Maps & Other Cartographic Information: Home
This guide will help you find maps and other geographic materials at the library
In This Guide
- Find Printed Maps and Atlases
- Digital Maps and Geographic Resources
- Soil Surveys
- Digital Atlases
- More Resources
Map Collection At Portland State University
The Map Collection is located in the Basement of the Library. It is a working collection consisting of topographic maps, aeronautical and nautical charts, geological maps, thematic maps, and travel maps of the World and the United States. The PSU atlas collection can be found on the Second Floor.
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.
Historic Maps (Highlights)
- Portland, OR., Maps in the PSU Library CatalogThe PSU Library owns a number of maps and atlases about Portland. Please note that some materials in the results list are not held by PSU, but can be ordered from partner libraries through the ILL system.
- Maps - Oregon Historical Society"The Map Collection contains over 25,000 maps that focus on Western exploration and the Oregon Territory. Available types of maps include those of the Oregon Territory, the state, cities and counties, and special subjects such as mining, forestry, railroads, coasts and rivers, soils, farmlands, land claims, Native Americans and explorations."
- Multnomah County Library's online Digital Sanborn Maps 1867-1970 collection.All PSU students can create a free MCL account, even if they do not live in Portland. Just sign up using your @pdx.edu email.
- USGS Historical Topographic Maps Explorer.Covers the whole US
- Library of Congress OnlineLibrary of Congress Historic Maps
- Home Owners' Loan CorporationThe Home Owners' Loan Corporation was established in 1933 under the New Deal, it's purpose being to issue bonds and provide loans to new homeowners. As part of this process, it accessed the perceived value of neighborhoods, with each neighborhood colored coded to denote its "Desirability." In the maps they produced, areas deemed undesirable were marked red, creating the practice of "Redlining." Homeowners, banks, realtors, and government agencies would actively use this practice of redlining as a segregation tool.
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Circulation Policy
- Most materials circulate with a few exceptions. Maps circulate for 7 days. Standard size atlases circulate for 7 days. 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.