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“Will Work for Maps”: A History of the Library of Congress Geography and Map Division Special Map Processing Project

After World War II, the Geography and Map Division at the Library of Congress acquired large quantities of military-related maps through the U.S. Army Map Service and similar military agencies, as well as from traditional domestic and foreign sources. The Division found itself in possession of many duplicates or otherwise expendable cartographic materials. The division managed the surplus with its Special Map Processing Project. It recruited from the ranks of students, faculty, and librarians to secure hands-on staffing assistance with a kaleidoscopic variety of frontline projects. The Project served as a conduit to redistribute maps and other cartographic materials from their surplus “duplicates” collection. As the Division enjoyed the benefits of this arrangement – such as gaining control of their collections – many university, college, and other libraries benefited from acquiring LC’s duplicate materials, which strengthened, enlarged, and sometimes “seeded” map collections. The authors explore the Special Project's1 roots and founding; its structure, staffing, impacts, and outcomes; and important changes.

This is the Accepted Manuscript version of an article published in the Journal of Geography and Map Librarianship, available online: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15420353.2021.1923611.

Dated PDFs are portions of unpublished appendices to the LC annual reports.

Working bibliography is a listing of all relevant resources; not all referenced in the published work.

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Metadata

Work Title “Will Work for Maps”: A History of the Library of Congress Geography and Map Division Special Map Processing Project
Access
Open Access
Creators
  1. Paige G. Andrew
  2. L. K. McElfresh
  3. L. R. Musser
Keyword
  1. Library of Congress Geography and Map Division
  2. Maps
  3. Summer projects
  4. Librarian education and training
  5. Library technical services
  6. Gifts
  7. Provenance
  8. Acquisitions
License CC BY 4.0 (Attribution)
Work Type Article
Publisher
  1. Journal of Map & Geography Libraries
Publication Date May 26, 2021
Publisher Identifier (DOI)
  1. https://doi.org/10.1080/15420353.2021.1923611
Deposited May 23, 2021

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Work History

Version 1
published

  • Created
  • Added Creator Laura Kane McElfresh
  • Added Creator Paige G. Andrew
  • Added Creator Linda Musser
  • Added LC Summer Project.docx
  • Added LC Summer Project illustrations.pdf
  • Updated License Show Changes
    License
    • https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
  • Updated Publisher's Statement Show Changes
    Publisher's Statement
    • This is the Accepted Manuscript version of an article published in the Journal of Geography and Map Librarianship, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/” [Article DOI].
    • This is the Accepted Manuscript version of an article published in the Journal of Geography and Map Librarianship, available online: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15420353.2021.1923611.
  • Published
  • Updated
  • Updated

Version 2
published

  • Created
  • Added LC Summer Project - text.pdf
  • Deleted LC Summer Project.docx
  • Published
  • Updated
  • Updated

Version 3
published

  • Created
  • Added LC Summer Map - working bib.pdf
  • Added 1962.pdf
  • Added 1963 -.pdf
  • Added 1964 G.pdf
  • Added 1965 C.pdf
  • Added 1966 C.pdf
  • Added 1967 C.pdf
  • Added 1968 D.pdf
  • Added 1970 D.pdf
  • Added 1971 D.pdf
  • Added 1972 D.pdf
  • Added 1973 D.pdf
  • Added 1974 D.pdf
  • Added 1975 D.pdf
  • Added 1976 D.pdf
  • Added 1977 D.pdf
  • Added 1978 D.pdf
  • Added 1979.pdf
  • Added 1981 D.pdf
  • Added 1982 C.pdf
  • Added 1983 C.pdf
  • Added 1985 E.pdf
  • Added 1988 E.pdf
  • Added 1991 D.pdf
  • Added 1994 E.pdf
  • Added 1996 I.pdf
  • Updated Publisher's Statement Show Changes
    Publisher's Statement
    • This is the Accepted Manuscript version of an article published in the Journal of Geography and Map Librarianship, available online: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15420353.2021.1923611.
    • Dated PDFs are portions of unpublished appendices to the LC annual reports.
    • Working bibliography is a listing of all relevant resources; not all referenced in the published work.
  • Published
  • Updated
  • Updated
  • Updated Keyword, Publisher, Publisher Identifier (DOI), and 2 more Show Changes
    Keyword
    • Library of Congress Geography and Map Division; maps; summer projects; librarian education and training; library technical services; gifts; provenance; acquisitions
    • Library of Congress Geography and Map Division, Maps, Summer projects, Librarian education and training, Library technical services, Gifts, Provenance, Acquisitions
    Publisher
    • Journal of Map & Geography Libraries
    Publisher Identifier (DOI)
    • https://doi.org/10.1080/15420353.2021.1923611
    Publication Date
    • 2021
    • 2021-05-26
    Publisher's Statement
    • This is the Accepted Manuscript version of an article published in the Journal of Geography and Map Librarianship, available online: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15420353.2021.1923611.
    • Dated PDFs are portions of unpublished appendices to the LC annual reports.
    • Working bibliography is a listing of all relevant resources; not all referenced in the published work.
  • Renamed Creator L. K. McElfresh Show Changes
    • Laura Kane McElfresh
    • L. K. McElfresh
  • Updated Creator Paige G. Andrew
  • Renamed Creator L. R. Musser Show Changes
    • Linda Musser
    • L. R. Musser
  • Updated

