Yale University Library News

Maps in the Yale Library Collections

March 3, 2017

Yale University Library recently resumed access to its map collections, following work over the last six months on a major digitization project that will eventually create digital (or raster) images of the approximately 20,000 rare sheet maps that have been transferred from Sterling Memorial Library to the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library. Maps digitized to date can be viewed here. The government sponsored survey maps, and most maps printed after 1920, have been transferred to the Center for Science and Social Science Information (CSSSI).  Overall, the project moved more than 100,000 maps, atlases, globes, and other geographical related collections to new homes on campus.   
 
Rare maps
Rare maps (defined as non-survey maps printed before 1921) are now available at the Beinecke Library, along with historic globes, manuscript maps, and urban insurance maps (often referred to as Sanborn maps). This material can be requested to view in the Beinecke's Reading Room or for use in classes at the Beinecke Library. For more information about requesting materials, click here. For more information about teaching at the Beinecke Library click here.
 
Non-rare maps
Government sponsored survey maps (e.g. topographic, geologic, and forest surveys), as well as most sheet maps issued after 1920, were moved to the CSSSI or the Library Shelving Facility (to be used at CSSSI).    
 
If you have any questions regarding the map collections at Yale, please contact mapsreference@mailman.yale.edu. Questions regarding GIS services should be directed to gis_reference@mailman.yale.edu