The Library of Congress: Geography's Treasury Life Inside a Watershed
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Volume 45, Number 1 • January 2010 In This Issue The Library of Congress: Geography’s Treasury t’s been 25 years since holds extensive historical the AAG held its annu- and current book and peri- I al meeting in Washing- odical collections on every ton, DC, so scholars and imaginable geographical From the Meridian .................1 researchers from around topic, a brief history of the President’s Column ................3 the world will have a lot collection might both whet Focus on D.C. Region ...............6 NGRESS to do this Spring when it your appetite and prepare CO Washington Monitor ..............7 F Y O you for the sheer volume Grants and Awards comes to catching up on of its holdings. Received ...................................10 the extraordinary cultural IBRAR Call for Papers ........................10 and geographic research Of Note .....................................12 institutions in this famous- CREDIT: L The Library of Specialty Group News ............13 ly archival city. What bet- Library of Congress Reading Room. Congress Books Received .....................14 ter place to start than the Briefly, the Library of AAG Elections ........................16 Geography and Map division of the Library of Congress was established by an act of Congress New Members .......................26 Congress? in 1800 upon the transfer of the capital from Jobs in Geography ...................33 Several major events at the AAG’s annual Philadelphia to Washington. The legislation initially Award Deadlines...................46 meeting will help geographers experience and envisioned a reference library for Congress only, Events .......................................47 better understand the Library of Congress (LoC), containing “such books as may be necessary for the Members of Note ......................47 with a special focus on the treasures and scholarly use of Congress - and for putting up a suitable apart- resources of its Geography and Map Division. ment for containing them therein…” But as it is the largest library in the world and Continued on page 2 Life Inside a Watershed: The Renewal of the Anacostia River? he Anacostia River drifts return to refashion the city’s waterfront in partnership through Washington, with the D.C. government, that abuse in some ways TD.C. from Bladensburg, continues. Residents fear displacement in favor of an Maryland, once a mighty port, invading commodity culture that threatens to replace to its juncture with the Potomac local cultural traditions, decimate local neighborhoods, LAND Y River. It does not flow, but rather and destroy their sense of place. For many, the river AR M rises and falls with the tides frames the rest of the city and helps to articulate pro- F Y O of the Chesapeake Bay. Ameri- cesses of social and economic injustice. ERSIT cans have, of course, historically Still, the Anacostia is precious to many who live along V NI mistreated their rivers in many its shores for its overwhelming natural beauty and the ways, and the Anacostia is no CREDIT: U exception. Now, as developers Continued on page 8 Students from the University of Maryland and local environmentalists designed and built a drainage system to decrease pollution of the Anacostia River during heavy Preliminary Program Available January 25 rains. 2010 AAG Annual Meeting www.aag.org/annualmeetings/2010 www.aag.org AAG Newsletter 1 January 2010 From the Meridian Library of Congress from page 1 AAG Newsletter The original library was housed in the 90,000 square feet in the Library’s James of the Capitol itself until August 1814, when Madison Memorial Building. Annual addi- Association of American our colleagues from Britain visited and set tions to the Geography and Map Division’s Geographers fire to the Capitol Building, burning and collections average 60,000-80,000 maps and pillaging the fledgling library in its cozy 2,000 atlases. The many rare and valuable apartment, together with its comfortable maps and atlases in the collection include the Douglas Richardson, Publisher leather chairs and globes, and its modest recently acquired 1507 Waldseemuller map, and Managing Editor but hopeful collection of original prints chronicling Jim Ketchum, Editor books and maps.