Geologic maps will usually have a subject heading similar to: Geology [place name] Maps. The best way to search for a subject heading in the online catalog is to do a Browse Search. The place name can be any level of geography. If searching for geologic maps of a county or city, the subject heading includes the place name in reverse order thusly: Geology Illinois Champaign County Maps.
Some related subject terms include: Geology, Stratigraphic; Geomagnetism; Hydrogeology; Plate tectonics; Seismology; Volcanology
Geologic maps published in series, such as those published by the United States Geological Survey as well as by a variety of state geological surveys, can be difficult to find in the Library’s online catalog because they are not cataloged separately by title but rather are inventoried pieces of very large sets with numbering schemes that do not reflect geographical area or topic.
Geologic maps in the UIUC Library can be found in two core locations, the Map Library and the Oak Street Library Facility. Geologic maps in the Map Library usually are smaller scale maps that cover an entire state, nation, or larger area. They will be one or two sheets up to eight to ten sheets in size. Standard Map Library loan rules will reply: maps published prior to 1960, mounted on fabric, or encapsulated will not circulate.
Much of the geologic map collection stored at the Oak Street Library Facility was transferred there when the Geology Library was closed. The collection includes smaller-scale maps similar to those found in the Map Library as well as multi-sheet sets at large scales. Additionally, the Oak Street Facility is where geologic series such as the United States Geological Survey’s Geologic Quadrangle (GQ-) and Miscellaneous Investigations (I-) series are shelved. Items housed in the Oak Street Map Collection Request Online must be requested for users by Map Library staff. Items in the Oak Street Vaults Request Online may be requested directly by users.
Please contact the Map Library with requests or suggestions of geologic maps to obtain for the Library’s collection.