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Map Collections | Maps to Create | Gazetteers | GPS | Weather, Radar, Quakes, etc.
U.S. Geologic Survey
Home Page for Topographic Maps
http://topomaps.usgs.gov/
a great deal of background information is provided to accompany a basic map
series, namely the 7.5 minute quads. These maps collectively cover the entire
surface area of every state, and provide close-up representations of cities
and towns. They show principal land formations, relief contours, waterways,
swamps, washes and more, all in considerable detail. Building locations and
developed areas are marked by colors.
USGS Maps online
overview
erg.usgs.gov/isb/pubs/booklets/usgsmaps/usgsmaps.html
The U.S. Geological Survey presents the maps they publish, but this site is
valuable in itself because it lists and explains the scales used and how they
convert to actual distance on the ground.
University of
Arizona SCI-INFO Guide to Map Scale
dizzy.library.arizona.edu/library/teams/set/maps/mapscale.html
This presents a more detailed mathematical treatment of map scales and explains
bar scales as well.
Topographic Map
Symbols
http://mac.usgs.gov/mac/isb/pubs/booklets/symbols/
This site provides a detailed explanation of symbols employed by the USGC cartographers.
Explanations are illustrated with color thumbnails.
Color Use Guidelines
by Cynthia A. Brewer
www.personal.psu.edu/faculty/c/a/cab38/ColorSch/SchHome.html
This is a short explanation of the use of color in mapping elements. It is one
of the few visual demonstrations on this subject.
Cartographic Projections
www.colorado.edu/geography/gcraft/notes/mapproj/mapproj_f.html
An excellent tutorial is provided on map projections in detail. The diagrams
clearly explain the nature of various types of projections. The text is extensive
and is made easier to navigate by a table of contents menu placed in a column
on the left of the screen.
Carto Corner
atlas.gc.ca/english/carto/
From the Canadian National Atlas project comes this set of tutorials and quick
reference resources on cartographic basics. It includes access to teaching materials,
an extensive glossary, and bibliographies on atlases and maps. This is also
a site to get suggestions for further reading.
Cartographic Communication
at the University of Texas at Austin
www.Colorado.EDU/geography/gcraft/notes/cartocom/cartocom_f.html
What is presented here is a very well illustrated explanation of maps as tools.
It also helps make it easier to appreciate how they store and display vast amounts
of information. Maps help people see concepts and relationships they might never
imagine without a spatial representation.
Mathematics of
Maps
http://math.rice.edu/~lanius/pres/map/
Yet a different way of thinking about maps. This site is well laid out with
a strong use of graphics. It also discusses math problems associated with maps,
and a section with contributions by scientists. The author of the site is Cynthia
Lanius at Rice University.
Map and Chart
background
http://www.usm.maine.edu/maps/lessons/nr01b.htm
Know the difference between a map and a chart? Readers will know that and much
more after using this page which is part of an extensive tutorial at the University
of Southern Maine. The lessons were written by Lenora Liebowitz, Peter Rice,
and Andy Alley. Besides Map and Chart other topics include charting the great
ocean winds, and the gulf stream.
American Memory
Digital Maps at the Library of Congress
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/gmdhtml/gmdhome.html
This is a fascinating site with very extensive holdings of historical maps.
There are collections to browse by theme. They include cities,routes of discovery,
military battles and transportation. There are 19th century era city maps for
most states with many included for Connecticut.
All the Worlds'
Maps
www.embassyworld.com/maps/maps.html
A drop down menu leads to resources for dozens of countries. The Result page
is a compendium of map resources with links for the country selected. Other
parts of this site list embassies in various nations.
History in the
News: the Middle East
www.albany.edu/history/middle-east
From SUNY Albany comes this well arranged site. Besides links to current and
historic maps,there are also links for topics in culture, religion and economics.
The culture page includes options for literature, art and food. The topical
focus is on Iraq, Iran, Egypt, Yemen, and Kuwait among others. This site provides
a solid starting point to gather background on the region.
Perry-Castaneda
Library at the University of Texas at Austin
http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/americas.html
This is a good source of general maps of the nations
and has map coverage for all regions of the world. The maps are atlas quality
and an advantage is they load very quickly. The user must have Adobe Acrobat
installed.
United Nations
Cartographic Section
http://www.un.org/Depts/Cartographic/english/htmain.htm
Here is a collection of United Nations resources..more than 100 maps of countries
in PDF format. There are also maps displaying peacekeeping missions. Another
feature lists place names with alternative and local names for cities and localities.
