Most of the sheet map collection is stored in the blue map cabinets. However, the collection also includes: wall maps, slides, and aerial photos

Some of the noteworthy sheet map collections include Canadian National Topographic Series at various scales, Canada Land Inventory Series , Ontario Basic Mapping Series , National Atlas of Canada sheet maps, Geological Survey of Canada maps, Ontario Geological Series , Metropolitan Toronto Photomaps and ACMLA Historical Maps of Canada. Although our major emphasis is on Canada and the United States, we have also focused on building our Caribbean collection, which includes both current and historical maps of the islands.

HOW TO FIND MAPS

1) York University Online Library Catalogue: Since 1990 all new maps are catalogued and can be searched in York’s Online Library Catalogue. In addition, maps of Canada (as a whole), the Atlantic Provinces and Ontario (as a whole) have been catalogued and can be searched in the online catalogue.

Please click here for an example of finding a map in the online catalogue.

GO TO York University Online Library Catalogue

2) Area and Subject Listings: For maps not listed in the York University Online Library Catalogue, the Map Library has a number of Area and Subject Listings that provide call number ranges for geographic areas. These call number ranges can then be checked in the Map Library Holdings List, which is a complete listing of the sheet map collection. The Area and Subject Listings are located in blue folders on top of the map cabinets.

3) Map Library Holdings List: The Map Library Holdings List is a complete listing of the Map Library sheet map collection. This listing is arranged by call number and includes the scale, title, publisher, date of publication and the number of copies for each item in the collection. The Map Library Holdings List is located in white binders on top of map cabinets 2-4.

4) Map Indexes: Many of the maps in the collection are part of large multi-sheet series. Indexes are used to show how the sheet maps in these series are arranged and indicate which sheets are held in the collection. These indexes are usually located in the first drawer of the series and they are also found in the Map Library Holdings List. The indexes for the Canadian national topographic series and the United States topographic maps are located on top of the map cabinets.

Map Arrangement: Most sheet maps have call numbers. Maps are arranged by geographic area, sub-location and/or subject, scale and date.

Example of a map call number

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