ILH Scientific Cartography

GeoKatalog 2 "Geosciences" - the world's most comprehensive scientific map catalogue

For reliable, up-to-date information on available maps from all over the world, GeoKatalog 2 is    indispensable. It is sold to geoscientific institutions, universities, libraries, map shops, engineers, and industry.

The catalogue was started in 1975 by Siegfried Bischoff and Fred Grupp. They continually developed and improved the catalogue until it achieved its present functional form. Since 1993, GeoKatalog 2 is published in English.

The catalogue's characteristics

1. Scientific standards are ensured:

- A special geographical and thematic classification is applied.
- All titles are given in their original spelling, non-Latin scripts are transcribed.
- Author or editor, place and date of publication, and serial titles always are given.

2. Easy-to-use and practical:

- All the wealth of geoscientific mapping is condensed into 1781 pages (as of October 2005).
- The pages are divided into three files (Earth & Europe; Asia, Australia & Africa; Americas, polar regions, oceans and Space).
- The geographical and thematic classification both apply a "speaking" system, i.e. related terms have adjoining numbers.
- Easy access is ensured by a comprehensive index, both numerical and by subjects, including notes for use, a list of acronyms, and a glossary.
- The index and introduction section is bilingual, English and German.
- Each item is characterized by a short/extensive bibliographical description, correlated to the publication's importance.
- Complicated facts are focussed and clarified.
- Numerous cross-references facilitate orientation.

3. Sheet diagrams:

- All important map series have sheet diagrams showing distribution of sheets, with numbers and/or names. The state of available sheets is given by red colour or (from 2000) by raster.
- We often even produce our own sheet diagram where none, or none satisfactory, is to be had from the publisher.

4. Always up-to-date:

- Twice per year an update package is published. Each package contains c. 60 sheets of revised catalogue sections. Revisions are handled in a pragmatic rather than chronological manner, giving priority to the more outdated sections.
- The package is complemented by the catalogue's supplement service, GeoKartenbrief, which has seen 353 issues to date. GeoKartenbrief (German for: map newsletter) lists a half year's new publications from all the catalogue's areas. So GeoKartenbrief ensures your option of updating the catalogue, partially or completely.
- For even more currentness we publish a Monthly Selection containing the Top Ten or so of our fresh arrivals.

How to obtain GeoKatalog 2

GeoKatalog 2 is available from Internationales Landkartenhaus (ILH). Look for information how to order.

User's comments on GeoKatalog 2

Just two voices out of many:

"Je vous exprime toute mon admiration pour le travail unique et d'une grande utilité que vous réalisez à travers GeoKatalog 2." - P. Lannez, BRGM, Orléans

"... like to congratulate you with this achievement!" - Hans van Baren, ISRIC, Wageningen

How to obtain the maps

On principle, all items contained in GeoKatalog 2 are available from Internationales Landkartenhaus (ILH). For booksellers, certain items are available from GeoCenter TMS. Look for detailed information how to order.

Why still printed on paper ?

At present, the basic 3-volume GeoKatalog 2 continues being available in a paper print version. The catalogue's loose-leaf system was once chosen because it allows to give priority to the revision of those area sections which are most outdated. This reason is still prevailing. It simply is not possible for one staff to keep the huge bulk of data updated in the same degree, for every area of the world. This implies that no CD, for example, could be up-to-date in all its parts; nor would an annual CD be justified economically.

Our subscribers, too, when asked in 1998 confirmed their preference of the paper-print version, with clear majority.

Prospects

For further improvement we are discussing new data bank models.



Last update: 29 November 2005

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