MAGIC at the University
of Connecticut
http://http://magic.lib.uconn.edu/
The MAGIC program at UConn is making dozens of digitized maps available on the
Web. Many are historic. This link brings one to a page with aerial photography
and raster maps. There is a navigation bar at the top of the screen and allows
visits to other resources. Some images require a special program to be installed
to be fully enjoyed. The viewer, "MrSID", is available from LizardTech free
of charge. Those using Internet Explorer can click on SID under a map selection
and follow the instructions. Use the JAVA SID version of the viewer in the pop
up window.
LizardTech
www.lizardtech.com/
This is the homesite for the manufacturer of the viewing software MrSID that
makes it easier to manipulate images and it also saves a large amount of RAM.
A Netscape user can download the appropriate version of the program as a browser
plug-in. Follow instructions provided to obtain the appropriate program.
The Yale Map
Collection: Historical City Maps
www.library.yale.edu/MapColl/cities.html
Yale's online offerings include maps of cities during the 19th century. Other
scanned images include very rare and old maps dating as far back as 1511. Scanned
photos of globes are also available.
History of Cartography
http://www.maphistory.info/relate.html
A site with abundant materials on the history of map making linked to sites
and images. Maps are explored from several perspectives.
Bodlean Museum
at Oxford University, Great Britain.
www.bodley.ox.ac.uk/guides/maps/herefrme.htm
Oxford is One of the top historic map resources in Europe, and have number of
historic maps available online. Its a tiny sampling since the map library houses
over a million flat maps. Their display maps are carefully selected and they
include a bounty of links with more about online historical maps. Please read
the copyright notices on the site.
Historical Topographic
Maps of New England.
docs.unh.edu/nhtopos/nhtopos.htm
This is a fine resource that shows digital versions of USGS topographic maps
of the large scale 7.5 minute series. Maps are in full color to bring out markings
and information.
Univ. of Southern
Maine online exhibits
/www.usm.maine.edu/maps/web_exhibit.html
More than a hundred images of maps are online, grouped into categories or themes.
There are historic maps of Maine and New England, as well as a display that
examines nautical charts from the 18th century to the present. Very well organized.
Neighborhoods
in New York
www.nyc.gov/html/dcp/html/neighbor/neigh.html
These are searchable maps that describe the different sections of the nation's
biggest city. The five boroughs are illustrated in whole and then by neighborhood.
There are also links to zoning and land use maps and other fact-driven resources
provided by the city government.
IRT Subway Lines
in New York City
www.nycsubway.org/irt/index.html
New York is showcasing its underground transportation system that has provided
affordable and extensive travel for countless people going to work, school or
entertainment. This site looks at the history of the subway and furnishes maps
of the routes.
MIT Coastal Aerial
Photos
http://coast.mit.edu/index.html
The photos were made with color film. This is an easy to use resource that enables
viewers to see coastal waterways of Massachusetts,including Cape Cod.
War Maps in History
http://www.dean.usma.edu/history/web03/atlases/map%20home.htm
The U.S. Military Academy at West Point offers a collection of historic maps
illustrating battles in many wars. Click on 'atlases'.
Electronic Map
Library
http://130.166.124.2/library.html
Here is a project designed to showin symbolic form various demographics for
some of the biggest cities in the U.S. It's a project at California State University
at Northridge.
Interactive Maps allow users to electronically build maps with customized content. A terrific example is the map site of the U.S. Census. These maps usually have menus with buttons to click to establish the desired properties.
TIGER browser
from the U.S. Census
http://tiger.census.gov/cgi-bin/mapsurfer
One of the better stops on the Internet for spatial information. Users can build
their own profile of any city or state or county. Many labels such as cities,
towns, rivers, and interstate highways can be included. A great deal of census
data can also be selected and displayed. The maps can also be moved or magnified.
Searches can start by region with zooming to pinpoint a location, and centering
markers can be applied for an unmistakable reference point. Searches can also
be performed by zip code. A chief advantage of this map is the ease of using
it to build a custom map, in color, that can be printed. A disadvantage is the
latest 2000 census data does not seem to be available.
The Topozone
http://www.topozone.com/
This is a commercial site that uses USGS information to weave a continuous 1:24,000
scale map across the nation. This can be guided to any town or county to view
topological information.
National Geographic
Map Page
www.nationalgeographic.com/maps/index.html
This is a wonderful set of resources that includes a fully interactive global
map. You can select various themes including physical features, atlas plates,
roads, cities and more. There are separate selections for trail maps, maps from
the magazine, and even a map for the topography of Mars. Scroll down further
and there are links to recent National Geographic television specials that include
photo galleries.
National Atlas
Project
http://nationalatlas.gov
Here is a fully interactive resource to build maps using advanced features.
