A conversation similar to this came up a few years ago, I ended up designing a cart adapted from the plans the map library at University of Minnesota used to
build theirs. The metal shop at Texas A&M constructed the cart – it isn’t perfect, now that I have it I know some things I would change if I had the opportunity to have a second one built, but it was cheaper than buying from a cart company and has less severe
curve of the top shelf decreasing the chance of damage to fragile maps.
Sierra
She/her/hers
Sierra Laddusaw | Assistant Professor
Map Librarian, Maps & GIS
Texas A&M University Libraries
MS #5000 TAMU | College Station, TX 77843
Tel.(979)845-6588
From: Maps-L: Map Librarians, etc. <[log in to unmask]>
On Behalf Of David Hodnefield
Sent: Thursday, September 27, 2018 8:36 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Map Cart
When we were scanning at the Library of Congress, we had to provide our own carts. We found the following ULine carts to be quite good. They are made of recycled
plastic and could serve for both map transport and as a work or storage area. They have a flat top with a shelf below.
https://www.uline.com/BL_1879/Uline-Flat-Shelf-Utility-Carts?keywords=flat+cart
One tip Colleen Cahill gave me which was very valuable was to replace the two rigid wheels with swiveling ones. That made it far easier to turn corners and get
around. These carts might be a little small for giant maps, but they worked great for Sanborns.
David
David Hodnefield Marla K. Smith
President Executive Assistant
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952-253-2004 ext 111 952-253-2004 ext 119
Historical Information Gatherers (HIG)
From: Maps-L: Map Librarians, etc. [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
On Behalf Of Andrew, Paige G.
Sent: Wednesday, September 26, 2018 7:23 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Map Cart
Thanks for sharing this Linda! Back in the 1990s I wrote an article on this topic that was published in the WAML IB after what we did locally to procure two map-specific oversized mobile trucks to
use in transporting maps either flat or rolled. The Cataloging Department is physically separated from our collections by great distances (no matter where the map collection has been housed over the years, though the exception for awhile was that it was one
floor below us) so the idea was to be able to use these map trucks to transport items to and from the map collection to us for work. Didn't quite happen that way, in reality the trucks became oversized shelving units BUT since they each have multiple shelves
the design lends itself well to managing multiple cataloging project workflows simultaneously. They might be big and bulky but they have proven extremely valuable in our cataloging work from several perspectives including preservation of the maps.
Paige
From: Maps-L: Map Librarians, etc. <[log in to unmask]>
on behalf of Zellmer, Linda <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, September 26, 2018 1:20 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Map Cart
Hello,
Every so often, we have shared pictures of our map carts. I have access to a large (heavy) flat cart for moving maps when I need to move a lot of them, but generally carry them
back and forth when I am only moving a few. You can see a picture of it at:
http://faculty.wiu.edu/LR-Zellmer/Map_Cart.jpg
The top measures 76 X 122 cm (or 30 x 48 inches). Thought others might find it of interest.
I have no idea of the make and model. Linda Zellmer
--
Linda Zellmer
Government Information & Data Services Librarian
Liaison to Natural & Physical Sciences & Agriculture
415 Malpass Library
Macomb, IL 61455
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Phone: 309-298-2723
Fax: 309-298-2791