Shreveport, LA—The James Smith Noel Collection, located on the third floor of the LSUS Noel Memorial Library, unveiled its latest exhibit, Cartographic Curiosities” on August 23 which will be available to the public through October 15. Guests are welcome to visit from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
The exhibit showcases cartography featuring maps from around the world dating from the sixteenth to the nineteenth century. Maps have served as detailed visual representations of the human desire to explore and learn. From oblique city views, to the creation of orderly grids, to elaborate charts plotting travel to distant lands, maps have grown in scope and complexity alongside humanity.
“We are so happy to be able to provide an exhibit of our materials for the first time since March 2020,” Director of Noel Collection and Associate Librarian Martha Lawler said. “We have missed sharing the collection with visitors and seeing the excitement as they discover the special qualities of the items. Before the pandemic, we had planned to do a map exhibit and had to put that idea on hold. Now, it just seems even more appropriate, since it is still difficult for most people to travel. They can explore vicariously through these maps, all of which were created without GPS positioning and by using the simplest of tools.”
Per state recommendations, guests are asked to wear a mask or face covering at all times while on the LSUS campus. For more information, contact Martha Lawler at 318-798-4163 or martha.lawler@lsus.edu.
About LSUS
Founded in 1967, Louisiana State University Shreveport offers a wide array of nationally accredited undergraduate and graduate degree programs, including a doctoral degree. The university’s mission is to educate a diverse population of graduate and undergraduate students; engage in regional and global thought leadership through community collaboration and service; and innovate to enhance the application of knowledge and intellectual discovery through faculty and student research and creative endeavors.
