General Information About the Earth Sciences & Map Library-University of California, Berkeley

About the Library

Contact Us

Earth Sciences & Map Library
50 McCone Hall
University of California
Berkeley, CA 94720-6000
Phone: (510) 642-2997
Fax: (510) 643-6576
e-Reference

Library Staff:

Fatemah Van Buren
Unit Head
(510) 643-2684
fvanbure@library.berkeley.edu

Zachariah Veley
Operations Supervisor
(510) 643-7041
zveley@library.berkeley.edu

John Ridener
Technical Processing/Map Cataloger
(510) 643-9350
jridener@library.berkeley.edu

Borrowing Policy

The standard circulation periods are one month for books, one week for serials and maps, and 2 hours or 1 day for short-term loan items. Materials other than course reserves and items that have been blocked, billed, or recalled may be renewed by phone or through GLADIS using the online inventory renewal commands. A valid UCB ID or UCB library card is required to check out items.

Photocopying and Printing

The Library is equipped with two self-service photocopy machines, one of which is a photocopier/printer. The photocopier/printer is networked to the public workstations and can make black-and-white and color copies, up to 11 x 17 inches. Photocopy services are also provided by the Library Photocopy Services, located in 321 Moffitt Library, 238 Boalt Hall, and 2101 Valley Life Sciences Building. Oversize copies, up to 36 inches by any length, may be obtained at various commercial services located just off-campus.

The Library has 2 microfilm/fiche reader/printers. One reader/printer is connected to a computer for scanning film/fiche. For printing, these reader/printers and the photocopier/printer only accept copy cards, which can be purchased from an on-site vending machine. Additional information about copying and computer printing in the UC Berkeley Libraries is available. Digital images and scans can be made at the Digital Imaging Lab. Slides, transparencies, microfilm, microfiche, and photographs, can be made by the Copy Photography unit of Library Film Services.

Reference Services

Reference service is available in the library, by phone (510-642-2997), or electronically through e-Reference.

The Library provides assistance in using the various online catalog systems; connecting to various databases; locating citations; finding books, maps and other materials in the Library; and using CD-ROMs and DVDs. Pathfinder (GLADIS), Berkeley's online catalog, and MELVYL, the University-wide computer catalog, contain records for all books, maps, and other materials in the Library's collection. On-line guides to the catalogs are available, and the Teaching Library provides many research guides for locating information and materials in the libraries, also. The Library's reference works include abstracts, dictionaries, directories, encyclopedias, gazetteers, glossaries, manuals, and statistical tables. A listing of major reference titles is available.

To aid in locating geological information, GeoRef, a bibliographic database indexing geologic literature from 1785 to date, is available through Cambridge Scientific Abstracts. Other indexing and abstracting services, such as the Web of Science and Silver Platter's Geography Database are also online. In addition, printed catalogs and bibliographies are available to aid in locating information; and gazetteers and other place-name guides, glossaries, and cartobibliographies will aid in the understanding of mapping, remote sensing, and related fields.

Inter-Library Borrowing

For materials not available on the Berkeley campus, staff can help UCB patrons (faculty, staff, and students) borrow these items from other campuses and institutions. Non-UCB patrons should go through Interlibrary Services to obtain materials from other institutions.

Special Equipment

The Library has a color photocopier/printer, black-and-white photocopy machine, microfilm and microfiche reader/printers, and several computer workstations (two of which are equipped with CD-ROM/DVD readers, zip drives, and GIS software). AirBears wireless internet access is available in the library's reading room. Light tables for tracing maps, distance measuring devices, and stereoscopes for viewing aerial photographs may be used in-house.