HIST 7900 Theory and Practice-special collections resources: Map and Government Information Library (MAGIL)

The Map and Government Information Library (MAGIL) acquires, organizes and provides access to cartographic and government information. It is located in the sub-basement of the Main Library.

The UGA Libraries serves as Georgia's regional depository for documents published by the Federal government as well as the official depository for documents published by the State of Georgia. Government information produced by select international organizations, including the United Nations, is also collected. Cartographic resources include maps, aerial photography and remote sensed imagery, atlases, digital spatial data, and reference materials, with a particular emphasis on the State of Georgia. 

• Maps and atlases (mid/late-19th century to present) - we hold one of the largest map collections in the United States, with worldwide coverage. Our collecting focus is on the Southeastern United States and the State of Georgia. Our Online Maps Guide can help you find sites that provide digital copies of maps depending on type and coverage.
   
• Publications produced by State of Georgia agencies from 1876 to date are located in the Georgia State Government Documents collection. Materials published since 1994 are available through the Digital Library of Georgia. 
   
• U.S. federal government publications - as the Regional Federal Depository Library for Georgia, we hold the most comprehensive collection in the state
   
• Aerial photographs of the State of Georgia - we hold more than 230,000 photos taken between 1936 and 1993. Access to the indexes to these photographs is available via the Digital Library of Georgia.
   
• City Directories provide name and address information for individuals and businesses in many Georgia cities and towns. Athens city directories prior to 1960 are available in the Digital Library of Georgia. 
   
• MAGIL also offers GIS Data assistance and research services. Examples of GIS projects include:
  • The Town/Gown Divide: Student Housing in Athens, Georgia
  • Population Change in Georgia, 2000-2010
  • Senegal with Cities, Zones, Regions

We have a number of GIS tutorials using QGIS, which is open source (and can run on Macs as well as Windows computers). The tutorials cover a variety of skills to help you create a map from start to finish.

Workshops are offered as part of the Fall and Spring into Research programs and occasionally as part of DigiLab data workshop series. Workshops can also be customized to support classroom projects.