Print Collection

The Map Library has a wide range of cartographic materials, including maps, atlases, gazetteers, geographical dictionaries, and many reference works. It houses the largest collection of printed maps in the state of Michigan, with over 320,000 maps and about 8,000 atlases and reference works. The library holds materials from all parts of the world, with special emphasis on Michigan , the Great Lakes region, the United States , Western Europe, the Mediterranean World, Canada, Mexico, Eurasia, and Japan. There is a growing focus on urban cartography. There are extensive reference holdings for the study of maps and the history of cartography, including many specialized cartobibliographies. Staff provide reference and bibliographic assistance to readers using the print collections. Online databases, catalogues and other digital resources supplement the print collections. You can search for items in the collection through the Mirlyn online catalogue.

Frequently used items in the collection include:

Topographical Maps: The map library holds the complete USGS series of topographic maps for the United States, and detailed topographic mapping for Canada, Mexico, France, Britain, Italy, and many other countries.

Sanborn Maps: These are a collection of fire insurance maps from the Sanborn Company showing property details of major cities. The map library contains paper copies of Sanborn maps for Detroit, Lansing, Ann Arbor, Trenton, and Wyandotte. Click here for more information.

Aerial Photographs: The library holds a complete set of aerial photographs for Washtenaw county and Southeast Michigan, and a limited number for other counties.

Historic Maps: While the emphasis is on modern materials, the collection includes many historical maps and atlases.

Atlases: The library has many world, national and regional atlases, and atlases covering themes such as climate, economics, ethnography, history, geology, land use, population, and vegetation.