Testimonials

“The seminar was outstanding. The quality of the readings, discussions with seminar participants, and group analysis of maps were illuminating, enjoyable, and truly stimulating.”

“Newberry Library staff was so helpful and made my research process so easy. They were always there to help and I never needed anything!”

“The Newberry Library is an excellent setting for this kind of program: in addition to facilitating scholars’ access to its rich collection of rare and important research materials, its staff members generously go to great lengths to connect researchers with resources that will advance their projects (whether generously making time to meet with scholars to discuss their work, making recommendations about related collections and resources, or facilitating connections with other experts and institutions). The staff members are consistently warm, welcoming, helpful, patient, professional, and knowledgeable.”

“The library is gorgeous and the staff was very polite and attentive.”

“The directors were professional, conscientious, available to answer questions, and genuinely excited to be part of the experience themselves. I was also very impressed by the group of summer institute participants that they selected. I have never been part of such a stimulating interdisciplinary experience.”

“The seminar has helped me understand on a much deeper level the necessity of applying critical reading and thinking skills to maps.”

“This was a topnotch seminar, by far the best of three I have attended in the past 5 years. The daily readings were challenging but relevant, the discussions were stimulating, the hands-on workshops where we analyzed and presented pairs of maps were interesting, the field trips were relevant and gave us all a sense of ‘place,’ and the opportunity to conduct our own research with so many excellent primary sources was incredible.”

“The Newberry Library was a great place to work. It is staggering to think of the quantity and quality of its vast map collection.”

“This seminar was amazing. I learned an enormous amount about environmental history and cartography.”

“The research portion of the seminar was by far my favorite experience of the summer. It was such a pleasure to use the Newberry’s resources and to conduct research in this spectacular library.”

“The Newberry Library is a gem, a treasure. I loved every moment I spent looking through its collection in the company of my peers and on my own. The opportunity to physically interact with maps ranging from a few years to centuries old cannot be understated. The maps themselves speak to you through the materials and processes that created them. It allows you to reach through time and space to consider the creators of these treasures, engage with them, and have a deep understanding of the world that they lived in and were trying to represent.”