps from the former Geology Library, topographic map sets formerly found in the Map Library, and older atlases. Items stored at Oak Street have a special location in the online catalog: Oak Street Library Map Collection Request Online. They cannot be requested directly by users through the online catalog; requests must be placed on users’ behalf by Map Library staff. Items requested from the Oak Street Library Map Collection will be delivered to the Map Library, and requestors will be notified by Map Library staff of material arrival. Oak Street Library Map Collection materials are intended for in-Map Library use only. On a case-by-case basis, arrangements may be made to loan selected pieces.
There are some maps stored at the Oak Street Facility in the general collection. These usually are folded maps, often geologic in subject and published by state or national governments. Their location in the online catalog is: Oak Street Library Vaults Request Online. Maps in the general Oak Street Facility collection can be requested directly by users.
Access and Loan Policies
Patrons are asked to not attempt to retrieve maps from map cases on their own. Map Library employees will pull requested maps and will assist in browsing through map drawers.
Maps printed before 1960, mounted on cloth, or encapsulated may not be borrowed. Some maps published after 1960 might also have borrowing restrictions placed on them because of poor physical condition, irreplacability, or heavy demand.
Circulating maps may be borrowed for a week and renewed, one week at a time, for three additional weeks.
Maps are usually loaned rolled up in map tubes, which will be checked out to the borrower at the same time as the maps are loaned, and should be returned in map tubes. The tubes can be returned to any UIUC Library location. Please do not put map tubes into book drops!
Maps should not be folded. Tape and Post-It notes should not be used to hang maps or to mark locations. Pins also should not be used to hang maps. Ask the Map Library staff for “map friendly” ideas for hanging and displaying maps.