MSU Libraries

Part of the black-ink plate to the 1912 Lansing topographic map.

From the 1880s to the 1950s, the U.S. Geological Survey used engraved copper plates in the process of printing topographic and geographic quadrangle maps. Copper alloy engraving plates were inscribed with a mirror image of the points, contour lines, symbols, and text that constitute a topographic map. Each plate was inscribed with details for a single color of ink. Every sheet of paper had to be impressed multiple times to make a complete color map. In order to make large numbers of prints, USGS transferred the...

We will be offering many fun and useful workshops this semester!

Print your Neighborhood: 3D Printing From A Topographic Map: No 3D printing experience necessary. Use simple applications to prepare a file to 3D print a small area relief map of your favorite place or research area. Please bring a laptop with Autodesk 123D loaded (it can be downloaded for free here) Tuesday January 26th 3-4 PM (in the Makerspace Series) No registration needed - just show up to the Makerspace on the second floor of the library

QGIS Workshop 1: Choropleth Mapping will demonstrate how to make a...

In his speech to the US Congress on September 24, Pope Francis stated that “Our world is facing a refugee crisis of a magnitude not seen since the Second World War.” This common refrain can be heard throughout the current dialogue on the refugee and migrant situation in Europe and elsewhere but, what does it really mean?

Following the Potsdam Agreement, there were approximately 23 million people displaced either by the war’s effect or through the forced expulsion of Germans from Eastern Europe. These population movements are reflected in our map from 1952, showing an astounding...

In 1986 MSU cartography student Brenda Mathenia made this map of campus that highlights the 14 library locations and their collections. The back summarizes the collections and services of the libraries at that time. Over the intervening 29 years we've changed drastically both in size and composition. Our collections are larger and our locations are fewer. Our computing and study spaces are vastly enhanced and modernized. One thing hasn't changed one iota though, and that is expressed in the last sentence: "The MSU Libraries are constantly growing and changing, responding to the...