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Collection Development Manual > Libraries & Collections > Central Library > Geography

Geography

(including maps and travel)

This subject area includes geographical studies of U.S. states and countries of the world, travel guides, personal travel narratives, atlases, and maps. Maps, atlases, and some kinds of geographies need to be replaced whenever place names and borders change; and the collection of travel guides need updating as travel, tourist, and sight-seeing information changes. Therefore, the library is constantly replacing out-of-date materials with newer items, as well as expanding the collection to include maps, geography, and travel books describing different parts of the world.

The library maintains a circulating collection of some materials, such as travel guides, maps of major world cities and countries, and personal travel narratives. The collection of travel guides focuses on guides to places in the Pacific Northwest of the United States, but also contains guides for U.S. cities and states of other regions, and guides for countries and regions of the world, most particularly those that are popular destinations for Multnomah County Library users. Personal travel narratives that have received good reviews are also collected. Travel maps, reference maps, and general atlases are also collected, again with a focus on the Pacific Northwest.

The Geography collection also includes historical atlases and atlases that focus on particular themes such as geology, culture, or climate, particularly those that compliment other aspects of the library's collection. Chronologies, gazetteers, and geographical encyclopedias are collected to support research and study in geography and related subjects.

The library's collection of geography & travel materials and maps are used by a wide range of patrons: high school and college students, amateur genealogists and historians, independent and adventurous travelers, hikers and other outdoors-persons, and businesses.

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Maps and atlases of the stars and planets are kept in the Physical Science collection. At Central Library, this collection is housed in the Science & Business room.