There are many data sets to choose from, but it's best to use a full screen
that allows viewers to spread out the text in the frame on the right side of
the screen. Also, the angle of the New England states can be bothersome. While
there are ample zoom and pan controls, there is no readily apparent rotation
control to make titles easier to read.
Terraserver from
MSN and Microsoft
terraserver.microsoft.com/AdvFind.aspx
This is a very impressive interactive system that uses USGS topographic maps
and aerial photos to make a resource for most of the U.S. Entering a place name
will bring up a menu of resources to view. You can choose the size of the image
on the screen and use directional tabs. A user can "zoom in" to enlarge photographic
detial. This gives the user the ability to "fly" into a city as map segments
are electronically joined together to make a seamless carpet mosaic photograph
of the nation.
Massachusetts
Electronic Atlas
massatlas.hcl.harvard.edu/scripts/esrimap.dll?name=mass&cmd=layers
Users can create any number of maps with demographic modeling for cities and
towns. U.S. Census data is used along with police, municipal, and education
statistics. Up to 15 layers can be used for one map. A variable zoom feature
is available with the display options.
Color Landform
Maps of the U.S.
fermi.jhuapl.edu/states/states.html
Johns Hopkins University is the host for this directory of images and special
maps. There are also links to show other factors related to the states.
U.S. Department
of Transportation
http://www.bts.gov/gis/maps/
Users can work with options to reveal information about traffic and commercial
highway usage.
New York State
Department of Technology
http://www.nysgis.state.ny.us/gateway/mg/interactive_main.html
This is a sophisticated and smartly designed site. A battery of interactive
programs allow visitors to examine many statistics and measurements for the
State of New York. The very first feature is an orthophoto tool. It allows users
to select available areas like Nassau County and 'drill down' to the photo level.
Ordnance Survey
British National Mapping Service
http://www.ordsvy.gov.uk/ This is the
official site for the U.K.'s mapping agency that publish large scale maps similar
to the USGS 7.5 minute series. They've created a web site that has quirks because
of frames but maintains a sense of charm. The" free and fun" section includes
an interactive map window allowing the user to zoom in to reveal detail within
cities. Its a great way to learn about the geography of the U.K.
Atlas of Cyberspaces
http://www.geog.ucl.ac.uk/casa/martin/atlas/atlas.html
This is a site that enables users to visualize the Web in operation in various
functions. It's a possible aid to research for telecommunications.
Earth and Moon
Viewer
www.fourmilab.ch/earthview/vplanet.htm
This site demonstrates some of the great features of computer modeling to help
us view our world. It claims the capability of showing the earth in real time
from orbit or from the vantage point of the moon. There is a setting that shows
what parts of the earth are in daylight, and what parts are dark. For the night
portions of the world there are representations of city lights. There is a control
to center the earth above a city selected from a menu..and view that spot as
it currently appears. There is also an option showing cloud cover and temperatures.
Interactive Climate
Map from NOAA
http://www.cdc.noaa.gov/USclimate/
Users can get a climate profile for the region where they live..or where they
might want to live.
GIS
and GPS
Digital Aids for Navigating
Global
Information Systems and Global Positioning Systems are beginning to revolutionize
the way scientists, engineers, and the military work at remote locations. It
could also change the way average citizens find their destinations when they
travel or go exploring. GIS Tutorials and background are available at the following
sites:
University of
California at Berkeley
http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/GIS/gistuts.html
A good deal of material is available from a top academic source. It's important
to have some overview on new mapping devices that use satellites to pinpoint
locations.
ESRI GIS software
www.esri.com
Many interactive map building sites use software developed by ESRI. The software
includes Arcview, ArcGIS and ArcIMS. . These applicationsare explained and there
are links to explain GIS and associated terms. There is a book store and opportunities
to explore courses that require tuition.
Ohio EPA Learn
GIS
www.epa.state.oh.us/dsw/gis/learngis/home.html
Free tutorials are available that include illustrated essays from the very beginning
at step one. Bibliographic notes are included. Key terms are linked to a glossary.
These are tools that provide current facts and figures about countries such as names of government officials,type of governments, as well as living and economic conditions. Basic facts such as land area, major cities, and populations can be found in these compilations.
CIA World Factbook
http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html
The CIA provides this extensive resource that includes many facts and figures
about virtually every country in the world. High quality and fast loading maps
are readily available for nations and regions. There are PDF versions of maps
that can be magnified by users. By going to the Field Listing option on the
main menu, the reader can find many indexed links including political pressure
groups, environmental concerns and transportation notes.
Federal Research
Division Country Studies
lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/cshome.html
These are extensive historic and cultural background articles on many countries.
