Typical questions

• • I need to get maps of current local authority boundaries in London.

• • What is a Landranger map?

Starting points

• • Students may need advice on map reading – interpreting features, symbols and scales. This instruction is usually provided on the websites of national mapping services such as Ordnance Survey.

• • Other commons questions relate to locating maps for specific regions. Always ensure that they check size, scale and the date as boundaries can change!

• • Increasing numbers of maps are being digitised and are available free online. Good starting points are the map libraries listed here. However, remember that printed resources may also need to be consulted especially for older materials. These are usually available in the main map libraries.

• • Copyright can also be a problem. See the Copyright chapter for advice.

• • Specialist GIS websites are listed in the Geography chapter.

Recommended resources

Map libraries

British Cartographic Society

www.cartography.org.uk/map-collections

Maintains a useful directory of UK map library collections.

British Library

www.bl.uk/subjects/maps

Extensive national collection of current and historic maps of all regions of the world. Website provides access to the catalogue, study guides and wonderful examples of digital maps from its collections.

Library of Congress

www.loc.gov/maps/collections

Free access to a wealth of historic online map collections from this world famous library. Many can be viewed online with associated teaching materials.

Study guides

Map reading – Ordnance Survey [Basic]

www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/resources/map-reading

Top tips, printed guides and videos on reading maps and understanding their symbols from Britain's national mapping agency.

Gazetteers

Often referred to as geographic dictionaries. Use them to find co-ordinates and descriptions of places.

Gazetteer of British Place Names

www.gazetteer.co.uk

Free access to this extensive list created by the Association of British Counties. Find information on the county, administrative district and map location of specific places. Includes information about historic name changes. Further details can be located on the Historic Counties Trust website (www.historiccountiestrust.co.uk).

NGA GEOnet Names Server (GNS)

geonames.nga.mil/gns/html

Provides free access to the US National Imagery and Mapping Agency's (NIMA) database of foreign (i.e. non-US) approved names of places.

Online maps – world

Digimap (Subscription) [Specialist]

edina.ac.uk/digimap

Specialist service hosted by EDINA for the UK higher education community. A range of products is offered. The original emphasis was on the UK with access to Ordnance Survey and land use maps, however this has been recently expanded. Includes both current, historic and GIS resources.