January 28, 2003 New Book on "Washington in Maps" To Be Featured at Library of Congress Presentation on February 19

NOTE: This event has been postponed from Feb. 19 due to the recent snowstorm in Washington D.C.
It will be rescheduled for a later date.

Iris Miller, urban designer and director of Landscape Studies at the Catholic University of America, will discuss her new book, "Washington in Maps, 1606-2000" (Rizzoli International Publications, 2002), at the Library of Congress at 6 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 19, in the Mumford Room, sixth floor, James Madison Memorial Building, 101 Independence Ave., S.E. in Washington, D.C.

Ronald E. Grim, specialist in Cartographic History in the Library's Geography and Map Division, will provide commentary and response. A book signing will follow the program, which also feature a small exhibition from the Geography and Map Division.

The program is part of the Center for the Book's "Books & Beyond" series of talks about new books based on the Library's collections and programs. It is co-sponsored with the Geography & Map Division and the U.S. Capitol Historical Society. The event is open to the public. No tickets or reservations are required.

"Washington in Maps, 1606-2000" features 106 full-color maps, some never or rarely seen, dating from the 17th century to the present day.

Images of 49 of the maps are from the rich Washingtonian collections of the Geography and Map Division while other images were selected from the Library's Manuscript Division, particularly from the Jefferson papers, and the Library's Prints and Photographs Division, including two from the Historical American Buildings Survey. Seventeen maps are reproduced from the private collection of Washington philanthropist and Library of Congress Madison Council member Albert H. Small, and others come from institutions and collections in France and the United States. Nine of the map descriptions are in the form of essays by contributing authors Timothy Davis, Herbert M. Franklin, Lucinda Prout Janke, Charlene Drew Jarvis, Robert L. Miller and Whayne S. Quin. In addition Austin H. Kiplinger, chairman of the Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc., wrote the foreword. The end papers present a chronological chart, "Washington in Time," outlining important dates and events in the history of Washington's public spaces, monuments and city plans.

Miller maintains a practice in landscape architecture and urban design in Washington, D.C., where she is director of Landscape Studies in the School of Architecture and Planning at the Catholic University of America. In 1995, she received a grant from the French government to do research in France on Pierre Charles L'Enfant and the inspiration for his plan of Washington. She received grants-in-aid to support the preparation of this book from the Catholic University, the U.S. Department of Interior Historic Preservation Fund/D.C. State Historic Preservation, the University of Maryland, the Washington Map Society, and Thomas Sander.

The Center for the Book was established in 1977 to use the resources and prestige of the Library of Congress to stimulate public interest in books and reading. For information about its program, publications, and forthcoming events and the activities of its affiliates in 50 states and the District of Columbia, consult its Web site at www.loc.gov/cfbook.