Maps

UVA Library has a collection of more than 150,000 paper maps. These are stored in the closed stacks of Ivy Annex and are available to researchers upon request.

The collection is divided into two sections—U.S. Government Maps and Non-U.S. Government Maps. U.S. Government Maps contain maps placed on deposit through the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) and include popular series like the USGS topographic maps and NOAA nautical charts. Non-U.S. Government Maps include all other maps obtained from commercial publishers, state and local governments, foreign governments, and international organizations. The library also licenses several databases that contain digital map resources.

The map collection is freely accessible and open to members of the public. Most maps in the collection circulate for a period of two weeks and may be renewed. Maps that are old, brittle, or encapsulated in plastic do not circulate. Lost or damaged maps will result in a $25 charge to the user.

Some maps may be withdrawn from circulation for periods of time and placed on reserve for use by classes at U.Va. Maps reserved for classes are housed in cabinets labeled as reserved and do not circulate. Please contact the map librarian if you would like to place a set of maps on reserve for a class.

Please send all purchase requests for maps and geospatial data to the map librarian, or use the Purchase Request form.

Digital Curation Services will digitize out of copyright maps for teaching purposes, and also offers some general digitization of maps for a fee. Submit a request form and coordinate with the map librarian to have the materials delivered for scanning.