Frequently Asked Questions on Establishing Geographic Names for NACO (NACO instructions for establishing geographic names and other map information)
Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) or GEOnet Names Server (GNS) - Official Source for geographic names (For names in the United States and Its Territories)
Rand McNally Commercial Atlas and Marketing Guide (Ref. G1019.R186 Folio) or any other appropriate gazetteer (For names in the United States when the Internet is not available)
GEONames Search or GEOnet Names Server (GNS) - Official Source for geographic names (For all other names except Canada and Great Britain)
Any gazetteer published within the last two years (For all other names (except Canada and Great Britain) when the Internet is not available)
For names in Canada, use the form heading provided by the National Library of Canada (NLC) (Canada) NLC source: Geographical Names Board of Canada (Canada)
For names in Great Britain, base the name on the recent edition of Bartholomew Gazetteer of Places in Great Britain or The Ordnance Survey gazetteer of Great Britain. (Great Britain)
Web Resources for SACO Proposals has a large number of links to electronic geographic names sources, including official gazetteers for Australia, New Zealand, and Canada, that may be used for establishing geographic names for NACO.
GEOLEX (USGS National Geologic Map Database)
Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names
United Nations Geospatial Information Section: Maps and Information Resources
Map Cataloger's Tool Box (Includes scale calculator and subject cutters)
Primary contact: Cynthia Spell
(updated 11/17/2015)