American Geographical Society Library

American Geographical Society Library The American Geographical Society Library (AGSL), one of the premier collections of its kind in North America, contains over 1.3 million items.

The American Geographical Society Library (AGSL), one of the premier collections of its kind in North America, contains over 1.3 million items supporting instruction, research and outreach at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and around the world. The collection contains maps, atlases, books periodicals, film media and digital data files. Its scope is worldwide with coverage from the 15th cent

ury to the present. Its resources have been used to produce an ongoing series of digital collections, including an award winning website on Afghanistan, a comprehensive site on world transportation and collections featuring unique photographic documentation of such places as Tibet, the Republic of Georgia, Korea and World War II Poland. The AGSL offers scholarly programs for the campus and local community throughout the year and welcomes visiting scholars from across the US and the world.

Happy First Day of School !! ๐Ÿ’›To kick off the Fall 2026 semester at UWM, we offer you scenes from a schoolhouse in Virgi...
09/02/2026

Happy First Day of School !! ๐Ÿ’›
To kick off the Fall 2026 semester at UWM, we offer you scenes from a schoolhouse in Virginia City, Montana, photographed by Clarence W. Sorensen and Eugune V. Harris sometime between 1934 and 1950.
We here at the AGSL wish you a great start to your school year, and hope that you'll come visit us soon, as we are back to our normal hours (Monday-Friday 9am-4:30 pm) starting today!

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Happy International Dog Day from the AGSL! Celebrate your furry friends with some photos of dogs and their friends from ...
08/26/2026

Happy International Dog Day from the AGSL! Celebrate your furry friends with some photos of dogs and their friends from around the world.
๐Ÿพโค๏ธ๐Ÿถ!

Photo 1: Poland, family relaxing at home with dog
Photo 2: United States, Iรฑupiat child holding sled dog pup in Utqiaฤกvik
Photo 3: Malula (Syria), woman feeding a dog
Photo 4: United States, boy with dog in desert of Window Rock
Photo 5: Greenland, man and a dog
Photo 6: Netherlands, dog sitting in basket on bicycle in Amsterdam
Photo 7: France, fishermen and dog in boat docked in Ajaccio harbor
Photo 8: England, Girl Guides petting dog at camp in east Devon
Photo 9: Poland, dog sleeping in bed with young boy

Happy 110th Birthday to the National Parks Service! ๐ŸŒฒ๐ŸŽ‚The NPS was established in 1916 to "...conserve the scenery and th...
08/25/2026

Happy 110th Birthday to the National Parks Service! ๐ŸŒฒ๐ŸŽ‚
The NPS was established in 1916 to "...conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wildlife therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations." Today, the NPS stewards over 400 parks across the United States, including Yellowstone, Capitol Reef, Arches, Grand Teton, and Canyonlands National Parks which were photographed by AGS-affiliated geographers and journalists Clarence W. Sorensen and Harrison Forman in the 1940s and 1950s.

๐Ÿป๐ŸŒตโ›บ๏ธ๐ŸŒ…๐ŸŒฒ๐Ÿป๐Ÿž๏ธ

Photo 1: Park ranger at Yellowstone National Park, between 1934 and 1969, from the Clarence W. Sorensen Collection.
Photo 2: Dead tree with colorful mountain backdrop at Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, ca. 1950s, from the Harrison Forman Collection.
Photo 3: Moose in forest at Yellowstone National Park, between 1934 and 1969, from the Clarence W. Sorensen Collection.
Photo 4: Arched rock formation at Arches National Park in Utah, ca. 1950s, from the Harrison Forman Collection.
Photo 5: Man with daughter on lake shore at Grand Teton National Park, between 1934 and 1969, from the Clarence W. Sorensen Collection.
Photo 6: Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah, ca. 1950s, from the Harrison Forman Collection.
Photo 7: Bear begging for food from tourists at Yellowstone National Park, ca. 1950s, from the Harrison Forman Collection.
Photo 8: View behind tree of the Lower Falls of the Yellowstone River, between 1934 and 1969, from the Clarence W. Sorensen Collection.
Photo 9: Station wagon parked in Canyonlands National Park, Utah, ca. 1950s, from the Harrison Forman Collection.
Photo 10: Travertine terraces at Yellowstone National Park, ca. 1950s, from the Harrison Forman Collection.

Today is World Photography Day! ๐Ÿ“ธ๐Ÿ–ผWe here at the AGSL are proud to host almost a million photographs in our collection. ...
08/19/2026

Today is World Photography Day! ๐Ÿ“ธ๐Ÿ–ผ
We here at the AGSL are proud to host almost a million photographs in our collection. From the Cities Around the World series (Photo 4) to Harrison Forman's documentation of the outbreak of World War II in Poland (Photo 5) to Timothy H. Oโ€™Sullivan's early photographs of the American West (Photo 1), the AGSL's extensive photograph collections are a testament to the artistic, scientific and historic importance of photography, and today we are excited to share with a you glimpse into these beautiful collections.