These materials were were developed under the sponsorship of the U.S. Army,
and they were intended to focus on third world areas. As a result perhaps, many
important western nations that are economic partners of the United States or
European Union, may not be included. Read the disclaimers on the title page.
Afghanistan and
Middle East study site from University of Texas at Austin
Center for Middle Eastern Studies
menic.utexas.edu/menic/countries/Afghanistan.html
This is part of the resources at this site exploring various countries in the
Middle East and Near East. Contents are gathered by category and include culture,
business, relief organizations and news sources.
BBC World News
with Profiles
news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/middle_east/default.stm
The BBC has long been a leader in providing international news via shortwave.
They now provide coverage via the Web. One can choose a region to see the prominent
stories in each part of the globe. The supplied link is for the Middle East.
For each region there is a country profile feature to get facts on various nations.
A user can also choose to have the text appear in different languages.
World Gazetteer
http://www.gazetteer.de/fr/fr_ao.htm
This is a source that is a work in progress and is being brought up to date
as figures become available. Stefan Helders www.world-gazetteer.com is the webmaster
and author The site features population figures, area of nations and subdivisions.
Municipal size and statistics with options to get information for different
political and geographic levels. Small maps accompany many of the categories
and statistics. The facts in many cases have been provided by the geographic
authorities in each nation.
Harvard Map Library
Gazetteer URLs
hcl.harvard.edu/maps/cart/gazetteers.html
Verify place names and learn about native spelling or alternative names with
this site. Links include the National Image and Mapping Agency and the Getty
Thesaurus of Geographic Names. Place names in the U.S. are provided by the USGS
Geographic Names Information System.
Lonely Planet Destinations
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/destinations/
Lonely Planet, the publisher of the travel guides, has brought about this site
filled with descriptions and information about many countries and cities. One
of the best ways to explore is by using the World Guide feature to select a
country from the maps, or by entering search terms. Information comes up on
descriptions, notes on culture, activities, attractions, health alerts and more.
Earth Trends
http://earthtrends.wri.org/maps_spatial/index.
A site is operating here that provides global information on a range of issues.
They include water supply, coastal ecosystems, energy resources,climate and
atmospheric composition. There are profiles to for each nation in most categories.
All the information is free, but complete access requires filling out a brief
registration form.
NOAA Weather (National
Weather Service)
www.erh.noaa.gov
This URL takes one to the eastern region observing stations. It provides radar
coverage for most of the Northeast including Connecticut, Massachusetts, New
York and Long Island. Visitors with Java enabled browsers can view radar loops
to see the motion of clouds, storms, and precipitation. There are navigation
features that make it easy to view other radar sites across the nation. Forecasts
are also available; simply enter your city and state. The same resources for
the american west can be accessed via "a href="www.prh.noaa.gov". www.prh.noaa.gov
Storm Trackers
www.stormtrack.org/data/
The volunteers who study tornadoes and chase thunderstorm cells have a necessary
appreciation of timely authoritative meteorology. They have, understandably,
assembled a very good selection of real-time weather resources.
USGS San Francisco
Bay Region Project
wrgis.wr.usgs.gov/wgmt/sfbay/index.html
This is one of many sites that display seismic activity and the many faults
along coastal California.
Recent Earthquake
Seismology
pasadena.wr.usgs.gov/shake/imw/index.html
Users can monitor any seismic events across the nation or the world. A linkage
of USGS labs makes this possible.
SOSIG the Social
Science Information Gateway
www.sosig.ac.uk/geography/#CAT_Reference_Materials
This is a major project in the U.K. to make quality resources available in a
host of categories. The site has a search engine and also is equipped with extensive
subject guides of web sites that were evaluated for their integrity. This link
goes to the map and GIS page, but feel free to explore other areas of this valuable
resource. Tutorials for locating information in various disciplines are also
available through the home page.
Map and Geography
Round Table (MAGERT)
http://www.sunysb.edu/libmap/magert1.htm
MAGERT is an ALA round table and with its publication Base Line is considered
a primary channel of information for map librarians. Some are on record as saying
it is the most important source for news on the subject. Each issue includes
brief notices of new publications and maps.
North East Map
Organization (NEMO)
http://ublib.buffalo.edu/libraries/units/sel/collections/maps/nemo.html
This is a relatively young organization with members concentrated from Pennsylvania
to Maine. There is a newsletter that can be downloaded in PDF(Adobe Acrobat).
Western Association
of Map Librarians (WAML)
http://www.waml.org/
Over the years this has been an influential group with a lively publication
that provides a number of important essays in the literature. New issues are
online and back issues can be ordered on microform for a modest fee.
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