Maps and Atlases

Map Collection

The primary map collection in the University of Saskatchewan Library is located on the second floor of the Murray Library, and comprises some 65,000 maps. In addition, there is a modest collection of atlases.

Maps and atlases do not circulate and are for use in library only.

Service is available at the reference desk.

Note: geological maps are located in the Natural Sciences Library.

How to Find Maps

In general, the best way to find a map is through a subject search in the Library's catalogue. Try searching on a geographical area, subdivided by maps. For example, a subject search on

will produce these subject headings:

Records for maps will be found under the first, third, and fourth of these subject headings.

Alternatively, you may try a Word search, e.g.

This approach may be more suitable for searches that are thematic rather than geographical, e.g. searches for maps relating to toxicology, acid rain, or population density.

In some cases, the information you seek may be on a map within a larger series of maps, such as the 1:50,000 scale topographic maps of Canada. For more on this series, see below.

Similar series are also available for other countries, although our holdings are not so extensive as for Canada. A search by country, subdivided by maps and topographic will serve to locate most of them, e.g.

France maps topographic

More information on important map series follows.

Frequently Used Maps

There are several map series which are particularly useful. What follows are descriptions of three of these, and basic instructions in their use.

Canada 1:50,000 Scale Topographic Maps

Topographic maps include land forms, such as contours and bodies of water, and cultural features such as roads, air strips, railroads, and the like. The most frequently used set of topographic maps for Canada is the 1:50,000 scale National Topographic Series, produced by the Government of Canada. At a scale of 1:50,000, this series has enough detail to show individual buildings in rural areas.

All maps in the 1:50,000 series are located under call number:

MAP 610 CBA 50

Individual maps are identified using the indexes affixed to the top of the map cabinets in the corner. For example, the map which includes the town of Lumsden, Saskatchewan is 72I/10. The call number for this particular map will therefore be:

MAP 610 CBA 50 72I/10

Here is a portion of that map:

Maps of Rural Municipalities

Maps of Saskatchewan rural municipalities include information on land tenure, including ownership of particular parcels of land. All maps of Saskatchewan rural municipalities are catalogued under call number:

MAP 614.4 acq

Maps are further distinguished according to the number of the rural municipality. (Rural municipality numbers can be found in the Saskatchewan Municipality Directory, or from the index map on top of the map case.) Hence, the Rural Municipality of St. Louis No. 431 is under call number:

MAP 614.4 acq n. 431

Here is a portion of that map:

Operational Navigation Charts

This series of aeronautical charts, published by the United States Defense Mapping Agency, covers the Earth, except Antarctica, at a scale of 1:1,000,000, and in 270 sheets. The charts provide topographic data, as well as detailed aeronautical information. Towns, villages, pipelines, roads, railroads and similar cultural information are also indicated.

These charts are particularly important for those parts of the world which are otherwise poorly covered, or where the government is secretive. For much of Asia and Africa, they are the most accurate and most detailed maps in our collection.

Operational Navigation Charts are located under call number:

MAP 110 gfktta 1959

An index to the set is located on the map cabinet holding the series. Using the index, we can determine that the chart which includes Alma-Ata in Kazakhstan is identified with the alphanumeric code F-6. Hence, the call number of the chart is:

MAP 110 gfktta 1959 F-6

Here is part of F-6, including Alma-Ata, Lake Issyk-Kul, and the mountains in the border region between Kazakhastan and Kirgizstan: