The Map Library holds a wide array of materials on the history of cartography. The topics and time periods covered by these works very from the most specific to broad survey overviews. Two important works core to this area are the encyclopedic History of Cartography and the long-established scholarly journal Imago Mundi.
The multi-volume History of Cartography, created through the History of Cartography Project; edited by J.B. Harley, David Woodward, Matthew Edney, Mary Pedley, Roger J.P. Kain, and Mark Monmonier; and published by the University of Chicago Press, is the most comprhensive work on the history of cartography and should be among the first works consulted when diving into a history of cartography-related project. The first volume was published in 1987, and the final volume is anticipated late in 2027. The volumes cover topics from the ancient and medieval worlds through the twentieth century:
| VOLUME | VOLUME TITLE | PUBLICATION YEAR | UNIVERSITY PRESS WEBPAGE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Volume 1 | Cartography in the Prehistoric, Ancient, and Medieval Europe and the Mediterranean | 1987 | Volume 1 |
| Volume 2.1 | Cartography in the Traditional Islamic and South Asian Societies | 1992 | Volume 2.1 |
| Volume 2.2 | Cartography in the Traditional East and Southeast Asian Societies | 1994 | Volume 2.2 |
| Volume 2.3 | Cartography in the Traditional African, American, Arctic, Australian, and Pacific Societies | 1998 | Volume 2.3 |
| Volume 3 | Cartography in the European Renaissance | 2007 | Volume 3, part 1 Volume 3, part 2 |
| Volume 4 | Cartography in the European Enlightenment | 2019 | Volume 4 |
| Volume 5 | Cartography in the Nineteenth Century | 2027 | Not yet published |
| Volume 6 | Cartography in the Twentieth Century | 2015 | Volume 6 |
All of the published volumes are available fully and freely from the University of Chicago Press website (see links in table above). The Map Library owns print copies of all of the volumes, which may be borrowed.
Imago Mundi: The International Journal for the History of Cartography is considered to be the premier journal devoted to the history of cartography. In publication since 1935, Imago Mundi presents full-length scholarly articles, shorter research notes, obituaries, book reviews, and bibliographies of recently published monographs and journal articles. The research presented is global in scope. While the history of cartography covered ranges from antiquity to the present, the journal has a particular emphasis on pre-20th century mapping. The Map Library holds printed volumes 1 (1935)-63 (2011). Full-text online access, from 1935 to the present and delivered by a variety of vendors, is available through the Library’s catalog.