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Maps & geospatial data

ƬƵ Library holds a significant collection of maps, atlases, air photos, satellite imagery, and data covering the greater Montreal region, the province of Quebec, Canada, and the rest of the world.

The links below provide information about the location of each collection as well as details about how materials can be accessed or requested.

Need Help?

data.library [at] mcgill.ca (subject: Maps%20%26%20geospatial%20data%20help) (Email me)

data.library [at] mcgill.ca (Giovanna Badia)
Humanities and Social Sciences Library

Geospatial data

ƬƵ Library collects geospatial data primarily for the Montreal region, secondarily for Quebec, Canada, and the United States.Most of the data sets in the Library's collection are licensed to ƬƵ University; use of these data are restricted to students, faculty, and staff for academic teaching and research purposes. Users are required to fill out a Geospatial Data Request form and sign a Data License Agreement before using the files.

GIS software is required to view or use geospatial data. A list of free data-viewers is provided below. ƬƵ Library does not endorse or provide support for any of these viewers

  • is a lightweight GIS data viewer developed by ESRI. This is a complete data explorer that allows users to display and query a wide selection of data sources.
  • is a user friendly Open Source Geographic Information System. It runs on Linux, Unix, Mac OSX, Windows and Android and supports numerous vector, raster, and database formats and functionalities.
  • provided by Google.
  • is an AutoCAD file viewing application that allows users to open, view, and print DGN, DWG, and DXF file formats.
  • allows users to view most GIS/AutoCAD and raster image file types and most ArcView, ArcExplorer, and MapInfo projects.

Upcoming GIC Workshops

  • ƬƵ users only
  • Open access resource
  • Free resource
  • In-library-use only
  • Catalogue record

Maps

ƬƵ Library has an extensive map collection, with primary emphasis on Montreal, the province of Quebec, Canada, and the United States. The collection also includes international atlases, topographic maps and thematic maps for many of the world's countries.

Rare Books and Special Collections holds most historical maps and atlases, dating from 1556 to 1940. Significant maps in the collection include plates from the atlases of Willem Blaeu, Gerard Mercator, and Abraham Ortelius.

Topographic maps

Thematic maps and atlases

Nautical charts

Aeronautical charts

Looking for the GIC?

The Geographic Information Centre (GIC) is now part of the Department of Geography.

  • ƬƵ users only
  • Open access resource
  • Free resource
  • In-library-use only
  • Catalogue record

Airphotos and satellite imagery

ƬƵ Libraryhas a collection of nearly 50,000 airphotos. Aerial photo coverage is primarily for Montreal, Quebec and Canada. The Centre's collection also includes digital orthophotos, DEMs and satellite imagery covering various regions of Canada and the world.

Looking for the GIC?

The Geographic Information Centre (GIC) is now part of the Department of Geography.

  • ƬƵ users only
  • Open access resource
  • Free resource
  • In-library-use only
  • Catalogue record

Citation guides to cartographic materials


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