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Table of Contents

• Cartographic Catalogue
• Finding Aids
• Accessing Digital Images
• Further Information

Cartographic Catalogue

This information resource is a full text retrieval index of a small portion (approximately 700 items on-line currently) of BC ARCHIVES "new map catalogue", which is accessible through BC ARCHIVES Search Gateway. The full text retrieval system supports logical operators including and or not and wildcards searches using an asterisk * at the end of a keyword. All searches are case insensitive.

Catalogue descriptions from the "new map catalogue" identify individual maps and architectural plans, map/plan series and map/plan collections catalogued from 1984 onward. The descriptions cover about 10,000 items, roughly one-third of the described maps and plans in the total map collection.

In addition to pre-defined hypertext cross references of subjects and dates, the map and plan descriptions within the on-line cartographic catalogue may be searched directly by any keyword or group of keywords (word, number, phrase) that appears in the description: e.g., Victoria or Plan of or geology or 1920

You may, however, find it useful to consider the particular types of information or elements that are consistently presented in the descriptions. For example, you could search by:

Author:

By the name of the author (or creator or collector) of the map(s) or plan(s): e.g., Arrowsmith, or Surveys and Mapping Branch.

Title:

By the title of a specific map or plan, the name of a map series, etc.: e.g., Atlin Mining District or Water Rights Maps.

Area:

By the geographic area covered by the map(s); that is, the name of the country, province, region, city, lake, river, etc., depicted by the map(s).

Note: Each map or map series/collection which covers a portion of British Columbia is identified in two ways:

1. By a B.C. geographic region name: e.g., Boundary Region or Central British Columbia

   A complete listing of geographical regional names can be found on CM_C1059 British Columbia : Major Regions For Indexing Purposes 1975.

2. By a National Topographic Series (N.T.S.) map index number: e.g., 82E.

   See CM_C958 British Columbia: Index to Numbering of Map Sheets, National Topographic Series 1975 for N.T.S. Divisions.

Date:

By the year(s) of creation or publication of the map(s) or plan(s): e.g., 1850. Note that individual items are identified by a specific creation or publication year. If the description is for a group of items covering a range of years (e.g., 1812-1887), the following searches could be performed:

• the start year (e.g. 1812),
• the end year (e.g. 1887),
• the exact date range ( e.g. 1812-1887) which will search on 1812, 1887, and 1812-1887,
• or a decade (e.g. 185*) by using the wild card operator *.

Also note that the wildcard operator will only work at the end of a keyword.

See further instructions and strategies for searching using full text retrieval.

Finding Aids

Although most of the map and plan catalogue descriptions identify specific items, some descriptions cover series or collections of maps or plans. Some of these latter descriptions are accompanied by a finding aid which describes and lists the files or items contained in the series or collection.

Each of the catalogue descriptions and each of the individual files or items listed in the finding aids has a "call number" beginning with the letters "CM" (e.g.: "CM_C2008"). This is the number to use when requesting a map or plan at BC ARCHIVES for viewing.

The summary of Cartographic Record Finding Aids lists cartographic finding aids currently on-line.

Accessing Digital Images

Access to selected digital images is supported only from the main cartographic records page.

Please note that we currently do not support hardcopy reproductions directly from the online electronic files. See Copying and Reproduction Services for information on specific services available and the related fees regarding reproductions of cartographic records.

Digital images of cartographic records are available for viewing online in three versions:

A small size inlined image in GIF format

Roughly 400 x 400 pixels, 50 K in file size

Providing a full view of the map, plan or drawing, this image provides an overview of the record, and serves as a navigational tool for accessing individual image segments of greater detail. Each section within blue coloured grid lines is related to a discrete image that may be accessed by clicking on that section.

A medium size image in JPEG format

Roughly 900 x 900 pixels, 100 K in file size

Providing a full view of the map, plan or drawing, this image will support limited zooming or resizing for additional detail, but is provided to give the overall scope or perspective of the record.

Multiple image segments in JPEG format

Roughly 900 x 900 pixels each, 30 K to 150 K in file size

Providing a detailed view of individual portions of the record, these images will support some additional zooming or resizing to accentuate further detail depending on your image viewing software. These image segments can be accessed by clicking on the corresponding segment in the small inlined image.

Note: Medium size images, and the multiple image segments are likely to be larger than the screen resolution of your terminal.

Depending on the image viewing software installed on your system and how it is configured, the image may automatically resize to fit the screen, or display only a portion of the full image with scroll bars. In the case where the image resizes on load, additional detail can be accessed from the image by zooming or resizing a selected portion.

Further Information

The Orientation Guide to Cartographic Records is a useful reference tool for advance preparation available to users planning to visit BC ARCHIVES. This guide includes an overview, suggestions on research approaches, advice on locating maps using administrative control systems, and additional notes compiled by Reference Room staff. Note: Contact the BC Archives for current prices for map reproductions.

See Copying and Reproduction Services for information on specific services available and the related fees.

• Return to Cartographic Records

Inquiries:	Inquiries related to archival holdings, specific records, access, research, or reproduction orders may be submitted via electronic form or Email, as well as by mail or fax.
Home Page:	http://www.bcarchives.gov.bc.ca	This Page:	http://www.bcarchives.gov.bc.ca/cartogr/general/usage.htm
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