This Web resource, one of many such collections created by the Library of Congress, provides maps and charts of North America and the West Indies in digitized form. This online collection will eventually offer over two thousand different digitized maps and charts that were originally documented in the work Maps and Charts of North America and the West Indies, 1750‐1789: A Guide to the Collections in the Library of Congress, compiled by John R. Sellers and Patricia Molen van Ee in 1981.
The site allows users to search by keyword or browse through different indexes by geographic location, subject, map creator or title. The search engine, InQuery, provides excellent searching tips such as how to use older language to reflect an era when particular collection materials were created. Users have the choice of searching just the American Revolution collection or other American Memory map collections. When browsing by geographic area users have the choice of browsing by continents/countries, US regions, or individual states.
The images themselves do not take long to load. Each map can be enlarged or reduced to a variety of sizes. Users can also view different sections of a particular map by highlighting an area with a tool called the Navigator View. Every map also contains a bibliographic record that includes information on its creator, the creation/publication date, and the original size. Bibliographic records also contain information such as a map’s scale, its digital identification number, and its physical location in the Library of Congress. Maps can be downloaded.
This collection also provides a thorough history of American mapmaking. Written by John R. Sellers of the Library of Congress’s Manuscript Division, this history includes information on the major mapmakers during this era. The designers provide detailed documentation on every aspect of the collection. Users will find this site informative, well organized and easy to navigate. The site has a help desk link that provides answers to frequently asked questions. Users can also fill out a question/comment form.
No other Web‐based resource provides such a large collection of Revolutionary War era maps. Until all the maps are digitized, the print version found at the Library of Congress is the most definitive source. However, by creating this and other comparable sites, the Library of Congress enables users to access its maps and other historical sources from anywhere in the world. This site would serve as a useful link on American History and/or Geography pathfinders. It is highly recommended for all libraries, academic or public, supporting student work on American history or geography.
