My own take on online access versus printed maps is the same as libraries offering other online resources. Journals available in online form, for example. We would not bother to print the articles that are accessible in digital form. That is for the reader to choose or not. I don't think it would make sense, considering the decision I had to make, to then print the maps that are available online, both older editions that I withdrew and newer ones created in digital form. I had over 50,000 maps, covering all states and dating in most cases from the 1970s, and in local cases from the 1950s or earlier. The geography department, having undergone a renovated space themselves recently, have no room to house these frankly little used maps. The availability of the online versions, which are also available for free download, are to my mind the counterpart to online journals. We don't download or print those articles. Why should maps be different? I suggest that they are not. And again, where colleagues were making difficult decisions on what journals and other materials to retain, I could not professionally nor ethically justify a different treatment for maps that encompass as large of a footprint as shelves of journal volumes. My very great thanks to the good folk at USGS who not only make new digital editions available through the maps site, but also older editions of 7.5-minute, 15-minute, and 100,000-scale maps. This is a tremendous gift to the public. Ken Grabach Maps Librarian BEST Library, 219D Miami University Libraries Oxford, OH 45056 USA [log in to unmask] 513-529-1726 On Thu, Oct 13, 2016 at 12:14 PM, Carlos A Diaz <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > Yes, you can update USGS topo maps from their site but in order to print > them out you will need a map plotter in order to do so. > > I wouldn't dispose of the print maps. There's a great deal of value in > them. The USTopo maps (especially the early editions) don't include the > same information as its predecessor. > > However, if this is a space issue and you have all 50 states, retain those > states within your region and see if you can have a housing agreement for > the rest of the maps with the geography department on campus or another > such entity. I'm sure they would use them. > > Carlos A Diaz > askcarlos.com > [log in to unmask] > > On Oct 13, 2016 9:56 AM, "Carlson, Tom" <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > >> Just an FYI for those who are interested. Many of you on this list and >> your libraries may have been repositories for our USGS quadrangles in the >> past. After we stopped printing those classic maps, (sad I know!) I >> received many calls about what libraries were to do about not getting >> copies anymore. At that time we also began deploying USTOPO, a digital >> version of our 7.5' quadrangles set in a Geopdf format. These are updated >> far more frequently than the paper maps, every three years on the average >> and are very popular today. They can be viewed on any device with a pdf >> viewer and are easy to plot on large format plotters. As a part of this >> project and found on the same site, are historic USGS quadrangles. We have >> scanned every old quad we could find and post those as either Geopdf or >> Geotiff. These scans of old maps are a wonderful resource and also very >> popular. >> >> If you haven't seen USTOPOs or accessed them I'll put a few links below >> that will take you there. The "how to" videos that we have developed are >> very helpful as well. >> >> Intro page to US TOPO is here http://nationalmap.gov/ustopo/ >> >> To search for and download particular quadrangles: http://viewer.nat >> ionalmap.gov/basic/?basemap=b1&category=ustopo&title=US%20Topo%20Download >> >> To view "how to" videos on using US TOPO and other USGS mapping products >> look here: http://training.usgs.gov/TEL/TheNationalMap/TNM-TEL-Index.html >> (The USTOPO videos are Lesson # 8 and 9) >> >> >> Cheers, >> >> Tom Carlson, PhD, GISP >> Geographer >> National Map Liaison for Washington, Oregon and Idaho >> US Geological Survey >> 934 Broadway, Suite 300 >> Tacoma, WA 98402 >> 253.552.1682 Office >> 253.552.1581 Fax >> >> >> >> On Wed, Oct 12, 2016 at 2:39 PM, Michael M Noga <[log in to unmask]> wrote: >> >>> Greetings, >>> >>> >>> >>> I have seen a lot of offers of USGS topo sets on Maps-L for several >>> years. I was wondering if you would answer this quick question. >>> >>> >>> >>> My library is >>> >>> 1) Keeping all our print USGS topo maps. (perhaps storing all or >>> some off-site) >>> >>> 2) Keeping only the print maps for the states (regions) that >>> mainly interest my library’s community. >>> >>> 3) Withdrawing our print USGS topo map collection. >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> You can reply directly to me or respond to the list. >>> >>> I will post the results. >>> >>> >>> >>> Thanks. >>> >>> >>> >>> Michael >>> >>> >>> >>> ________________ >>> Michael M Noga >>> >>> Collections Strategist >>> >>> Earth and Planetary Sciences Librarian >>> >>> MIT Libraries >>> >>> [log in to unmask] >>> >> >> >> >> -- >> Tom Carlson, PhD, GISP >> Geographer >> National Map Liaison for Washington, Oregon and Idaho >> US Geological Survey >> 934 Broadway, Suite 300 >> Tacoma, WA 98402 >> 253.552.1682 Office >> 253.552.1581 Fax >> >> *The National Map <http://nationalmap.gov> - Your Source for Topographic >> Information* >> >>