The user community of the AGSL is large, owing to the variety of geographic information and research needs of a large number of academic disciplines, and owing to the esthetic value of many items in the AGSL, which attract an entirely different user community. The Library particularly supports the following UWM academic units: American Indian Studies, Anthropology, Archeology, Architecture, Art, Art History, Biological Aspects of Conservation, Biological Sciences, Center for Economic Development, Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies, Center for Urban Initiatives and Research, Chemistry, Civil Engineering, Classics, Comparative Literature, Criminal Justice Institute, School of Education, Engineering, English, Film, Fine Arts, Foreign Language and Literature, Geography, Geosciences, History, Information Studies, Limnology, Mass Communications, Mathematical Sciences, Nursing, Philosophy, Physics, Political Science, Psychology, Spanish and Portuguese, Urban Planning, and Urban Studies. The Library also serves the geographic research needs of the region's general public.

The purpose of the AGSL, currently consisting of over 1 million items, is to provide comprehensive geographical information both current and retrospective, in a variety of formats, to UWM faculty, staff, and students, local researchers and the international scholarly community. This collecting mission of the AGSL, the only unit of the UWM Libraries which can engage in a disciplinary collecting effort on a global scale, is grounded in the Library's historic role and sustained by the University's commitment to the American Geographical Society and the value of the Library as a premier resource for the University and as a cultural treasure for the State and people of Wisconsin.

The AGSL comprises seven interrelated format-specific collections. Each of these has its own focus, collection priorities and depths, and will be addressed individually. The formats are as follows: Maps and charts, Atlases, Reference works, Monographs, Serials, Photographs and slides, and Digital data.

Maps and Charts

The AGSL map and chart collection is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world, and maintaining this resource is one of the principal efforts of the Library. The collecting objectives of the AGSL map collection are as follows:

Topographic mapping (i.e.: the basic record of the earth's physical and cultural environment)

World
1:250,000 & smaller

N. America
1:25,000 / 1:50,000 / 1:63,360 and smaller

S. America
1:100,000 / 1:250,000 and larger.

Europe
1:50,000

Asia
1:200,000 -250,000 --selected areas larger

Africa
1:200,000 -250,000 --selected areas larger

Australia
1:250,000 & 1:100,000

Geologic maps (the structure of the earth)

World
1:2,500,000 or larger in areas of faculty research interest, depending on availability of materials

N. America
1:500,000 or larger

Thematic maps: As available, depending on faculty research interests, and with acquisition priorities in direct proportion to local proximity.

Country maps: Recent country maps are collected.

City maps and plans: Recent maps and plans of major cities are collected, with priorities in direct proportion to local proximity.

Local coverage: A serious attempt is made to acquire (1) most material covering Southeastern Wisconsin, including the Milwaukee metro area; (2) all significant materials covering the state of Wisconsin; and (3) most significant material covering the Great Lakes region.

Atlases

The aim is to collect all major world, regional, national, and state atlases, both general and thematic, with special emphasis on current collection strengths and the research needs of the University.

Reference Works

A comprehensive collecting level is maintained for reference materials relating to geography and cartography. Priority is also given to materials which support the other format-pecific collections and the curricular and research needs of the University. The AGSL reference collection includes titles not specifically published as reference works but whose de facto reference value precludes their circulation.

Monographs

The monographic holdings of the AGSL primarily comprise older materials of broad geographic scope. Current geographical works are collected for the general collections of the UWM Libraries. Relationships have been established with numerous major publishers to receive review copies of newly published material within the broad field of geography for listing in Current Geographical Publications, the international bibliographic journal published by the AGSL.

Serials

Historically, the AGSL serial holdings are among the strongest anywhere in the field, and the AGSL collects at the highest possible level, thanks in part to many gift and exchange subscriptions. Regional coverage is very broad.

Photographs and Slides

Gift collections of photographs and slides are selectively acquired provided full property rights, including reproduction rights, are granted by the donor or seller. To be considered for inclusion, the images must be of broad regional or thematic interest to the field of geography.

Digital Data

The major emphasis is placed upon local data (Milwaukee and Southeastern Wisconsin), the State of Wisconsin, and the Great Lakes region. Less emphasis is placed upon data acquisition for the United States and world data. Research interests of faculty and students for other areas are supported, particularly with Landsat imagery, as funds permit. The AGSL will maintain a Web page of freely available data sets that match this emphasis. The AGSL strives to provide the hardware, software packages, and data necessary for access to digital data that support the research interests of faculty, students, and staff of UWM.

Facsimiles

Facsimiles of cartographic works are collected for three primary reasons: (1) to provide examples of important manuscripts and rare printed materials which are not in the collection; (2) to provide less expensive facsimiles of works which are in the collection, to minimize unnecessary handling of original materials, especially rare and valuable ones, when these items will be used intensively for study purposes; and (3) in support of outreach services.

Africology, Anthropology, Art History (older AGSL maps are frequently studied, and even lent to national exhibits, as art works), Comparative Study of Religion, Geography, Geosciences, Great Lakes, History, Latin American and Caribbean Studies, Sociology, Urban Planning, and Urban Studies.