Version 4
published

  • Created
  • Deleted LC Summer Map - working bib.pdf
  • Added ACCESSIBLE_VERSION_LC Summer Map - working bib.pdf
  • Deleted LC Summer Project - text.pdf
  • Added ACCESSIBLE_VERSION_LC Summer Project - text.pdf
  • Deleted 1962.pdf
  • Added ACCESSIBLE_VERSION_1962.pdf
  • Deleted 1963 -.pdf
  • Added ACCESSIBLE_VERSION_1963 -.pdf
  • Deleted 1965 C.pdf
  • Added ACCESSIBLE_VERSION_1965 C.pdf
  • Deleted 1966 C.pdf
  • Added ACCESSIBLE_VERSION_1966 C.pdf
  • Deleted 1967 C.pdf
  • Added ACCESSIBLE_VERSION_1967 C.pdf
  • Deleted 1970 D.pdf
  • Deleted 1971 D.pdf
  • Added ACCESSIBLE_VERSION_1970 D.pdf
  • Added ACCESSIBLE_VERSION_1971 D.pdf
  • Deleted 1972 D.pdf
  • Added ACCESSIBLE_VERSION_1972 D.pdf
  • Deleted 1973 D.pdf
  • Added ACCESSIBLE_VERSION_1973 D.pdf
  • Deleted 1974 D.pdf
  • Added ACCESSIBLE_VERSION_1974 D.pdf
  • Deleted 1976 D.pdf
  • Added ACCESSIBLE_VERSION_1976 D.pdf
  • Deleted 1978 D.pdf
  • Deleted 1977 D.pdf
  • Added ACCESSIBLE_VERSION_1978 D.pdf
  • Added ACCESSIBLE_VERSION_1977 D.pdf
  • Deleted 1979.pdf
  • Added ACCESSIBLE_VERSION_1979.pdf
  • Deleted 1981 D.pdf
  • Added ACCESSIBLE_VERSION_1981 D.pdf
  • Deleted 1982 C.pdf
  • Added ACCESSIBLE_VERSION_1982 C.pdf
  • Deleted 1983 C.pdf
  • Added ACCESSIBLE_VERSION_1983 C.pdf
  • Deleted 1985 E.pdf
  • Deleted 1988 E.pdf
  • Added ACCESSIBLE_VERSION_1985 E.pdf
  • Added ACCESSIBLE_VERSION_1988 E.pdf
  • Deleted 1991 D.pdf
  • Added ACCESSIBLE_VERSION_1991 D.pdf
  • Deleted LC Summer Project illustrations.pdf
  • Added ACCESSIBLE_VERSION_LC Summer Project illustrations.pdf
  • Deleted 1964 G.pdf
  • Added ACCESSIBLE_VERSION_1964 G.pdf
  • Deleted 1968 D.pdf
  • Added ACCESSIBLE_VERSION_1968 D.pdf
  • Deleted 1975 D.pdf
  • Added ACCESSIBLE_VERSION_1975 D.pdf
  • Deleted 1994 E.pdf
  • Added ACCESSIBLE_VERSION_1994 E.pdf
  • Deleted 1996 I.pdf
  • Added ACCESSIBLE_VERSION_1996 I.pdf
  • Published
  • Updated