Around the World:  Ball State University Libraries Provides Digital Maps of Nations of the World

The Ball State University Libraries’ Digital Media Repository  provides online access to a variety of primary source materials including photographs, oral history interviews, film footage, and cartographic resources.  The newest collection, Maps of the World, provides digital maps of nearly 200 regional and national maps.  These public domain maps are published by the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and are updated to reflect the most current changes in national borders and territories.

This collection of current maps of the world provides an excellent resource for research and for use in the classroom.  The maps can be conveniently downloaded for use as a visual aid in papers and presentations.

The original maps are located in the GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) on the second floor of Bracken Library.  Other relief copies and city maps are included in this collection.

For more information, contact John B. Straw, Assistant Dean for Digital Initiatives and Special Collections, at 765-285-5078.

Artistic Map Resources from Ball State University Libraries

New Materials in the Ball State University Libraries’ GIS Research and Map Collection


The GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) on the second floor of Bracken Library includes a substantial collection of reference materials available for research and learning. The reference collection in the GRMC includes literature of the history of cartography, map catalogs, gazetteers and geographical dictionaries, place-name resources, and historic and the most recent atlases.

Two new reference materials in the GRMC are Strange Maps: An Atlas of Cartographic Curiosities and The Map as Art: Contemporary Artists Explore Cartography. These reference books include hundreds of unique maps and accompanying essays.

The Map as Art by Katharine Harmon was featured in USA Today and O: The Oprah Magazine, and includes reproductions of 360 colorful artistic maps created by well-known artists. The image above (click to enlarge) is a collage made of vintage maps by Joao Machado called Swimming from 2007. A large copy of this image is currently displayed in the front windows of the GRMC.

Strange Maps by Frank Jacobs includes 138 graphics, essays, and statistics. The book includes a section on cartographic misconceptions, political parodies, and fantasy maps. The collection includes such unique maps as Imperial Texas and a map showing the area covered by Neil Armstrong on the moon.

Reference materials from the GRMC do not circulate; however, special accommodations will be allowed for faculty and staff using materials in the classroom or for other special projects. The materials can also be scanned or copied for inclusion in papers and presentations.

For more information about these cartographic resources, please contact the GRMC at 765-285-1097.