Into the dungeon: Shifting a quarter-million maps to the sub-basement

On June 12, 2025, two Map & Data Library staff members presented on how the library moved its collection of a quarter-million maps to the sub-basement of Robarts Library. Leanne Trimble (MDL Head and Data Librarian) and Nick Field (Data Support Specialist) presented at CARTO 2025 at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario to the Association of Canadian Map Libraries and Archives.

Their presentation covered the following:

• Change management: shifting from a browsable collection to one in storage
• Creating a map retrieval service
• How to respond to ambiguous requests
• Transforming collection space (maps and atlases) into student space (study space and an expanded computer lab)
• What to keep when reducing book/atlas collections by 75%
• Outreach plans, including book displays, map-focused conferences, and class tours
• Glimpses of the renovated space