During the entire month in October 2014 I had access to the Geography & Map Division where I worked closely with an experienced map cataloger. My plan was to learn how to work with maps and atlases and as a result to independently create two bibliographic records: one for a map and the other one for an atlas. Most of our time was given to practicing cataloging maps as they are quite different from traditional materials such as books. Atlases are books themselves and therefore work with them is very similar to cataloging regular books although some differences are present.
Unlike the procedures in the ALAWE Division where some catalogers only create ibc records and others create cbc records, in the G & M Division everybody creates full level catalog records. Before I was able to independently create my record for a map I worked with the division specialist to create at least 12 map records together. We worked on maps of different kinds discussing the particular features of each. Among those maps were city maps, airlines system maps, road maps, physical maps, political maps, touristic maps that marked spectacular itineraries, historic places and so forth, world maps, as well as special type of maps, for example, standard time zones maps.
For my record I chose a country map of India. LCCN Permalink
Unlike the procedures in the ALAWE Division where some catalogers only create ibc records and others create cbc records, in the G & M Division everybody creates full level catalog records. Before I was able to independently create my record for a map I worked with the division specialist to create at least 12 map records together. We worked on maps of different kinds discussing the particular features of each. Among those maps were city maps, airlines system maps, road maps, physical maps, political maps, touristic maps that marked spectacular itineraries, historic places and so forth, world maps, as well as special type of maps, for example, standard time zones maps.
For my record I chose a country map of India. LCCN Permalink
Inde 1: 2 500 000 (1 cm = 25 km) / cartographie MairDumont
When working with the fixed fields for this map I had to learn how to deal with some fields that were new for me. I had to choose from drop-down boxes the following things:
The information in the legend on my map is in eight languages. The actual language of my map is English. All geographic names on it were written in English, but the front panel is in French which is why French is identified as the main language of the resource and it goes first in the 041 field. Other languages are enumerated in alphabetical order.
- “a” in CrTp (Type of Cartographic Material) for a single map. When working with other types of cartographic materials I had to use different values: “d” for globes, “e” for atlases.
- I had to choose “f” in GPub for Federal/National level of publication as the publisher, Institut national de l'information géographique et forestière, is a French national agency.
- The “cz” value in Proj (Projection) means conic type of projection. It consists of two characters. If a map does not specify a projection we leave it blank.
- The values for the Relf field depended on the data about the relief I stipulated in the 500 field. My map of India had relief shown by shading where spot heights and the depths were indicated by gradient tints. Therefore in the Relf fixed field I put “bcg” where “b” is shading, “c” is gradient, and “g” is spot heights.
The information in the legend on my map is in eight languages. The actual language of my map is English. All geographic names on it were written in English, but the front panel is in French which is why French is identified as the main language of the resource and it goes first in the 041 field. Other languages are enumerated in alphabetical order.
My map had a scale, coordinate, and projection statement. Scales go to 034 $b without commas and to 255 $a written as it is on a map using punctuation. Coordinates go to the same fields, but their notation also looks different. In the 255 $c we use a degree symbol. Letters before numbers mean north (N), south (S), east (E), and west (W). India is situated northward from the equator in the eastern hemisphere which is why E and N letters are used. The map is read from the left (West) to the right (East), and from the top (North) to the bottom (South). When I look at the map I write the farthest digit on my left and the farthest digit on my right. Then I do the same thing with the top and the bottom.
Click to see Britannica’s hemispheric map.
The map had the following projection statement “Projection conique équivalente d’Alberts” that I placed in 255 $b using an appropriate English statement from drop-down box.
The map had a parallel title in English. I used the 246 field to input this variant title information.
Unlike books with cartographic materials we have to use the “cartographic image” value in 336 $a and the “sheet” value in 338 $a.
My map also had four insets and I had to stipulate them using the 500 field placing this information the same way as we do in the 505 field for the content of a book.
Click on the map image to see the bibliographic, holdings and item records. LCCN Permalink
Click to see Britannica’s hemispheric map.
The map had the following projection statement “Projection conique équivalente d’Alberts” that I placed in 255 $b using an appropriate English statement from drop-down box.
The map had a parallel title in English. I used the 246 field to input this variant title information.
Unlike books with cartographic materials we have to use the “cartographic image” value in 336 $a and the “sheet” value in 338 $a.
My map also had four insets and I had to stipulate them using the 500 field placing this information the same way as we do in the 505 field for the content of a book.
Click on the map image to see the bibliographic, holdings and item records. LCCN Permalink
Dico atlas des migrations / Pierre Henry, Brigitte Martinez ; cartographie et inforgraphie Édigraphie
The record for an atlas differs from the one for a book due to the presence of the following fields: 034, 052, and 255. In 034 I used indicator “1” which means that only one scale is present on the resource. The subfield $a is required for all records. The value “a” identifies the category of scale which in our case is linear. Different scales are used in my atlas which is why I placed “Scales differ” in the 255 field. The class number I assigned is G1046.E27 which is equal to the following chain in LCC: |
Atlases—World atlases. Atlases of the Earth—By subject—Other subject atlases—Human and cultural geography. Anthropogeography. Human ecology—Population—Movement of population
In most cases the values used in the 052 field coincide with values in the 050 field excluding “G”. In this particular case the value in 052 looks different because the area code of the whole world is "3201". The 052 field is repeatable so there can be more than one 052 in the record. For example, when I worked with the American Airlines system map that embraced the United States and Mexico I used two 052 fields - "3701" for the United States and "4411" for Mexico, as shown below:
052 $a 3701
052 $a 4411
Among other differences are the cartography statement in addition to personal responsibility in the 245 $c field; the usage of the “cartographic image” value in the 336 $a; the genre SH for atlases in the 655 $a field. This time I used the “e” value in the CrTp fixed field as I worked with an atlas.
Click on the atlas image to see the bibliographic record. LCCN Permalink
Just out of curiosity and in order to give you an opportunity to compare, I included the record for a large globe that is installed in the G & M Division as shown on the picture above.
In most cases the values used in the 052 field coincide with values in the 050 field excluding “G”. In this particular case the value in 052 looks different because the area code of the whole world is "3201". The 052 field is repeatable so there can be more than one 052 in the record. For example, when I worked with the American Airlines system map that embraced the United States and Mexico I used two 052 fields - "3701" for the United States and "4411" for Mexico, as shown below:
052 $a 3701
052 $a 4411
Among other differences are the cartography statement in addition to personal responsibility in the 245 $c field; the usage of the “cartographic image” value in the 336 $a; the genre SH for atlases in the 655 $a field. This time I used the “e” value in the CrTp fixed field as I worked with an atlas.
Click on the atlas image to see the bibliographic record. LCCN Permalink
Just out of curiosity and in order to give you an opportunity to compare, I included the record for a large globe that is installed in the G & M Division as shown on the picture above.
Conclusion
This completes my LIS 801 Map Cataloging blog and I wanted to express my appreciation for the guidance and cooperation of the Library of Congress Geography and Map Division staff. As a result, I have gained an understanding of the unique challenges of cataloging cartographic materials and was impressed with the extent and care undertaken for maps and other cartographic materials.