A glossary of map terminology as used in the British Library.
| ABRS | Automated Book Retrieval System - used for ordering material to the Reading Rooms |
| Catalogue | A list of all the maps in a collection |
| Collection | Can refer to the entire British Library Collection or the private collection of an individual or organisation, that has been purchased or donated to us. |
| Contour | A line of equal height, used to display a 3D surface on a 2D map |
| Digital maps | Maps stored in a digital format accessible on a computer, rather than paper |
| Edition | Refers to the date at which a map or series was made |
| Estate map | A map of an estate, often a manuscript and usually at a large scale. Can be useful for studying land prior to OS mapping. |
| Facsimile | An exact copy of a map or atlas; can be studied in preference to the original to save wear and tear on a fragile or valuable item. |
| Hydrographic Chart | A map used for navigation at sea, with water depths and coast line features marked. Often referred to as Admiralty Charts. |
| Hydrographic Office | Government agency publishing hydrographic charts |
| Gazetteer | A book containing an list of placenames, generally alphabetical, with their locations. Some include a description of the place as well. Can be used to locate a place on a map. |
| Globe | A map of the world or a celestial map on a sphere, allowing for a more accurate representation of the Earth's surface than can be shown on a flat map. |
| Gores | A globe laid out flat. These are the flat paper section that are used to cover a globe. |
| Graticule | The lines of latitude and longitude on a map. |
| Grid Reference | A location defined by X and Y coordinates, on a particular grid. The most commonly used grid for the UK is the OS National Grid. |
| Index map | Diagram showing which sheet in a map series covers which area. |
| Manuscript map | Hand drawn map, as opposed to printed map. Often rarer and more fragile than printed maps. |
| MBHS | Mechanical Book Handling System; used to transport collection items from storage areas to the Reading Rooms. |
| Microfiche | A small sheet of acetate with a map or image printed on it, reduced to a fraction of its original size. It requires a microfiche viewer. Reduces use of the original and allows easy printing. |
| Microfilm | A roll of film with a number of maps or images printed on it, reduced to a fraction of original size. It requires a microfilm viewer. Reduces use of the original and allows easy printing. |
| Monograph | A specialist book dealing with one particular subject |
| Ordnance Survey (OS) | The national mapping agency of Great Britain. Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland (OSNI) and Ordnance Survey of Ireland (OSI) also exist. |
| Printed map | A map produced by printing, as opposed to a manuscript map. |
| Projection | The method by which the curved surface of the globe is represented on a flat sheet of paper. There are dozens of different projections for different purposes. |
| Scale | A ratio that indicates the size of the area that a map represents. Large scale - More detailed, smaller area e.g. 1:2 500 Small scale - Less detailed, larger area e.g. 1: 1 000 000 Some examples of different scales. |
| Series mapping | A set of maps covering a country/region/continent on a large number of sheets. Sheets may be arranged in a grid. An index map is used to find a particular sheet number in a series. |
| Sheet map | Map on a separate sheet of paper as opposed to in a volume or atlas |
| Thematic map | Map showing statistical rather than topographical information about a place e.g. map showing population density or land use. |
| Topographic view | An accurate drawing (printed or manuscript) of a place. Can provide information not found on a map, such as the style of housing or land use; often useful for historical research. |
