3D Tour Project: Modeling McKeldin's Map Collection

Abstract

At McKeldin library, we are lucky to have one of the largest map collections of any college library in the world. With over 350,000 print maps, including government maps provided through the Federal Depository Library Program, the collection's size and complexity can make it a daunting task to explore and find materials. To tackle this problem, the 3D Tour Project seeks to create a 3D model of McKeldin's map collection, which is located in the west wing of the 4th floor. Using cutting edge GIS software such as ArcGIS Pro, we have created a sample model of a row of the library's cabinets (including individual drawers), each of which has detailed information about the maps contained within. The project will, in the future, be available online and thus accessible to any visitor who wishes to find materials within the collection. Eventually, this project will be expanded to model the entire map collection area and will have more advanced capabilities added through JavaScript programming, including an ability to search through categories of materials.