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Remark 1: This message is posted to MapHist, Maps-L and Roadmaps-L, sorry
for any duplication.
Remark 2: Since Jan Werner, the map curator of the Amsterdam University
Library, is only recently on e-mail and not yet subscribed to one of these
lists I take the liberty of giving information on his library.
MAP ROOM OF AMSTERDAM UNIVERSITY LIBRARY MOVES
Everyone who has visited the map room of the Amsterdam University Library in
the last few year can remember a rather small room, overloaded with
book-shelves and map cases (Pohlschroeder type). There was hardly place for
the map curator and his staff, not to speak of visitors. And because the
storage was too small, a lot of maps and books were stored elsewhere in the
building, on other floors, and not always in good circumstances..
The map room was hardly accessible for the elderly visitor, because it was
housed on the fourth floor, while the elevator doesnot go further than the
third.
Since a few months the map room is now housed in a new space in the same
building complex, again on the fourth floor but this time with an elevator
to the right floor (the university library is housed in several adjoining
buildings connected only on a few floors).
The new map room has now separate spaces for visitors and staff - however
the staff has good view over the visitors. Storage of maps and atlases is in
several rooms on the same floor (not for public) in better climatic
circumstances, and easier to get for the staff.
Since the collection has about 145,000 map sheets and about 4,500 atlases
you can imagine a lot of space was necessary. The new map room therefore is
partly new built on a flat roof. The most valuable maps could be stored
horizontal in new cabinets with drawers. (I am not a map curator, so don't
ask me for details, Jan Werner's e-mail address is below).
After a spectacular move and a period of test run the new map room is
officially opened on this leap day 1996.
The group of guests gathered in the old map room, which is now transformed
in a student reading room. After an introduction by Ton Croiset van Uchelen
the map curator Jan Werner gives us an introduction on the moving of the map
room. It took him and his staff a lot of troubles and sweat before
everything was o.k.
After his introduction Jan Werner guided the group through the complex
university library to the new location. For this occasion the guide was
provided with a special sign: a world map-umbrella, so everybody could see
who to follow!
The official opening of the new maproom was done by Ab Sijmons, the former
map curator (retired 1978), by unveiling the recently restored wall map of
Holland by Van Berckenrode-Visscher. - To give the visitors of the map room
an impression of the rich collection two items are exhibited: Blaeu's Atlas
Maior in a richly ornamented 17th century cabinet and one of the wall maps
(every few years the wall map will be replaced by an other).
The opening had also a very modern aspect: the new home page of the map room
was inaugurated. Although still in its experimental stage, you can try it
out (some sections will not work, the designer warned me). The address is:
http://info.uba.uva.nl/ubaweb/collects/kaarten/kaarten.html
The text is in Dutch, but there are a lot of map illustrations. So language
should not be the problem. Just browse the different hypertexts and you find
maps, photographs of the old and new map room etc. The most important links are:
"historie" = history of the map collection and of the map room, illustrated
with old photographs of the building, the room and curators
"Raadplegen" = information on consulting the collection, with a.o.
illustrations of the facsimiles for sale.
"oude" or "oude documenten" = a selection of old maps
"moderne" or "moderne documenten" = a selection of modern maps, a.o. a
satellite photo of Amsterdam
"curiosa" = selection of curiosities, a.o. the Elsevier umbrella globe and a
Marshall Islands stick chart
"bijzondere" = special documents
"Amsterdam" = plans from the 16th to 20th centuries
"Nederland" = maps of the Netherlands
"Europa" = maps of Europe
"Wereld" = world maps
Clicking on the maps gives a full view of the maps or documents (if you have
time enough, large documents).
Address for further information:
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The postal address and telephone numbers are not changed.
University Library, Map Room
Singel 426, 1012 WP Amsterdam
P.O. Box 19185, 1000 GD Amsterdam
tel. +31 20 525 2354 or 525 2355
fax +31 20 525 2311
e-mail: [log in to unmask]
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Dr Peter van der Krogt
FRW-Cartography
University of Utrecht Mijerstraat 20
P.O. Box 80.115 2613 XM DELFT
3508 TC UTRECHT The Netherlands
tel. +31 30 253 2052 fax: +31 15 212 6063
email: [log in to unmask]
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