I would like to say that my experience of academic map library disposals
is rather different from that of Richard:
While the vast majority of university libraries/ geography departments
do act responsibly, and the bulk of the holdings are as described by
Richard, in my experience such libraries have more 'treasures' than
Richard thinks including rare foreign mapping acquired decades ago from
the MoD and in certain rare cases (like the Oxford School of Geography)
major manuscript rarities. Important antiquarian rarities are also
often to be found in the special collections deposited in the past by
academics and others. These were often well known to the map librarians
who used to be responsible for them, but such knowledge has usually been
lost following their retirement.
Over the past few years it has cost the British Library a lot of time to
'save' or at least arrange the safe transfer (sometime abroad) of such
material. The work has been thoroughly worthwhile but I remain to be
convinced that this is not the tip of the iceberg and that several other
potentially important map collections have not been dispersed without
any, or the very minimum of reluctant notice being given. This has
certainly been the case with the map collections held by public
libraries.
Best wishes
Peter Barber
Peter Barber MA, FSA, FRHistS
Head of Map Collections
Map Library
British Library
96 Euston Road
London NW1 2DB
tel.(020) 7412 7701
fax (020) 7412 7780
-----Original Message-----
From: A forum for issues related to map & spatial data librarianship
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Timothy Langner
Sent: 25 August 2008 13:54
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [ordnancemaps] Disposal of academic map collections
I would like to make some comments as a non-academic map collector,
whose
also currently a student and therefore has access to Digi-Map. Digi-Map
is a
useful resource and I have made use of it during the course of my
studies to
help me with my coursework. I am also aware that it is copyrighted to
the
OS, so there have been times where I have not used it for my coursework
in
order to have more freedom once my work is finished. With regards to
collecting, perhaps I am unusual compared to other map collectors as I
would
buy paper flat maps. I have some in my collection, for example black
outline
OS maps from the 1960s and 1:250,000 maps from the 1970s. I don't own a
light table to lay them out on but when circumstances permit I would
like to
get hold of such a table so that I can look at the maps more easily.
I would also buy maps in a tatty condition because they are cheaper to
purchase than mint condition maps. I have purchased various maps from
bookshops over the years in such conditions, including maps that have
markings across them in link or coloured pencils. If anyone saw the
first
episode of series 2 of Map Man where Nick Crane cycled across the Lake
District using a Bartholomew map. Well that is the sort of thing I enjoy
doing, expect by foot. In order to fit the maps in my map case they have
to
be folded. I am not so keen to fold my mint condition maps and therefore
find less than mint condition maps perfect for such trips.
I understand the usefulness of inter-library and inter-departmental
disposals of maps. However if the maps are not suitable for disposals
and
their is no local school that could use them, someone should see if a
non-academic would like them before they get recycled. May be this has
happened at map fairs in the past. However I am never been to a map fair
before, so I do not know. I have mostly tended to buy my maps, in a
vairty
of conditions, from second hand bookshops, charity shops, book fairs,
collectors fairs and sometimes off eBay, although I find eBay gets to
time
consuming. Just my personal opinion.
Regards
Tim
----- Original Message -----
From: "Oliver, Richard" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Cc: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, August 25, 2008 10:27 AM
Subject: RE: [ordnancemaps] Disposal of academic map collections
> [This is in reply to a posting on the Ordnancemaps group, but I
suspect
> that the matter is of equal interest to lis-maps]
>
> In the disposal of surplus maps, I know of no difference in practice
> between university and 'other' libraries. Although it is true that
there
> have been some 'mishaps' over the past few years, there has also been
a
> great deal of care in the disposal of surplus University map
collections,
> as anyone will know who has been party to, e.g., the Oxford School of
> Geography and University of Reading disposals (advertised via
lis-maps).
> The idea seems to have got abroad that digital-mad carto-illiterate
> university managements are irresponsibly ditching precious map
collections
> built up over many years. My experience and views are somewhat
different.
> Whilst it is to be suspected that most university collections started
> before about 1965 will have a few oddities, if not 'gems', most of the
> holdings will probably be a mixture of standard topographic map series
and
> teaching sets. The standard topographic series will usually be
replicated
> elsewhere (a lot of universities now have access to historic OS
> large-scale mapping via the EDINA service, a facility admittedly
denied to
> the tax-paying general public), and the teaching sets will be so much
> waste paper, taking up valuable space: and 98% or more of these maps
will
> be paper flat, and practically unsaleable to map collectors, and,
indeed,
> difficult even to give away. (Let anyone party to sales and disposals
at
> Charles Close Society map fairs deny this!) The other 2% is likely to
> consist of a 'loan' or 'fieldwork'; collection of standard folded OS
maps,
> often in such a tatty state that it would be an insult to offload them
to
> charity shops. (Incidentally, does anyone know if 'cloth mounted'
post-war
> OS mapping is suitable for paper recycling?)
>
> One of the problems has been that often the map curator has been
disposed
> of in advance of the map collection: another is that the map curator
may
> be simply unaware of anything out of the ordinary, as it is never
asked
> for, and the fact that it is actually out of the ordinary and worth
> preserving is not publicised. (This applies equally to university and
> other libraries.) The alternative is for some philanthropist to offer
to
> store all these redundant maps in an aircraft hanger somewhere, until
such
> time as the maps can be combed through for, presumably, the OS
equivalent
> of the Hereford Map!
>
> It seems that 100+ maps have been rescued in Manchester. What areas do
> they cover? If of Manchester, it might just be possible to dispose of
them
> locally. A method that has been used with some university collections
has
> been to post a list, first-come-first-served, on condition that the
new
> owner takes responsibility for collection/carriage. How many maps thus
> advertised have found homes other than a recycling skip, I wonder...
>
> Yours provokatively (but he hopes even-handedly),
>
> Richard Oliver
>
> ________________________________
>
> From: [log in to unmask] on behalf of noiseismusic
> Sent: Sat 8/23/2008 5:57 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [ordnancemaps] Map collection
>
>
>
> The impression I get is that when university departments, expect
possibly
> libraries, no longer need their maps they often chuck them in the bin,
> instead of thinking isn't their some non-academic out there who would
like
> such an item.
>
> Is that actually case or am I just getting the wrong impression from
what
> I've read over time. I know map libraries off load duplicates to other
map
> libraries but what do university departments do with their obsolete
maps?
>
> Kind regards
>
> Tim
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "redkite11" <[log in to unmask]
<mailto:redkite11%40yahoo.co.uk>
> >
> To: <[log in to unmask]
> <mailto:ordnancemaps%40yahoogroups.co.uk> >
> Sent: Saturday, August 23, 2008 1:27 PM
> Subject: [ordnancemaps] Map collection
>
> I managed to salvage a large part of the University of Manchester
> Department of Planning & Landscape map collection from being thrown
> out - the future is digital. So I now have some 100+ maps that need a
> home or homes! Any suggestions as who to contact or the best way to
> do this.
>
> [I emailed this to [log in to unmask]
> <mailto:ordnancemaps-subscribe%40yahoogroups.com> earlier, so
> aplogies for any duplication]
>
>
>
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
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