For the collection at the Map Division, there are two ways to find items of interest:
Includes material that was added to the collection before 1971. Some material listed in these catalogs are not in the Online Research Catalog
All 10 volumes are digitally available on HathiTrust
Tips for Searching the Catalog for Maps
The Online Research Catalog can be accessed by clicking "Research" on the NYPL Home Page. From that page, click "Search the Research Collection" from the left panel in order to reach the page below.
You can either type in keywords here, or click "Advanced Search."
In "Advanced Search," you can restrict your search by date, material type (you would choose cartographic for map), language, and combine various search terms.
When using the Online Research Catalog, a record for a map would look like the following. The various pieces information included will help you fill out a call slip:
The Dictionary Catalog is arranged alphabetically, by either location name, creator name, or subject.
Looking at the example below of a page from Volume 8 (Pid-San), you can see that we have records for a map created by George W. Pirtle as well as a map of Pisa, Italy.
These are further organized by date.
To learn more about the Dictionary Catalog, please review Maps in the Gap: Discovering The Map Division’s Dictionary Catalog, Now Online
A call slip is used to help library staff identify which specific map you are looking for. When filling out a call slip at the reference desk, you should include:
If the item is from the Online Research Catalog:
If the item is from the Dictionary Catalog:
Always remember, the more information provided, the better!