Inform Quarterly

              Serving Illinois state employees • Winter 2003
Maps, maps and more maps
The Illinois State Library’s map collection is the second-largest state
library-owned map collection and the fifth-largest governmental map
collection in the United States.
Federal maps
As the regional federal depository, the State Library receives all federal
maps distributed by the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO).These
include CIA maps, U.S. Geological Survey topographic maps from all 50
states (which show physical features of a given area), nautical maps for
waterways of the world and aeronautical maps showing flight patterns to
and from airports throughout the world.
Other federal agency maps not received through the GPO include the
Illinois FEMA flood insurance rate maps, which reveal flood-prone areas
important to purchasing flood insurance. Illinois wetland maps from the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are available as well.
The library also houses the 2000 Census tract and block maps, useful for
determining the geography corresponding to population counts. Engineers
and archeologists use the field plat maps for soil surveys.The library also
has original government plat maps and field notes showing Illinois in its
“pre-settlement” form.
State maps
The library also is a depository for maps from state agencies, including
Department of Transportation city and county maps dating back to 1937.
These maps show roads, cemeteries, airports, streams and buildings.
Taxing district maps from the Department of Revenue show, but are not
limited to, fire protection districts, school districts and mosquito
abatement areas.The latest congressional and legislative district maps
from the State Board of Elections also are part of the collection.
Special map collections
Other prominent items in the map collection are the Sanborn Fire
Insurance Maps from the 1880s to the 1950s.The collection includes
block-by-block city mapping used for determining what a building was
made of and how it was constructed or where an old gas plant was.Also
included are plat/land ownership maps from the 19th century to the
present. A large collection of aerial photos showing the state of Illinois in
more than 8,000 frames from 2,000 feet in the air also is available.
The Map Collection is housed on the second floor of the State Library.
For more information, please call 217-782-5823.
From the Reference Desk
Now that the holidays are over and we
are starting a new year, the State
Library’s Reference Section staff would
like to take this opportunity to wish
you the very best in 2003.We hope
that we have served you well over the
past year and will be able to serve your
informational needs even better this
year.Any feedback you wish to share
with us is always welcome.
I encourage you to tell your coworkers
about the State Library’s INFORM
service.Thank you for your interest and
we look forward to hearing from you.
To make requests for materials or find
answers to your questions, please contact:
Reference phone • 217-782-7596
Reference fax • 217-524-0041
Map Collection • 217-782-5823
Patent & Trademark Division • 217-782-5659
“Ask the State Library”
www.cyberdriveillinois.com/library/
forms/ email_ref.html
Access the State Library database at
http://library.ilcso.illinois.edu/isl
Illinois State Library hours:
Mon. – Fri., 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
We look forward to
hearing from you!