Bibliographic Cataloging: Cartographic Materials

Background and Sources Consulted

Cartographic materials include maps, atlases, globes, and remote sensing images such as satellite photos.

Maps are cataloged following RDA Instructions. Use the following resources to supplement RDA:

• Cartographic materials: a manual of Interpretation for AACR2, 2^nd edition, 2002 revision, 2005 update [available through Cataloger’s Desktop]
• RDA and cartographic resources, by Paige G. Andrew, Susan M. Moore, Mary Lynette Larsgaard. ALA Editions, 2015
• GPO Classification Manual, 1993. (Currently being revised, as of September 2016) Pages 74-85 contain information on classification of maps, some of which is of a broader, more useful nature to catalogers.

Each map or map serial is cataloged as a separate record, except for maps that are intended to be part of another record, such as a planning document (e.g., an environmental impact statement or a land and resource management plan). Shipments of maps from the USGS Denver Office are classified and cataloged by a map librarian in GPO’s Library Technical Services.

Brochures and Visitor Guides Treated as Maps

See: Bibliographic Cataloging: Brochures and Recreation/Visitor Guides.

BLM Surface/Mineral Management Maps

Surface management maps from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) bypass GPO, and go directly from the USGS Denver Office to those depository libraries on BLM’s/USGS’s mailing list. Records for these maps include a GPO item number, but not a shipping list number.

Prior to cessation of the series United States. Bureau of Land Management. Surface-minerals management status, GPO had a longstanding practice for treatment of these BLM mineral and surface management maps. These maps were classed in either I 53.11/4: or I 53.11/4-2:. GPO created separate records for the surface management maps (I 53.11/4:) and surface-minerals management maps (I 53.11/4-2:), even though these may have the same title and belong to the same series. To distinguish two such maps, a 240 field was added to the bibliographic record which contained the preferred title from the 245 field plus the addition: (Surface) for surface management maps, and (Minerals) for surface-minerals management maps. Year of the edition also once was added, but later dropped. For examples of records prior to 2015, see OCLC numbers 849921291 and 849921268.

Since 2015, only the Surface Management Status series (I 53.11/4:) is published, and thus renders the cataloging treatment described above unnecessary.

Serial Treatment

To qualify for serial treatment, editions of a map must meet the following three criteria:

• issued less than five years apart
• same size

• same [approximate] scale

  • If all the editions lack an explicit scale statement, compare the “Scale approximately” statements that appear (or would appear) in the 255 field. A difference of up to 10,000 in the number following 1: is considered the same scale.

Note that many frequently issued maps meet the criteria for Serials-of-Convenience treatment.

Encoding Level

All maps should be cataloged as PCC records if all access points can be authorized.

086 - SuDoc Number

For more information, see: Superintendent of Documents Classification Guidelines: Cartographic Resources.

1XX - Principal Creator

Maps are usually entered under a corporate body creator (main entry), according to RDA 19.2.1.1.1(f). Therefore, the issuing or originating corporate body that is considered a creator is usually entered in the 110 field. In such cases, persons who appear in a statement of responsibility are traced in the 700 field, according to the first exception in 6.27.1.3 (Collaborative Works): “Corporate bodies as creators.” Cartographic materials: a manual of interpretation for AACR2 provides additional clarification in Appendix A.4B, especially in the last paragraph.¹ If no corporate body can be considered the creator, then a person who appears in a statement of responsibility may be entered in the 100 field. Generally, use “cartographer” as the relationship designator for the creators of the work, including those recorded in the 100 (if no corporate body is considered the creator), 110, 700, and 710 fields. If the statement of responsibility reads “compiled by …,” use “compiler” as the relationship designator.

130/240 - Unique Title for Work

For more information, see: Bibliographic Cataloging: General Policies: Distinguishing Works and Expressions with Identical Authorized Access Points.

To break a conflict with an existing access point for a different work, use the following qualifier in 130/240:

• (Map)

To break a conflict between documents cataloged as maps, add a term such as one of the following as a second element to the (Map) qualifier:

• [Map type – Tourist, Topographic, etc.]
• [Projection type]
• [Scale]
• Visitor guide
• Trails
• History
• Off-road vehicles
• Camping
• Boating
• Wildlife
• Winter
• Summer

245 - Title Statement

For brochures and visitor guides treated as maps, use the panel title from the front of the folded sheet, rather than a title which may appear within the neat line of the map or near the map image. Make a note on the source of title:

500 Title from panel.

255 - Cartographic Mathematical Data

For online maps that lack a scale statement, use “Scale not given.” However, if the print version has a scale statement, use that for the online version.

300 - Physical Description

For online resources, use atlas(es) or map(s) in the parentheses following 1 online resource. Maps include remote sensing images, views, sections, and other types of cartographic materials.

500 - Notes

If a GPO jacket number is printed on the map, and the map is cataloged as a monograph, record the jacket number in a quoted note. 

If a GPO jacket number is printed on the map, and the map is cataloged as a serial, see Monographs Cataloged as Serials ("Serials-of-Convenience") to record the jacket number. This number especially helps the cataloger of a Braille transcription match it to the standard map record. 

655 - Genre/Form Term

Multiple genre/form terms may be entered, as needed, in a single bibliographic record. Common genre/form terms for cartographic materials include:

Aeronautical charts: Use for helicopter route charts, airport charts and others navigational aids for aircraft.

Bathymetric maps: Use for nautical charts and other maps that show water depths.

Nautical charts: Use for maps that show water depths, buoys, and other features on bodies of water.

Quadrangle maps: Use for USGS and Forest Service quadrangles.

Road maps: Use for Motor vehicle maps.

Thematic maps: Use for maps about specific topics not covered in other genre headings, such as Christmas tree cutting maps.

Topographic maps: Use for maps that show topography such as USGS quadrangle maps.

Tourist maps: Use for maps from the National Park Service, National Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management and other agencies that show trails, recreation sites, and other features of interest to visitors.

¹ Cartographic materials: a manual of interpretation for AACR2, Appendix A.4B. The last two sentences are: “If the corporate body is known to be a map-making organization that normally originates and issues cartographic materials, enter under the corporate body. If the principal responsibility for the production of the cartographic item is clearly attributed to a personal author, enter under the personal author with added entries for the associated corporate bodies.”

In the final sentence, the meaning of “clearly attributed to a personal author” is open to interpretation, therefore GPO interprets this phrase to apply only when no corporate body may be considered a creator of the cartographic resource according to RDA 19.2.1.1.1(f).