American Geographical Society Library

A World Class Research Library

The American Geographical Society Library (AGSL), one of the premier collections of its kind in North America, contains over 1.5 million items supporting instruction, research and outreach at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and around the world. Formerly the library and map collection of the American Geographical Society (AGS) of New York, it was donated to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Libraries in 1978 following a nationwide selection process..

The AGSL was formed in the early 1850s to support research in and diffusion of geographical and statistical information and to maintain a collection of maps, charts and instruments. By 1870, this library was already recognized as the “largest and most valuable” of its type in the United States. Later, at the conclusion of World War I, the United States Government centered the preliminary work of its delegation to the Paris Peace Conference, President Wilson’s famous “Inquiry,” at the Society’s headquarters to utilize many of the Library’s unique resources.

GIS Data

The American Geographical Society Library assumes the responsibility of serving the UW-Milwaukee community as the clearinghouse for digital spatial data on campus. For more information about GIS Services, see their Geodata webpage.

The AGSL maintains a guide for Finding and Using GIS Data that covers many popular topics and datasets for research and instruction at UWM.

The Geodata@Wisconsin geoportal, hosted by the Wisconsin State Cartographer’s Office is a fantastic resource for discovering and downloading geospatial data in Wisconsin.