LibGuides: Geographic Information Systems (GIS): Digital Map Collections

Static Map Collections

Do you just need some basic (non-GIS) maps in a PDF or image format? Check out these sources.

Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection
An enormous collection of contemporary and recent historical maps sorted by geography and theme. From the University of Texas at Austin.
United Nations Maps and Geospatial Services
General reference maps of continents, countries, and regions, as well as global thematic maps.
CIA World Factbook Maps
General political and physical maps of the world, continents, and regions.
SEDAC CIESIN Map Gallery
A large collection of global and continental thematic maps. From the Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center and the Center for International Earth Science Information Network at Columbia University. A login is required, but registration is free.
Providence GIS Map Gallery
Scroll to the bottom of the data hub to view maps of land use, zoning, wards, and neighborhoods in Providence.

Library of Congress Map Collection
An enormous collection of historical maps, available at different resolutions.
David Rumsey Map Collection
An extensive collection of historic reference and thematic maps from around the world.
NYPL Maps and Atlases
A large collection of maps from many time periods and regions, part of the New York Public Library's Digital Collections.
Norman P. Leventhal Map & Education Center
Maintained by the Boston Public Library, search for digitized historic maps from their collection and those of a dozen partner institutions.
John Carter Brown Library Map Collection
A large collection of pre-20th (and primarily pre-19th) century maps that focus on the colonial period in the western hemisphere, held here at Brown University.
Sanborn Maps for the State of Rhode Island
Collection of late 19th and early 20th century property maps in color, from the Brown Digital Repository.

Digital Sanborn Maps 1867-1970 for Rhode Island This link opens in a new window
Library database that contains a complete collection of these maps for RI, in B/W.
Sanborn Maps, 1867-1970 provide digital access to large-scale maps of Rhode Island. Founded in 1867 by D. A. Sanborn, the Sanborn Map Company was the primary American publisher of fire insurance maps for nearly 100 years. These maps are valuable historical tools for urban specialists, social historians, architects, geographers, genealogists, local historians, planners, environmentalists to learn about the history, growth, and development of American cities, towns, and neighborhoods. A key is provided by the Sanborn Map Company. (Note: Because the key is a detailed file, it must be large so that you can view it completed. As a result, it may take a while for the key to load onto your computer screen.)