From 400-year-old globes to cosmic shrouds: A Maine library brings maps to life
toggle caption Greta Rybus/for NPR
PORTLAND, Maine — For many of us, GPS has been a game changer - a tap, a voice, a turn-by-turn path, will get you there. But there is something special about a physical map that the GPS in your car or phone just can't provide.
When laid out, a physical map can provide a greater sense of scale and place, hints at the allure of far-off lands, and a reminder that we're a small part of a big world with a complex history.
A Library that lets students handle history
toggle caption Greta Rybus/for NPR
That's something that's revealed to students at the Osher Map Library and Smith Center for Cartographic Education, at the University of Southern Maine in Portland.
Students can view maps and globes, both modern and some going back hundreds of years, from all over the world. Many of the maps put Europe as the focal point, some were drawn before America was even mapped, giving the students a different perspective and orientation.
toggle
Continue Reading on NPR
This preview shows approximately 15% of the article. Read the full story on the publisher's website to support quality journalism.