--- Begin Forwarded Message ---
Date: Mon, 7 Feb 2000 12:37:42 -0000
From: Francis Herbert <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: RGS-IBG collections accessible to all for a fee
Sender: Francis Herbert <[log in to unmask]>


Reply-To: Francis Herbert <[log in to unmask]>
Message-ID: <[log in to unmask]>


The Bad News: -

Since 1854 the Royal Geographical Society has tried to maintain a map
collection which, dependent upon a government annual grant, could also be
made freely available for consultation by the general public.  The present
government department (that for Culture, Media and Sport) has terminated
this grant.  Consequently this Society, which receives no other government
funding, will have to both institute an appointments system and to make a
daily access charge to non-members.

The Good News:

The daily charge will cover not only a continued public access to the Map
Room (cartographic materials from the fifteenth century to the present,
carto-bibliographies, gazetteers, directories to (re)sources, RGS-sponsored
expedition reports [NB: these are unpublished and hence not available in the
copyright libraries], large-format A0 photocopier, etc.) but also access to
all the Society's other collections : Library (books, guide-books, sailing
directions, and periodicals - including cartography as a subject), Picture
Library (sketches, water-colours, photographs, prints), Archives
(correspondence, submissions for publication in the Society's journals,
manuscript diaries, membership records), and Museum (artefacts).  Prior
appointment with the department most likely to hold the most amount of
relevant research material is essential.  This new system will take effect
from Monday 28 February 2000.

Please visit our website for more information on the Collections :
http://www.rgs.org

Francis Herbert (Curator of Maps, RGS-IBG)
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