I am a former Cartographer with a Certificate in Cartography and a retired Librarian with a Masters Degree in Library Science.  I just discovered the 2008 edition of the Columbia Gazetteer of the world.  I have the Rand McNally International Atlas from 1994 and the Times atlas of the world 14th edition.  They are both the very top of the line atlasses for their year.  I also have Where Once We Walked 2nd edition and Shtetl Finder.  Should I consider a used set of the 2008 Columbia Gazetteer of the World.  Does anyone know how it compares to the JewishGen Gazetteer?  I have also extensively used the United States Board on Geographic Names 7 volume set on the Soviet Union mainly in the 1980's and early 1990's.  I like to collect the top of the line atlases and gazetteers.  I Use these in Jewish Genealogy all the time.