Map collection catalogues online

• COPAC
  A union catalogue which gives free access to the merged online catalogues of members of the Consortium of University Research Libraries (CURL) in the UK. PLUS the British Library, the National Library of Scotland, and the National Library of Wales/Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru.
  See COPAC's list of contributing libraries for details and cautions.
• British Library
  The catalogue can also be searched separately from COPAC
• Library of Congress
• New York Public Library
• Online Map Catalogs in North America and Europe by David Y. Allen
• The Map Collections page of The Map History / History of Cartography
  This site also has lots of useful links. Although the emphasis is on catalogues containing early maps many will also contain more modern materials.

Map scale

• An example of the various scales of Ordnance Survey maps
• This guide to map scale was produced by the University of Arizona
• Help from the US Geological Survey on scale
• Scale Finder converts linear scales to representative fractions and vice-versa. Written by Nigel James of the Bodleian, it is an invaluable tool for cataloguers and map users and is free to non-commercial users.
• Terry Reese of Oregon State University has created an online scale calculator.

Natural scale indicators

• These devices enable a quick calculation of scale from scale bars. A handy one can be purchased from the Memorial University of Newfoundland Cartographic Laboratory. 'For more information contact: Professor Clifford H. Wood, Department of Geography, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland A1B 3X9, CANADA. E-mail: chwood@mun.ca
• Map Link offers the Map Scale Finder free to anyone that wants them. It is available on opaque card stock. The rulings are at the edge for measuring. Bulk orders can be accepted for training purposes. Please inquire.
  Map Link,
  30 S La Patera Lane,
  Unit 5,
  Santa Barbara,
  CA 93117,
  USA.
  email: wtefft@maplink.com
• The U. S. Geological Survey has published a poster to aid the conversion of bar scales to representative fractions: Miscellaneous Field Studies Map, No.MF 1141, Graphs showing linear to fractional scale conversions for maps, by Alpha, T.R. and Poole, D.W., 1979, SAP Number 30236, Price $5US.
  It is now available exclusively from: Clifford H. Wood, PhD, 66 Meredith Drive, P.O. Box 225, Ilderton, Ontario Canada N0M 2A0. E-mail: cliffordwood_91@sympatico.ca

Cataloguing of maps

• MARC standards for cataloguing
• Library of Congress Map Cataloging Manual
• Guidelines for Distinguishing Cartographic Electronic Resources from other Electronic Resources from the Library of Conress's MARC Office
• ISBD(CM):International Standard Bibliographic Description for Cartographic Materials from IFLA
• OSU Maps Cataloging Tools Page
• See also the Cataloguing section on our Bibliographies page for the basic texts on map cataloguing

Conservation of maps

• The Institute of Paper Conservation
• Suppliers - For conservation suppliers see the equipment and supplies page
• Queries on conservation or preservation can be placed on the Cons Dist list, an international listserv at Conservation OnLine:
• The Digital Preservation Coalition
• ERPANET is concerned with approaches to existing and future digital preservation problems.