Hi Greg,



We have to move some of our maps from the main floor to other locations (one in the basement and another in the offsite storage). What we have done was to move all map sets to other locations and but kept the single sheet maps in the main floor. All the map sets were marked on the index map, and if we didn't have an index map, we created one. All the index maps were kept in one drawer on the main floor so that our users can find out what maps we have in our collection. If a person needs a particular map marked on the index map, then we know how to access that map.



Regarding the single sheet maps, I would suggest you ask your administrator to purchase a large format scanner, if you don't have one already and start a project to scan all single sheet maps whether the map is copyrighted or not.  Create a simple spreadsheet file where you enter map title, call number (if you have one), and unique sequential scan image number in the spreadsheet. You should scan the maps in call number order so that the scan file numbers will be in some order. Save your spreadsheet and scanned images in a secure cloud storage, if you don't have library data server. The cost of purchasing a large cloud storage is very reasonable. When you move your collection to offsite storage, you can still continue with your scanning project. Bring your maps from offsite storage based on call number or the way your maps are filed. This will help you convert your paper maps to digital, and in the future, if you want to catalog, you do not need to bring your maps physically to your cataloger, you can use the scanned maps for cataloging.  For your information, we have been scanning all flat city maps whether they are copyrighted or not. The copyrighted maps are not accessible to the public. However, we make the maps accessible to the public when they run out of copyright. I know all the maps cannot be scanned because some of them are too big or fragile, etc. but this may encourage you or your administrators to convert paper maps to digital. The digital maps will give you more options in the future and also, they will be easier for your researchers to use.



During the pandemic, we scanned many maps and saved them on our server. Our map cataloger can remotely connect her computer to our server and access the scanned maps for cataloging. It worked really well.



Thanks,

-Wangyal





Tsering Wangyal Shawa



GIS and Map Librarian



​Head, Map and Geospatial Information Center



Peter B. Lewis Library



Washington Road & Ivy Lane



Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544



Telephone: 609-258-6804



[log in to unmask]



Make an appointment<https://libcal.princeton.edu/appointments/wangyal>



http://library.princeton.edu/collections/pumagic



________________________________

From: Maps-L: Map Librarians, etc. <[log in to unmask]> on behalf of March, Greg <[log in to unmask]>

Sent: Wednesday, February 21, 2024 12:14 PM

To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>

Subject: Relocating Map Collection to Future Offsite Storage Facility





Hello,







We’re needing to relocate our map collection to offsite storage in the next year or so, and we have some collections that are not cataloged at the item level.  Once the maps are relocated offsite, they’ll no longer be browsable by campus and public.  Have any of you had to relocate your uncataloged map collections offsite, and if so, how did you make the maps discoverable by public that aren’t cataloged individually?  We don’t have the resources to catalog/barcode every map at the item level, so are trying to learn about alternative ways to make the maps discoverable by patrons via the catalog and research guides, and by our storage staff for retrieval at the future offsite storage facility.  I have some ideas to help enable discovery, but would appreciate any ideas /suggestions from the map community.







Best,







-Greg







Gregory H. March



Map & Government Information Librarian



Associate Professor



University of Tennessee



Hodges Library



Knoxville, TN 37996



865-974-3878



Research Guides – Anthropology<http://libguides.utk.edu/anthropology>, Earth & Planetary Sciences<http://libguides.utk.edu/subject/eps>, Geography<http://libguides.utk.edu/geography>, Maps<http://libguides.utk.edu/map>, Government<http://libguides.utk.edu/sb.php?subject_id=39793>

Tennessee Committee on Geographic Names<http://libguides.utk.edu/TNCOGN>