The vast majority of the cost will be in staff time.  And that is extremely elastic depending on how careful the project is.  The more time is taken, the more likely new homes will be found for parts of the collection and the more likely that good things stay and less necessary stuff goes.

The USGS maps are mostly widely held, so description to potential new homes and disposition is pretty straightforward. For the rest - if the collection is entirely cataloged then you can take the step of identifying unusual or scarce items. A vendor such as Greenglass can analyze the holdings against peer institutions.  If the library participated in LOC summer programs or was part of the AMS/DMA depository you could have weird things no one else has. If faculty over the decades have gifted materials from their research careers you could have other unusual items. They can be hiding in plain sight, things that look fairly normal but are surprisingly scarce.

However if the collection is uncataloged you need an experienced map librarian who has a nose for treasure to go through it.

There could be mailing costs if you have to ship things to the regional depository or to new homes.

Kathleen Weessies
Social Sciences Coordinator; Head, Map Library
Michigan State University
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From: Maps-L: Map Librarians, etc. <[log in to unmask]> On Behalf Of Kathy Stroud
Sent: Tuesday, March 29, 2022 1:40 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Cost of downsizing map collection

Were any of them received through the Federal Depository Library Program? Obviously you will need to follow withdrawal procedures.

Also, most of the USGS geological series are scanned and online.  When we downsized we got rid of all the geological series that weren't of our state and were online.  We also got rid of paper USGS topographic maps outside of our region. I'm a great fan of the National Map and TopoView.

We still have a few faculty who are attached to print maps even though they are rarely used. We have to be politic about downsizing.

Kathy Stroud

From: Maps-L: Map Librarians, etc. <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>> On Behalf Of R Sean Evans
Sent: Tuesday, March 29, 2022 10:02 AM
To: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: Cost of downsizing map collection

Do not overlook appropriate state Property Surplus laws and regulations.
Best,
Sean


R. Sean Evans
Archivist
Special Collections and Archives, Cline Library
Box 6022 Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, AZ. 86011-6022
(928) 523-4395
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Northern Arizona University sits at the base of the San Francisco Peaks, on homelands sacred to Native Americans throughout the region. We honor their past, present, and future generations, who have lived here for millennia and will forever call this place home.



From: Maps-L: Map Librarians, etc. <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>> On Behalf Of Jankowska, Maria
Sent: Tuesday, March 29, 2022 7:43 AM
To: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Cost of downsizing map collection

Hi,

I am working on a plan for downsizing the historical part of the UCLA's Henry J. Bruman Map Collection<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/guides.library.ucla.edu/maps__;!!C5qS4YX3!UK8nacah7i1pNywFki5YrMOj89rZnVvETGHuoJr78SRb54u43xdlHJ_HwMQAgbRpLA$>.
As my AUL stated "we are moving the historical map collection from the Library Special Collection to the Geology Library just to respectfully discard the whole collection in the near future."

Would you have recommendations/ideas on how to estimate the cost of  review, reassessment, deposition of the reminder of maps, discards and withdrawals. I would be also very interested in hearing about criteria for retention. I would very much appreciate your input (please respond directly to my email).

All the best,
Maria

Maria A. Jankowska, Ph. D.
UCLA Charles E. Young Research Library
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8528-756X<https://urldefense.com/v3/__http:/orcid.org/0000-0002-8528-756X__;!!C5qS4YX3!UK8nacah7i1pNywFki5YrMOj89rZnVvETGHuoJr78SRb54u43xdlHJ_HwMSfY7V5UA$>
Librarian for Economics, Geography, Maps, GIS, and Federal Government Information
University of California, Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1575

Electronic Green Journal,  General Editor
https://escholarship.org/uc/uclalib_egj<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/escholarship.org/uc/uclalib_egj__;!!C5qS4YX3!UK8nacah7i1pNywFki5YrMOj89rZnVvETGHuoJr78SRb54u43xdlHJ_HwMS64qONUA$>