Field Records
Heringen Resources
Kunz Collection
Map Collections
Rare Book Collection
Topographic Map Archive
United States Antarctic Resource Center USGS Photographic Collection

Field Records Collection — Denver, Colorado

The Field Records Collection is an archive of field notes, correspondence, manuscripts, maps, analysis reports and other data created or collected by USGS geologists during field studies and other project work. The majority of the collection dates from 1879 and relates to work done in the contiguous United States. Field records and project archives on Alaska are kept in the Alaska Technical Data Unit Field Records Archive.

Heringen Resources — Reston, Virginia

Another unique acquisition, commonly referred to as the Heringen Collection, is a group of military texts and maps, looted by the Nazis from European libraries, universities, geological societies, private businesses, and offices. Hidden in a potash mine in Heringen, Hesse, Germany, they were transported by the U.S. military at the end of WWII as captured war materials. Some 23,000 reports, books and maps were accepted by the USGS Library and integrated into the main collection. The materials are consulted for research ranging from European road development, water resources use or mining and construction.

Kunz Collection — Reston, Virginia

Acquired by the Library in 1933, the George F. Kunz Collection is a significant special collection on gems and minerals including rare books on gemology, the folklore of gemstones through history, lapidary arts and archival gem trade records important to the provenance of named stones such as the "Hope Diamond." Kunz was a former USGS employee, a vice-president of Tiffany & Co., and one of the world’s preeminent gem experts.

Map Collections

The Denver, Menlo Park and Reston libraries have broad collections of maps covering domestic and foreign areas. The Flagstaff library concentrates on maps of the Southwestern United States. Staff can provide information or referral on a variety of cartographic topics.

USGS Topographic Maps – These maps date from the early 1880's to the present.

Denver – All states (Current & historical)
Flagstaff – Southwestern United States (Current & historical)
Menlo Park – Western United States (Current only) and California (Current & historical)
Reston – All states (Current & historical)

USGS Series Maps

Denver, Menlo Park, and Reston – All
Flagstaff – Selected

Non-USGS Maps – All four libraries have extensive collections of maps published by other mapping organizations, both domestic and foreign. The maps deal with subjects represented in the book collection. In general, the USGS Library does not collect detailed topographic maps of areas outside North America.

Related Materials – In addition to maps, the USGS Library collects atlases, gazetteers, map catalogs, indexes, and other materials related to maps and mapping. Contact the library closest to you for more information.

Rare Book Collection — Reston, Virginia

The Rare Book Collection of the USGS Library is comprised of unusual publications, rare books, and maps collected since 1879. Included are historical maps and publications of the Survey, as well as early publications of many federal, state and other geological surveys. Records of select geological societies are also maintained in the collection, such as the Geological Society of Washington, which was founded by John Wesley Powell and other noted scientists after the Civil War. Of special note are many 19th century maps with topics such as American political boundaries, transportation, geology, and mining.

Topographic Map Archive — Reston, Virginia

Responsibility for the Topographic Map Archive was formally transferred to the USGS Library in March 2003. The Archive includes each U.S. state and territory, in all scales, editions and various printings. With coverage dating from the 1880’s when the USGS began publishing standard topographic quadrangles; the Archive is the most complete collection of USGS topographic maps.

United States Antarctic Resource Center — Reston, Virginia

The U.S. Antarctic Resource Center (USARC) is our Nation's depository for Antarctic maps, charts, geodetic ground control, satellite images, aerial photographs, publications, slides, and video tapes. These resources are produced by Antarctic Treaty nations in support of their activities in Antarctica and provided to the USARC in compliance with a standing resolution of the treaty providing for exchange of information. The USGS maintains these materials through an interagency cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation (NSF), which also supports the USGS Antarctic Mapping Program. Additional information on this collection can be accessed online from http://usarc.usgs.gov/.

USGS Photographic Collection — Denver, Colorado

The Photographic Library is an archive of still photographs and original sketches dating from the 1870’s and taken by USGS scientists as part of their field studies. Topics include USGS personnel, earthquakes, volcanoes, geologic hazards and other phenomena, historical mining operations, and earth science photographs. The works of pioneer photographers such as W.H. Jackson, T.H. O’Sullivan, Carleton Watkins, J.K. Hiller, Thomas Moran, A.J. Russell, E.O. Beaman and William Bell are represented in the collection. Some photographs have been used to illustrate publications, but most have never been published. Selected photographs from the collection can be accessed online from the USGS Photographic Collection web site.