----------------------------Original message---------------------------- MAPS-L subscribers: Several weeks ago I posted information regarding an exhibit (Visual Geography) prepared by The U.S. Geological Survey and National Geographic Society that is currently on exhibit here at The University of Tennessee (Knoxville). Since then several of you have inquired about what it is, how do you "get" it, how much does it cost, etc., etc. So, I thought I would post my answer to all of you at once. NOTE: The USGS underwrites the museum/library tour. I think Bruce Hubbard of USGS-Reston first posted on MAPS-L information about the exhibit several months ago. The USGS and NGS are responsible for the design, contents, and preparation of the exhibit. HOWEVER you must contact a company: Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC) in Washington, DC to reserve and rent the exhibit. The exhibit is currently booked from now through December 3rd, 1994 EXCEPT maybe for one time slot: July 16th - Sept 4th. Please check with ASTC to make sure of the itinerary. If I were you, I would call now and make a tentative reservation and follow up later with all the required papers. There is a 5 page contract that has to be submitted. Just think about your university lawyers and how much time it takes to get contracts through the bureaucracy. This also assumes that you can convince your Dean/Director to approve the money. I took a chance and it worked. The people at ASTC are very easy to work with and VERY accomodating. You should call: MS Beth Porter Circulation Manager Traveling Exhibition Service 1025 Vermont Ave. NW Suite 500 Washington, DC 20005-3516 (202) 783-7200 Voice (202) 783-7207 FAX or Bernard (Bernie) Jim (Jim is the last name) Circulation Assistant The exhibit consists of 64 free-standing double-sided panels, each 33" (or 34" on outside curve) by 94" high. The exhibit contains 500 images and 350 maps with a lot of explanatory text. The exhibit comes with folded brochures (ca. 4" X 8" color) and several hundred larger (ca. 18" X 24") unfolded (beautiful) posters. The exhibit comes packed in 5 cases: 4 @ 50" X 97" X 15" and 1 @ 30" X 40" X 24". The boxes (crates) all have rollers and are very easy to move and store. Everything is so easy to unpack and assemble. Four of us here at UT took about 2 hours to assemble the whole thing. There is a price: expect to pay anywhere from $500 to $1000 for the rental fee and you must pay for the in-bound shipping (not the out-bound). We payed to have the exhibit moved from Sioux Falls, SD. Cost was about $600. We mounted it on Monday October 4th and will take it down on December 2nd. We have placed ads in the student newspaper, sent info to local newspapers, mailed poster , letter, and promotional literature to all deans, directors, and department heads. I also have given talks at the departments of Geography and Geological Sciences. I also mailed announcements to all school systems across Tennessee. We're hoping the television stations pick up on it. The library staff (including the faculty librarians) are very impressed with the exhibit. We also have a smaller (home-made) exhibit in the main library tracking the history of the Cartographic Information Center from its founding days until now. CIC is located about a 10 minute walk from the main library where the exhibit is on display. I was surprised that few map libraries had displayed the exhibit. If any of you that were interested have further questions, please call or write and I will be more than happy to give you additional details. I hope this answered at least some of your questions. James O. Minton Head, Cartographic Information Center The University of Tennessee - Knoxville 15 Hoskins Knoxville, TN 37996-4006 (615) 974-4315 [log in to unmask]