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Sanborn maps were created in the late 19th and early-to-mid 20th centuries by the Sanborn Company to assess fire insurance liability in cities and towns across the United States. The exceptional detail and sequential editions of each community make these maps ideal for a variety of historical research applications, and they are in demand and much used. Our local collection of Pennsylvania Sanborn maps has been chosen for digitization, and as part of this process each edition of each community is being cataloged.
For the most part, these items are cataloged as any other cartographic item. There are always exceptions, but a standard template of common fields applies to most Sanborn records. A Constant Data record is available in OCLC to abet the process. Some unusual processing details, such as auto-generated barcodes and marking peculiarities, are also described below.
Sanborn folders may contain a single set or multiple map sets, either multiple communities or multiple editions of a community. Retrieve folders from cases in the Maps Library, in the secure room behind the staff office area. A magnetic note will direct you to the drawer currently in process, and a printed guide rests within that drawer. Find a stool to access drawers on the upper levels. Use the printed guide to ascertain the next communities in order; when you remove folders, write your initials in the index next to the editions you remove. Take entire folders at once, rather than removing individual items from a folder. It is very important that we proceed on a folder-by-folder basis, both for accurate tracking of where the materials are at any given time and for the preservation of the map sheets within each folder. The community name and dates are written on the folder. Since folders generally contain multiple editions, be sure to get your initials next to each edition you remove. Leave the index in the drawer and haul your booty upstairs.
Search for copy in OCLC; it is extremely unusual to find a match, but there may be edition copy, possibly cataloged locally as part of this project. When necessary (or practical) use copy; otherwise, create a new record in OCLC. Catalog to BIBCO standards, as desired. There is a constant data record available that contains many of the necessary fields. When confronted with subsequent editions, it is generally most convenient to derive a new record from an earlier edition and edit carefully. The cataloging process is fairly straightforward; below are field-by-field reminders.
050 Generate the call number as usual; be sure to use the subject cutter G475.
110 There are three authorized forms of the company name, each covering a specific timeframe. Consult the item and the authority file to determine which form applies to the item in hand.
Sanborn Map & Publishing Co. (1876-1889)
Sanborn-Perris Map Co. (1889-1901)
Sanborn Map Company (after 1901)
245 The title appears in a variety of ways; be sure to transcribe from the piece in hand, especially considering abbreviations. Generally include the date in the subfield a. Example:
245 10 Boswell, Somerset Co., Pennsylvania, August 1910.
246 Add 246 for title forms commonly found on sheets after sheet 1; use the following form:
246 1_ $i Title on sheets 2-[?]: $a [Month, day, name of community, Pa.]
It is also appropriate to include a 246 to provide spelled-out forms of words/names that appear in the first five words in a title, such as “County” for “Co.” and “Pennsylvania” for “PA”, “Pa.” or even “Penna.”:
246 3_ Boswell, Somerset County, Pennsylvania, August 1910
255/034 Most sets are at a scale of 1:600; look for the verbal scale “50 feet to one inch” either as part of the title area or accompanying a bar scale. Some have multiple scales, typically 1:1,200 (generally these have a verbal scale of “100 feet to an inch” in association with the bar scale). Apply as needed, in some cases you may need to apply both of these scales because lower-numbered sheets were done at the larger scale with the rest at the smaller scale. In all cases, add coordinates to 255 $c and 034 $d-$g. Consult GNIS for longitude and latitude.
500 Because these maps embody unique research value, careful attention to notes is paramount when devising a record. In addition to standard cataloging notes, take time to bring out interesting physical details or data the map may include. In general, the later a map is published, the greater chance for additional data, such as indexes, location maps, sheet diagrams, etc. A list of 500 notes in usual note order may include:
Source of title. (Always include. Usually it is “Title from sheet 1” if there is not a separate title sheet, though sheet 1 usually serves as title sheet and more; if there is a separate title sheet then “Title from title sheet” works.)
