Melissa,

You are way off in your estimated date. I will share with you an article published in the Journal of Map & Geography Libraries on this topic tomorrow. If I recall correctly, the first federal depository programs (but maybe not the current iteration of the FDLP) began in the 1930s, and I do know that most major research-level map collections got their big boost immediately after WWII when the federal government released duplicate maps to select collections. More tomorrow, and welcome aboard as a new maps cataloger! Hope to meet you in the near future.

Paige

From: "Hartley, Melissa" <[log in to unmask]>
To: "[log in to unmask]" <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, October 1, 2015 7:27:26 PM
Subject: When did federal maps begin distribution to depository libraries?

Hello. I am new to maps cataloging and to this list, so please pardon my ignorance of the answer to this question.

Does anyone know when federal maps (USGS in particular) began distribution via FDLP depository libraries?  My research points to sometime around 1984.  Does anyone know if this date is correct?

Thanks,

Melissa Hartley

OSU Libraries and Press
Oregon State University
Corvallis, Oregon 97331-4501

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