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Finding Rare Maps Online

Last Updated: 18-Oct-2013

This provide guidance on various historic online cartographic resources, i.e. rare maps and atlases, available at Stanford, nationally and worldwide.

Subject Librarians

G. Salim Mohammed, Digital and Rare Maps Librarian
G. Salim Mohammed
Digital and Rare Maps Librarian
Earth Sciences Library & Map Collections (Branner)
(650) 723-5100
Julie Sweetkind-Singer
Julie Sweetkind-Singer
Assistant Director of Geospatial, Cartographic and Scientific Data & Services, Head of the Branner Earth Sciences Library & Map Collections
Earth Sciences Library & Map Collections (Branner)
(650) 725-1102

Subjects

Rare maps
Geography
Maps

Around Stanford

Branner Earth Sciences Library & Map Collections

At Stanford

Links to maps are only a sub-set of items that Stanford owns, including 5,924 items currently located in Special Collections. Conversely, Stanford owns many digital-only collections.

The David Rumsey Map Collection

The physical collection, which will arrive at Stanford in 2015, includes digital surrogates. Currently available at davidrumsey.com, the site boasts over 40,000 items.

The David Rumsey Map Collection - Textual Search
The home page of the collection. You can search using text and view the collection through a variety of interfaces including Google Earth and Second Life.
The David Rumsey Map Collection - Geographic Search
Allows the user to search by geography and to further specify date ranges, keywords and map scales.

Maps of Africa

Stanford has a strong Maps of Africa collection. Links below allow you to learn about the collection and ways to access the collection online.

Maps of Africa
The collection's website includes different acquisitions and resources.
Image Gallery
Contains 623 maps of Africa.
Maps of Africa - Luna Browser
This website duplicates items available at the Image Gallery but allows for additional functionality including saving subsets in your own workspace. 
Maps of Africa from the Barry Lawrence Ruderman Collection
Contains 332 maps of Africa.

Glen McLaughlin Map Collection: California as an Island

The collection includes 731 items available for searching, viewing and downloading via SearchWorks. 

Collection Website
This website lets your learn more about the collection.
SearchWorks
Search, view and download any of the 731 items available.

Barry L. Ruderman Collection

This collection has 6,992 maps ranging from the 16th to the 20th century.

United States Sources

Library of Congress: American Memory Project
Maps include from The American Revolution, The Lousiana Purchase and The Civil War periods. 
American Geographical Society Library, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
Contains over 700 maps ranging from early maps of Asia to historical maps of Wisconsin, Milwaukee and other American states and cities.
Hargrett Rare Book & Manuscript Library, University of Georgia Libraries
About a 1,000 historic maps from the 16th to the early 20th century.
Osher Map Library
Browse maps by submitting a blank search.
Norman B. Leventhal Map Center, Boston Public Library
Mulitiple ways to view the collection, including title, creator and facets. Has a strong Boston and New England focus.

Worldwide Sources

Old Maps Online - Geographic Search
A world-wide geographic search that includes 20 major collections. Search by geography by zooming in to your area of interest.
Biblioteca Digital de Cartografia Histórica da USP: University of Sao Paulo
Historical maps designed to be browsed. Use google chrome to opt for English translation of the Portugese website.
Biobliotheque Et Archives Nationales Du Quebec: Collection numérique de cartes et plans
Collection has a French and French speaking focus. Please use Internet Explorer to access the collection.
Rare Atlases
This site contains 11 scanned atlases including four Ptolemys, Ortelius's Parergon and the Theatri Orbis Terrarum Parergon, the Atlas Silesiae by JB Homann, and more.