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Cataloging Cartographic Materials

This guide offers tools and resources for cataloging maps, atlases, geospatial datasets, globes, and other cartographic materials. It includes the Cartographic Resources Manual, subject and geographic Cutters, and Library of Congress Genre/Form Terms.

Introduction

Geography and Map Division Cataloging

Bird's-eye-view of Washington City, D.C.
George A. Morrison. Bird's-eye-view of Washington City, D.C. 1872. Library of Congress Geography and Map Division.

The mission of cataloging cartographic materials in the Geography and Map Division is to provide analytical description and access to our universal collection of cartographic materials. The Division's catalogers are responsible for the online cataloging and classification of maps, atlases, globes, relief models, digital geospatial data, and other cartographic formats held by the Division, in accordance with approved Library of Congress practices and standards and in cooperation with the Policy and Standards Division. Our catalogers use and update the LC Classification Schedule: Class G (G1000 through G9980), as it pertains to cartographic materials, develop and maintain cartographic bibliographic records in LC's online catalog, and provide guidance and support to the community of cartographic materials catalogers.

This guide features resources for cataloging cartographic materials that are used and maintained by the Geography and Map Division catalogers. Explore these resources in the pages listed on the left side of the page.

Collection Management

Collection Management is a subset of the Metadata and Stewardship Section responsible for managing the collections in an orderly and logical arrangement and insuring their safe and secure custody; developing, in cooperation with the Preservation Directorate, a program for the preservation and restoration of materials in the Division's custody; accessioning and maintaining acquisitions records; disposing of surplus duplicates; and assembling and maintaining a comprehensive collection of publishers' and dealers' catalogs.

For further information about the cataloging of cartographic materials and proposing geographic Cutters, please contact:

Head, Metadata and Stewardship Section:
Min Zhang
[email protected]
Geography and Map Division, Library of Congress
Telephone: 202-707-2131