Federal Depository and
Earth Science Map Library

Emporia State University
Emporia, Kansas
Science Hall 108

For many years, Professor Paul Johnston guided the map library and assisted the academic and public community with map needs until his retirement. Susie Aber took over in 1997 and continues to manage the collection and has created an online presence and customized bibliographic map database. When the customized map collection database went online, White Library immediately began a project to include the collection into the main Kellogg Online Catalog, under the direction of Dalene Hawthorne, Sally Conard, and Beth Hanschu. Sally has retired and Beth continues the process of cataloging the topographic map collection with both copy and original cataloging methods.

If you want to know more about the Federal Depository Library Program in general, you can browse the online handbook for more information at http://www.fdlp.gov/administration/handbook. Interested map librarians should page down to view Appendix C: Important for Map Librarians (www.fdlp.gov/administration/handbook/153-appendixc).

Terrance and Jing Liu are the two student workers in the map library for the 2008-2009 academic year. In general, students help clients who come into the map library and process all maps and map-related resources received by the map library, which includes federal depository, Earth Science/Physical Science department, and donated resources. The resources are stamped and recorded, following FDLP regulations, and topographic map quadrangles are shown as received on the appropriate state paper index maps found in the map drawers state by state. The map resources are filed according to format; for example, flat maps are filed in five-drawer map cases; oversized maps are rolled and placed in map tubes; aerial photographs are filed in map cases or file cabinets; folded maps and book resources are placed in book shelves. Finally, to allow greater campus and public awareness of the resources in the map collection, information about these resources is entered into the customized map library online bibliographic database, available for anyone to access at maplibrary.emporia.edu.

The newest project underway is to place index maps online so clients can find the exact name of the map quadrangle in relation to its geographic location. Terrance Dobbins began this project with a global map, http://maplibrary.emporia.edu/world.html, which has links to other maps divided by continent, country, and state/province. For the United States, maps are divided by type, such as geologic, highway, political, topographic, and other. Jing Liu is continuing with the construction of this project, which will provide the public with a visual interface to view the map library’s holdings. The online index map project is beginning with the state of Kansas, which serves as a pilot project. Again, this project is not designed to display digital versions of maps, rather to show clients the names of map quadrangles and which of these maps are part of the Emporia State University map collection. Plans for the future are to continue this customized online indexing project and continue to promote and enhance accessibility and availability of the map library collection.