Technical Endeavours
The SAL Portal & Blog
The Map Collection
The Map Collection was consolidated in 2015/2016 as part of the refurbishment of the Map Library into a dual-use Map Library / Collaboration Space.
The cataloguing of the Collection, a process that took many years, was completed following the move into the new facility. You can search the Map Catalogue by downloading the Map Catalogue Search Tool.
Once you unzip the file, you run the .EXE (windows only) file inside the folder to access the database. A copy is also installed on the desktop for all users in the TOL and on the computer in the Map Library.
The maps are located in the cabinets that are now spread through the G03 suite as indicated in the graphic below. Map locations are identified by a combination of cabinet letters and draw numbers.
In order to maintain the Collection for use in future research and teaching:
- Complete a loan form when both borrowing and returning maps
- Return the maps you borrow to the correct location
- The standard loan period is three (3) weeks – this is a shared facility, please respect it
If the map you are looking does not appear to be here, it may be out on loan. so it may be worth checking back again and/or asking one of the SAL Tech staff to check whether a loan form has been submitted.
Map Collection Catalog
TOL on left | Map Library on right
| Code | Name | Description |
| AC | Aerial Chart | Displays topographic details, relief features and aeronautical information of the selected area. May also display specific routes, airways of ground terminal locations. |
| AP | Aerial Photograph | A photograph of the ground taken from an elevated position, at a defined scale (scale may be calculated from camera focal length and elevation). Refers to a SINGLE photograph. |
| BC | Bathymetric Chart | Relief submerged (below sea level) terrain |
| CAD | Cadastral | Shows boundaries and property lines of an area of land (may also include ownership, identification numbers and survey district names) |
| CQG | Coastal Quaternary Geology | Coastal Quaternary Geology… |
| GEOL | Geological | Represents the geological features of a surface with rock units or strata shown by different colours or symbols. Other structural features such as faults, folds, foliations and the strike and dip of certain rock units may also be shown. |
| LAND | Land | Capability, Cover, Stability, Systems, Series, Tenure, Use, Classifications |
| OPHM | Orthophotmap | A (range of) satellite image or aerial photographs geo-referenced as a map |
| PHM | Photomap | An assembly of air photographs (not an accurate map) |
| PLAN | Plan | Displays only the horizontal position of features – with no regard to elevation or topographic features. |
| SIMG | Satellite Image | Image taken by the satellite |
| SOIL | Soil Landscape | Highlights changing soil landscapes of an area (Soil Landscape = an area of land that has recognisable and describable topography and soils that are capable of being represented on maps and of being described by concise statements, Northcote, 1978) |
| THEM | Thematic | Maps on variety of topics or with specific purposes |
| TOPO | Topographic | Represents the relief and physical (natural and man-made) features on the surface of a given area, through the use of contour lines and a specified symbology |
| TPHM | Topographic and Orthophotomap | Double sided – contains a topographic map on one side and an orthophotomap on the other |
| VEG | Vegetation | Shows vegetation cover of an area |
