From my understanding, statement of scale, whether correct or not, is still the statement of scale. What you see on the map is what you put in the record in RDA. That's what the patron would expect to see whether the mathematics of scale is correct or not.

Leslie Wagner
Associate Archivist
University of Texas at Arlington

From: Maps-L: Map Librarians, etc. [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Rick Grapes
Sent: Wednesday, October 28, 2015 4:46 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: conflicting scale statements

Hi all,

Here's something I should know how to handle, but right now I'm not sure.  A senior moment.  I have the following printed on the map.

Scale 1:17,500.
1 inch = 1/4 mile.

But 1 inch to ¼ mile isn't 1:17,500.  I'm going to try to compare the map to a 7.5 minute topo and see which statement is closest.  But I'm concerned that the differences between 17500 and 15840 might not be discernable when I compare.  And if I can't tell the difference, neither will a patron, which might make the question moot.  But the statement on the map is still incorrect.  Any ideas?

Rick Grapes
BYU Map Collection