Photo 1: United States, Canyon de Chelle, New Mexico Territory: Expedition of 1873. 1st Lieut. Geo M. Wheeler, Corps of Engineers, Commanding. Photograph by Timothy O'Sullivan, from the Western Photograph Collection.
Photo 2: Guatemala, crowded marketplace in Chichicastenango between 1937 and 1969, from the Clarence W. Sorensen Collection.
Photo 3: Arctic region: SS Panther Expedition 1869, Greenland, photographed by John L. Dunmore and George P. Critcherson.
Photo 4: Thailand, boxers fighting in Bangkok, ca.1960, from the Harrison Forman Collection.
Photo 5: Warsaw September 1939, people reading the War Proclamation posted on the wall, from the Harrison Forman Collection.
Photo 6: India, billboards lining buildings in Mumbai, ca.1969, photograph by Harrison Forman, from the Cities Around the World Collection.
Photo 7: Milwaukee, Wisconsin, International Polka Association (IPA) Festival, 1976, part of set Polka Happiness from the Dick Blau Photograph Collection.
Photo 8: Mexico, ranchers with horses in pen on ranch in Durango state, between 1937 and 1969, photographed by Eugene V. Harris, from the Clarence W. Sorensen Collection.
Photo 9: Africa, dazzle of zebras, from the Harrison Forman Collection.
Photo 10: United States, row boats on pond at Central Park in Manhattan, between 1937 and 1969, from the Clarence W. Sorensen Collection.

๐Ÿ“ท

Paramaribo, the capital and largest city of Suriname, sits along the left bank of the Suriname River. Home to nearly hal...
08/19/2026

Paramaribo, the capital and largest city of Suriname, sits along the left bank of the Suriname River. Home to nearly half of the nationโ€™s population, the city is defined by its well-preserved historic inner center, which has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2002. This district offers a unique glimpse into 17th- and 18th-century Dutch colonial urban planning, where the original street layout remains intact. The architecture is particularly notable for its fusion of traditional Dutch colonial techniques with local materials, showcasing a distinctive built environment that has survived for centuries .

https://collections.lib.uwm.edu/digital/collection/agdm/id/5222/rec/2

https://collections.lib.uwm.edu/digital/collection/ags_south/id/3256/rec/6

New Map(s) Acquisition Alert! ๐Ÿ—บโ—This two-map set, titled The Cold at Inuit Nunangat by renowned cartographer Margaret Pe...
08/17/2026

New Map(s) Acquisition Alert! ๐Ÿ—บโ—
This two-map set, titled The Cold at Inuit Nunangat by renowned cartographer Margaret Pearce depicts Inuit homelands in Canada, with one map, Protecting the Cold, showing the ways that native stewardship preserves the landscape, while the other map, Destroying the Cold depicts ways in which southerners interfere with and endanger Inuit self-determination and protection of the earth. We are so excited to have these maps join our collection - come on by to see them from 12pm-4:30pm Tues.-Friday. or by appoitment 9am-12pm!

Today is World Elephant Day!๐Ÿ˜In honor of these beautiful creatures and the people who work to protect them - the AGSL of...
08/12/2026

Today is World Elephant Day!๐Ÿ˜
In honor of these beautiful creatures and the people who work to protect them - the AGSL offers you some images from our digital collection that show how historically revered and continually cared for elephants are across the globe. โค

Photo 1: Rose-Tu throwing sawdust at the Oregon Zoo, Portland, U.S.A, 2011, photograph by Dick Blau.
Photo 2: Elephant statue in Imperial Garden at Forbidden City in Beijing, China, 1973, from the Harrison Forman Collection.
Photo 3: Elephant lifting Western woman in Kandy, Sri Lanka, 1950s, from the Harrison Forman Collection.
Photo 4: Charging elephant, central Africa, from the Harrison Forman Collection.
Photo 5: Woman standing below stone elephant on Spirit Way leading to Ming Tombs, Changping, China, between 1900 and 1940, from the Frederick G. Clapp Collection.
Photo 6: Family elephants at edge of Nile River Uganda, Africa, from the Harrison Forman Collection.
Photo 7: Elephant sculpture at J*p Mandir in Udaipur, India, 1950s, from the Harrison Forman Collection.
Photo 8: Men watching animal trainer with elephant, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Africa, 1957, from the Clarence W. Sorensen Collection
Photo 9: Rama blows at the Oregon Zoo, Portland, U.S.A, 2011, photograph by Dick Blau.
Photo 10: Carved stone elephant in Mฤmallapuram, India, 1960s, from the Harrison Forman Collection.

๐Ÿ˜๐Ÿ˜๐Ÿ˜๐Ÿ˜๐Ÿ˜๐Ÿ˜๐Ÿ˜

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Happy International Cat Day from the AGSL!!๐ŸˆIn honor of the 24th annual holiday we bring you pictures of cats (and their...
08/08/2026

Happy International Cat Day from the AGSL!!๐Ÿˆ
In honor of the 24th annual holiday we bring you pictures of cats (and their human companions) from around the world, celebrating these special creatures and the variety of ways we have cared for our feline friends across space and time ๐Ÿ˜ฝ

Photo 1: Miner sitting at table feeding cat in home in Aberdare, Wales, between 1937 and 1969, from the Clarence W. Sorensen Collection.
Photo 2: Cat sitting on edge of container in shop, J*pan, not after 1965, from the Clarence W. Sorensen Collection.
Photo 3: Young girl feeds a bottle to kittens in a hat, Manilla, Philippines, 1930, from the Robert Larimore Pendelton Collection.
Photo 4: Cat sitting in door window in Arraiolos, Portugal, between 1937 and 1969, from the Eugene V. Harris Collection.
Photo 5: Girl with kitten at Krone Ranch in Augusta, Montana, U.S.A., between 1934 and 1969, from the Clarence W. Sorensen Collection.
Photo 6: Two children on doorstep with cat, Chile, between 1937 and 1969, from the Clarence W. Sorensen Collection.
Photo 7: Cat sitting on lap of statue of Kลbล Daishi, J*pan, ca.1950s from the Harrison Forman Collection.
Photo 8: Girl with kittens in barn in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, U.S.A., between 1934 and 1969, from the Clarence W. