Hermon Dunlap Smith Center for the History of Cartography
Since 1971, the Smith Center for the History of Cartography has been helping scholars, teachers, and the public understand the world through maps. Historically, maps were more than a means of navigation. They told stories and shaped perceptions of the world.
A visiting scholar leafs through a 1482 edition of Ptolemy's Cosmographia. Call number: VAULT Ayer 6 .P9 1482b
Research Support
The Newberry's collection includes hundreds of thousands of maps, atlases, and travel ephemera. Smith Center staff are available in person or online to help researchers navigate the collection.
Interested in using the collection but not sure where to start? Want to expand the scope of your research by discovering things that may not be on your radar? Call us at (312) 255-3523 or send us an email.
Teaching with Maps
Maps can be a powerful tool for teaching and learning history. On the surface, maps seem like straightforward representations of places in time. But look closer and they'll reveal how people and institutions have viewed, experienced, and shaped the world around them.
It takes practice to be able to read maps for insights about the past. To help students develop this skill, we've created resources that K-12 educators can use to promote map literacy in the classroom.
Fellowships
Scholars who work with maps are invited to apply for research fellowships offered by the Newberry.
Supporting scholars working on projects related to the history of cartography or projects focusing on cartographic materials in the Newberry’s collection.
Stipend: $3,000/month
Length: 1 month
Who can apply: Graduate student applicants must be ABD by the application deadline.
Deadline: January 3
Supporting scholars who demonstrate a specific need for the Newberry collection. This fellowship is open to all fields of study, with preference given to projects in the early modern period or Renaissance, as well as in English history, legal history, or European history.
Stipend: $3,000/month
Length: 1 month
Who can apply: Graduate student applicants must be ABD by the application deadline.
Deadline: January 3
Supporting scholars working on projects related to American History who demonstrate a specific need for the Newberry’s collection.
Stipend: $3,000/month
Length: 1 month
Who can apply: Graduate student applicants must be ABD by the application deadline.
Deadline: January 3
This fellowship commemorates Schutte’s renowned scholarship and is available to early-career scholars studying the early modern period (1300-1700).
Stipend: $3,000/month
Length: 1 month
Who can apply: Early career scholars in all fields of study with preference given to research related to women’s studies, spirituality, or Venice. Graduate student applicants must be ABD by the application deadline.
Deadline: January 3
Nebenzahl Lecture Series
Since 1966, the Nebenzahl Lectures have been dedicated to cultivating a community for the study of maps and their history. Endowed and founded by rare books and map dealers Kenneth and Jossy Nebenzahl in honor of their son, Kenneth Jr., the lectures were the first public lecture series dedicated to the history of cartography.
Join the Smith Center Mailing List
Have a Question?
Get in Touch
Call us at (312) 255-3523 or send us an email.
Use the Collection in Person
Get your hands on the Newberry's unique collection of books, maps, and primary sources.
Learn MoreProfessional Development for Teachers
Led by Chicago-area scholars and Newberry subject specialists, these seminars allow teachers to learn at one of the world’s premier research libraries.
Learn More