This is a MapHist list message (when you hit 'reply' you're replying to the whole list) o + o + o + o + o + o + o + o + o + o + o + o + o + o + o + o + o + o + o +
Which sad event reinforces the need, urgent need, to digitise as many old maps as possible ASAP, before war, climate disasters, fires, quakes, decay, etc destroy more. Such a project, surely feasible if the likes of Google Streetview can find enough digital space to store images of every street in Europe and the US, would have many advantages, including 1) Prreservation, with back up, forever 2) accessibility, researchers could often use the digital copies which can be sent anywhere for free, zero risk to the original 3) Less physical handling or light exposure of old maps, as we'd be using the digital image. The main disadvantage I can see is owners fearing devaluation of their asset. But then, is the original Mona Lisa any less valuable because squillions of copies of it exist w/wide? We could pay map owners for allowing digitial copies to be made, then mad eavailable perhaos for a further per-view payment to the owner, hopefully low or zero payment. Any Bill Gates's out there with the philanthropy to set up such a zillion-terabyte digital map archive? Dr Hillary Shaw School of Business, Management and Marketing Harper Adams University College Newport Shropshire TF10 8NB -----Original Message----- From: Tony Campbell <t.campb...@ockendon.clara.co.uk> To: *MapHist <maphist@geo.uu.nl> Sent: Sun, 18 Dec 2011 10:43 Subject: [MapHist] Cairo library burnt This is a MapHist list message (when you hit 'reply' you're replying to the whole list) o + o + o + o + o + o + o + o + o + o + o + o + o + o + o + o + o + o + o + With people once more dying in Cairo, there are major human concerns. However, of relevance to this list are the following extracts from a CNN report: 213-year-old [i.e. 1798] Egyptian maps and historical manuscripts -- described as "irreplaceable" -- were destroyed after a library in Cairo was set ablaze during the clashes, officials said ... Egypt's Prime Minister Kamal Ganzouri, appointed by the military earlier this month, condemned the library attack, which he called an "arson committed by the protesters who portrayed no patriotism in protecting the symbols of the historical civilization of this nation." The 200,000-book library is called the Scientific Center. Destroyed in the fire were the original manuscript of the "description of Egypt" and "irreplaceable maps and historical manuscripts preserved by many generations since the building of the Scientific Center in August 1798 during the French Campaign," Ganzouri said in a statement. Egypt lost a piece of "its national treasure" and "its rare history," the prime minister said. The library was a scene of intense confrontation Saturday. A dozen men dressed in military uniform were positioned on the library roof and threw cement blocks and rocks on the protesters and sprayed them with water hoses to push them away from the building. But protesters hurled back rocks as well as Molotov cocktails. Then a massive explosion erupted, apparently originating from inside the building, and black smoke billowed. Firefighters were busy putting out another fire in a nearby building. Protesters were bleeding from rocks thrown at them. At least one demonstrator was unaware that the structure was a library containing historical documents. "We had no idea it was a library. We love our country. Why were the military thugs on the rooftop of the building in the first place, throwing debris and rocks at us? They destroyed it, not us, and now they will use it to turn public opinion against us and label us thugs," said Ahmed Ali, a student and activist involved in the clashes. "Since when are buildings or manuscripts more important than the lives of humans?" he added. Tahrir Supplies, a group that provides medical care to Egyptians injured in Tahrir Square clashes, publicly asked protesters to return any books or maps taken from the library and deposit them at a nearby church. But such a book return appeared daunting Saturday as the neighborhood was embroiled in clashes. Tony Campbell i...@tonycampbell.info _______________________________________________ MapHist: E-mail discussion group on the history of cartography hosted by the Faculty of Geosciences, University of Utrecht. The statements and opinions expressed in this message are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the University of Utrecht. The University of Utrecht does not take any responsibility for the views of the author. List Information: http://www.maphist.nl Maphist mailing list Maphist@geo.uu.nl http://mailman.geo.uu.nl/mailman/listinfo/maphist
_______________________________________________ MapHist: E-mail discussion group on the history of cartography hosted by the Faculty of Geosciences, University of Utrecht. The statements and opinions expressed in this message are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the University of Utrecht. The University of Utrecht does not take any responsibility for the views of the author. List Information: http://www.maphist.nl Maphist mailing list Maphist@geo.uu.nl http://mailman.geo.uu.nl/mailman/listinfo/maphist