“Partial cadastral map.” (Always provide this as it justifies the Real property subject heading, the Cadastral maps form/genre heading, and of course immediately tells the reader of the record what the map is about right up front.)
Additional communities covered, when not part of the title proper. (Very important, though it doesn’t happen often.)
Population data. (Give in the form of a quoted note, such as “Population 3,000.”)
Numeric/sheet data (“4321 (12 sheets).”) (Almost always this data is found in the upper right corner of sheet 1, in one of two or three formats (whether the sheet number appears on the sheet or not, in cases where there is not a number on the sheet where this data is found, supply it in square brackets as “[1]” so the situation is understood by other catalogers. This number changes from edition to edition, so be sure to edit carefully when deriving.)
Orientation, which often varies from sheet to sheet and section to section. (This is optional, it is most helpful and easy to apply this note when all sheets are oriented in the same direction as is the case for the earliest editions (generally 1870s and 1880s; if orientation is mixed amongst sheets it is less helpful to the user to know this. John has developed a note for the latter situation that says “Some sheets include multiple sections; sections have various orientations.” Paige only provides the note in typical fashion “Oriented with north to the…” when all of the map sheets are oriented in the same direction, choosing to ignore the “mixed” situation.)
Presence of sections, insets, and/or ancillary maps. (Be as descriptive as you wish, but remember that genealogists looking for information on a given business or similar will be helped if you provide the name of what is in the inset or ancillary map because that exposes the name to keyword searches.)
“Includes index of streets and specials…” (Most usually there is more to be said in an Includes note for the title sheet, there will be also an adjoining sheets index map that shows how the individual sheets fit together, there are always notes relating to different topics as well. An option to providing a single “Includes note” is to break these out by sheet and describe what is on a given sheet, starting the note with “Sheet [X] includes…”)
583 Be sure to add the 583 field for any encapsulated sheets. (We believe we are past the portion of the collection in which this applies, but it is still possible that we might hit either a single sheet or an edition where all sheets were encapsulated in the past.)
6XX A comparatively standard set of 6XXs are applied to each map; these are present on the constant data record, requiring only the addition of the community name. Naturally, it is useful to establish the community name in the national authority file if it isn’t already there. The 6XXs:
650 0 Fire risk assessment $z Pennsylvania $z [Community name] $v Maps.
650 0 Real property $z Pennsylvania $z [Community name] $v Maps.
651 0 [Community name] $v Maps.
655 0 Fire insurance maps.
655 0 Cadastral maps.
After cataloging is completed in OCLC, import the record into Workflows. Apply the following parameters:
Library: UP-MAPS
Type: MAPS
Location: MAPS-MP
Make sure they're marked as non-circulating.
Each sheet gets a call number record, but, for preservation reasons, these items DO NOT get barcodes; type AUTO in the Item ID box to have the system generate a unique number. Create call number records for each sheet, and have the system generate an ID number for each record.
DO NOT write the call number on individual sheets, unless the sheets are encapsulated. When encapsulation is present, apply a silver foil-backed sticker to add call numbers to each sheet, as per regular procedures.
Take statistics as usual; these are considered part of the retro project, so be sure to take retro stats as well.
Add metadata information to the Excel spreadsheet for Kevin’s use with the digital versions of the maps. Spreadsheets live on the W drive in Roo → Cataloging → Sanborn maps. Each letter of the alphabet has a separate file/database; choose the letter corresponding to the community name, and add the information in alphabetical order by community, and by date within each community, oldest-newest. Add: Title, Title control number, OCLC number, and No. of sheets involved. Cut and paste data from the record if desired. As letters are completed, the spreadsheet is turned over to Kevin. Remember only one person can access the file at once, so close the spreadsheet when not in use.
Return folders to the Maps Library, being careful to re-file them in order in the drawers. Add check marks to the page in the printed Index next to the map editions completed. As drawers are completed, move the magnetic note and Index to the next drawer in sequence.