* Fortunate- of Napoleon’s adventures in AAG Voice 202-234-1450 ly, however, Americans are Egypt, and the 1482 printed AAG Fax 202-234-2744 not ones to let minor slights edition of Claudius Ptolemy’s fester, and within one month Geography. The Geography [email protected] retired President Thomas and Map Division holds, pre- www.aag.org Jefferson offered his entire serves, and makes available to personal library as a replace- the public the largest and most USPS 987-380 ISSN 0275-3995 ment. Jefferson had spent 50 comprehensive collection of years accumulating books, maps and atlases in the world. The AAG Newsletter ISSN 0275- “putting by everything which 3995 is published monthly with July/ related to America, and Richardson AAG and Library of August combined, by the Association indeed whatever was rare and Congress of American Geographers, 1710 16th valuable in every science” and his library To help guide you through this mag- Street NW, Washington, DC 20009- was considered one of the finest in the nificent collection, John Hebert, Director 3198. The cost of an annual subscrip- country. The ecumenical nature of his col- of the Library of Congress Geography and tion is $25.00 The subscription price lection, reflecting a voracious curiosity on Map Division, will deliver a special plenary is included in the annual dues of the all subjects, fundamentally altered the phi- presentation at the AAG Annual Meeting on Association. Not available to non- losophy and rationale behind the collecting the Library of Congress’ geographic collec- members. Periodicals postage paid in policies of the LoC, which then saw its tions, its dynamic plans for the future, and Washington, DC. All news items and mission as a repository for open scholarship how geographers can access the Library for letters, including job listings, should be on every conceivable intellectual pursuit. research and pleasure. Dr. Hebert’s plenary sent to the Editor at the address below In 1897, the Library of Congress moved talk is hosted by the Washington Map or to [email protected]. to the ornate, Italian Renaissance Jefferson Society and will be held at 8:00pm on April All Newsletter materials must arrive Building, which is today one of three Library 15, 2010, at the AAG meeting headquarters at the Association office by the 1st of of Congress buildings clustered near the US hotel, the Marriott Wardman Park. the month preceding the month of the Capitol. The central Reading Room of the Dr. Hebert has also been working collab- publication. This includes job listings. Jefferson Building is one of the most beautiful oratively with the AAG on a plan to archive, Material will be published on a space odes to the love of knowledge in Washing- digitize, and jointly distribute the AAG Geo available basis and at the discretion of ton. It is simply not to be missed. graphers on Film Collection, created largely by Wes the editorial staff. The Library’s collection of more than 130 and Nancy Dow, at the Library of Congress. When your address changes, please million items includes more than 29 million An update on this joint initiative also will be notify the Association office immedi- cataloged books and other print materials provided at the AAG Annual Meeting. ately. Six weeks notice is necessary in 460 languages; more than 58 million An AAG Field Trip to two special Library to ensure uninterrupted delivery of manuscripts; the largest rare book collection of Congress Open House events exclusively AAG publications. To assist the AAG in North America; and the world’s largest for AAG annual meeting attendees will also office in your address change, include collection of films and sound recordings. take place on Saturday, April 17, from 9:00am the address label with your change of to 12:00pm. Both the Geography and Map address. The Geography and Map Division Division and the Prints and Photographs Postmaster: Send address changes But of course of most importance is its Division of the Library of Congress will to AAG Newsletter, 1710 16th Street unparalleled collection of maps and related welcome AAG attendees and these events NW, Washington, DC 20009-3198, or cartographic and geographic reference mate- are open to anyone (including spouses) with [email protected]. rials. The Library’s original “Hall of Maps an AAG conference badge. There is no charge to and Charts” has now become the Geography attend these special Library of Congress Open House and Map Division, occupying an area of Continued on page 4 2 AAG Newsletter www.aag.org President’s Column Volume 45, Number 1 Geographic Research and the National Academies ven while each of us can make an and Mapping Science (Keith Clarke, chair) the Geographical Sciences in the Next impassioned case for the importance respond to requests from Congress and Decade.” Its charge was to formulate a Eof our own research, we also rec- other entities by developing proposals for short list of high priority geographical ognize that certain topics, whether they expert studies. I encourage you to check research questions relevant to societal are the ones we have chosen or not, have out the composition and current projects needs. You may recall that this committee more direct social relevance, more imme- of these committees (www.nas.edu). Also (Alec Murphy, chair) sought input from diately recognizable scientific or social informative are the short articles by W. all of us at the Boston AAG meeting or merit, or more funding support than oth- Graf in Directions Magazine as written statements after- ers. Beyond the urgent needs of people (2003) and B.L. Turner II ward. If you missed those and places in crisis, the elegance of fine in the Professional Geographer opportunities, watch for scholarship, the opportunities afforded by (57(3): 462–7, 2005).