Staff Spotlight

Name: David C. McQuillan Title: Map librarian, Thomas Cooper Library Describe your job. The Map Library on the fifth floor of Thomas Cooper Library employs two librarians, one fulltime staff member, and four students who assist patrons in their use of the library’s collection of more than 400,000 maps and photos covering the entire world and all of South Carolina. Heavy users of the collection are geographers and historians, but anybody can access the materials, which include a large travel collection consisting of travel guides, city, and state maps. People going to conferences can come by the library and research where they’re going. Other users might want to learn more about a place they’re reading about. Every subject area has a need for maps if somebody wants to find a location. One of the largest current groups of users are engineering companies using air photos for what are known as phase one studies that enable them to see the history of a land area as part of their decision-making about projects. How far back do the maps go? The U.S. Geologic Survey Topographic maps, which comprise about half of the library’s collection, date from the late 1890s up to the present. We also have U.S. Army maps from World War II, and modern maps. We try to keep up-to-date on current road maps, city plans, soil surveys, and other similar documents. We also offer scanning, and digital maps. Do you have previous USC experience? I arrived at USC in 1971 as a master’s candidate in the Department of Geography after receiving a bachelor’s degree in geography from the University of Southern Mississippi. I was offered an assistantship to work with the geography department’s map collection, but soon afterwards enrolled in what is now the School of Library and Information Science where I received a master’s degree in 1974. I also received a master’s in geography from USC in 1975 for which I wrote my thesis on the history of Columbia and its streetcars. I was hired as the department’s fulltime map curator after I got my master’s in geography. What is it about maps that first attracted you to your work? When I was growing up my family always had lots of road maps that were available at gas stations and we always traveled. They just became something I enjoyed working with when I was young. I’ve always enjoyed travel, and geography, and maps. What are your outside interests? My wife and I are both active in the community. I was chairman of the board and am now treasurer of the First Church of Christ, Scientist on Pickens Street in Columbia where my wife is the current board chair. I’m also on the board and my wife is business manager for the Sterling Chamber Players, a Columbia chamber music group that plays three concerts a year at the Sterling Garden Center. We’re long-time supporters of the S.C. Philharmonic, and in 1992 we restored a 1913 house in Gibbes Court across from Capstone that we live in. How do you unwind? My wife and I like to travel, especially in conjunction with meetings of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions, the world library professional organization in which I’m serving my fourth term as chair of the Geography and Map Section. Since 1991 we’ve been to every continent except Antarctica. This summer the meeting is in Buenos Aires. In addition to attending the meeting there, we’ll also travel to Peru and Rio de Janeiro. I’m the unofficial photographer for the library and also document our trips with pictures that I present in talks to Columbia area groups. 6/04