Several libraries at UBC hold map collections, including Koerner Library (the main map library), Rare Books and Special Collections, UBC Archives, Xwi7xwa Library, and UBC Okanagan. Each map collection is located based on the topic of the map and its relation to the other collections held in the library. The collection totals ~800,000 paper map sheets, as several digital map collections. For more detailed information read the UBC Library Maps and Atlases Guide
Map collection materials are for library use only and cannot be taken out of the library, however, if you want to use a map for a georeferencing project you may scan it. Read more about scanning services at UBC Library below.
For most maps created prior to 1900 check out Rare Books and Special Collections at UBC Library. Their collection of cartographic archives and historical maps is especially strong in pre-1800 world/hemispheres, pre-1900 North America and the Pacific Rim, the Canadian Arctic, fire insurance plans of B.C. towns and cities, and Tokugawa / Edo Period Japan.
You can read more about the collections at RBSC on their Historical Map Collection Guide. RBSC is a closed stack collection which means the materials have to be requested. You can use the map search tips below to find materials, and contact RBSC to view them.
X̱wi7x̱wa Library is a centre for academic and community Indigenous scholarship at UBC whose collections and services reflect Indigenous approaches to teaching, learning, and research. There is a small number of maps located at X̱wi7x̱wa Library created from Indigenous perspectives or relevant to research on Indigenous topics, including treaty maps, Indigenous place name maps, language maps, traditional land use maps, and territory maps. You can read more about Indigenous mapping and mapping resources X̱wi7x̱wa Library's Indigenous Mapping guide. Some maps relevant to Indigenous topics are also located at RBSC and Koerner Library.
Most of the UBC Library print map collection, as well as atlases and gazetteers, can be found on Level 2 of Walter C. Koerner Library. The print map sheets are located in labeled drawers and cabinets in call number sequence and are all available for browsing.
If you are looking for a physical or digital map of an area, you can search for these materials under the General search tab on the UBC Library website.
Some searching tips:
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Use the search string {maps AND place name}. For example you could search maps AND singapore
- If you are having trouble finding maps of the place you are searching, try broader or narrower place names like cities, counties, provinces, regions, or countries
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On the left menu, filter Content to "maps" to limit your results to this format. Your results should include digital as well as physical maps
- Use the Library Location filters to limit your results to physical maps. Koerner holds most maps, however for earlier maps you may have to look at RBSC.
Some of the maps in the collection are not in the UBC Library Online Catalogue. This part of the collection can be searched in the wooden card catalogues on Level 2 of Koerner Library, either by location (Area - Subject) or by subject (Subject - Area).
To find a map at Koerner Library from your library website searching, make note of the call number and location of the item.
The Koerner Library map collection uses two different call number systems. The collection was originally catalogued using the Boggs and Lewis classification system (numeric) but is now being converted to use the Library of Congress system (alpha-numeric) to match the rest of UBC Library. Each call number systems groups maps together by geographic location, and cabinets are labelled with these call numbers as well as place names to help you browse.
Maps at Koerner Library are organized into several different cabinet "locations." If you want to browse maps of Singapore, for instance, you may want to look in each of 4 locations to be comprehensive: Koerner reference thematic, Koerner storage thematic, Koerner reference folded maps, Koerner storage folded maps. The map below shows the different cabinet locations.
UBC students, faculty, and staff can scan paper maps from the Koerner Library map collection using a large-format colour scanner. There is no charge for scanning maps, but UBC Library does reserve the right to deny scans of certain material, including maps in deteriorating physical condition. To ensure that scans are allowed to be used further in publication, research, or other modes of sharing, please contact Copyright Services.
The scanner is available to use on an appointment basis. Please email the library for more information or to schedule an appointment at [email protected]. Materials from RBSC may also be scanned at RBSC’s discretion, and likely at a cost. Scans larger than 11″ x 17″ need to be referred to other UBC Library departments where different fees may apply. A cost estimate can be provided before proceeding. Contact [email protected] for more information.
The UBC Digitization Centre has digitized a number of UBC Library's collections that include maps and atlases. These digital collections are part of UBC's Open Collections and are freely accessible by anyone.
To browse all maps in Open Collections:
- Click "advanced search" below the search bar
- Click "add limits" on the left, then click the "genre" dropdown menu, and select "maps"
You can also browse the following map collections on UBC Open Collections
Andrew McCormick Maps and Prints A diverse collection of digitized historical maps and atlases, covering the period from 1503 - 1910.
GVRD Planning Department Land Use Maps Collection of detailed Vancouver land use maps produced by the Greater Vancouver Regional District (now Metro Vancouver). It includes maps from 1965-1983.
Japanese Maps of the Tokugawa Era One of the world's largest collections of maps and guidebooks of the Japanese Tokugawa period, ca. 1600-1867. The collection varies in both format and size: items range from small single-sheet maps to more than thirty square feet, and also include a ceramic plate, a woodblock, and maps in scroll format.
*Note that the Open Collections viewer uses IIIF for image delivery, meaning that these maps should be compatible with web georeferencing tools that use IIIF urls.
Spend a little time searching or browsing for a map. Here are some prompts to get you looking at maps you might not otherwise discover.
Search/browse for:
- a map of the place you were born
- a map of a place you would like to visit one day but haven't yet
- a map of a place beginning with the letter "T"
- a map of a place that no longer exists
- a map containing a body of water