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Map Collection At Portland State University
The Map Collection is located in the southeast corner of the 4th floor of the Branford Price Millar Library. It is a working collection consisting of atlases, topographic maps, aeronautical and nautical charts, geological maps, thematic maps, and travel maps of the World and the United States.
Federal Depository Program
As a federal selective depository library, Portland State maintains a complete collection of current maps produced by:
- the U. S. Geological Survey,
- the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) (formerly NIMA and the Defense Mapping Agency), and the
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Also housed in the map room are lesser collections produced by or for
- the Bureau of Land Management,
- the Forest Service, and
- the Central Intelligence Agency, among others.
Circulation Policy
- Most materials in the Map Room circulate with a few exceptions.
- OVERSIZE atlases are non-circulating as are any items marked "Reference". Reference materials include map catalogs, indexes, guides, and particular atlases.
- Additionally, maps marked "historic", and some other special maps, do not circulate.
Collection Development Policy
The federal depository collection is supplemented by gifts and purchases. Geographical priorities for acquisition/collection development are:
- Portland and adjacent counties
All scales and subjects, including atlases, gazetteers, and ephemeral travel materials, pre-1900 maps and facsimiles. - Oregon
All scales and subjects, including atlases, gazetteers, and ephemeral travel materials, pre-1900 maps and facsimiles. - Pacific Northwest, including Idaho
All subjects and selected scales, including atlases, gazetteers, and ephemeral travel materials. - United States
Thematic maps of the United States as a whole; sectional maps; atlases and gazetteers; regional and state-wide maps, with priority given to the western states and areas of special interest. - Canada and Mexico
Thematic maps; atlases and gazetteers; regional maps of scale 1:250,000. Maps of province-wide scope. Larger scales as budget allows. - World, with emphasis on Pacific Rim countries
Thematic maps, atlases and gazetteers of the world and of major ocean basins. Also continents and individual countries as a whole, including regions of special significance.
Maps In the News > Library of Congress
Looking for Maps? Ask Us!
If you need assistance locating or using the maps and atlases in the Map Collection, go to:
- The Reference Desk on the second floor
- Claudia Weston in Room 220C on the 2nd floor (westonc@pdx.edu ; (503) 725-4542)
- Bertrand Robinson in Room 484 on the 4th floor (brobins@pdx.edu).
For research assistance, contact
Subject Liaison For Geography and Geology:


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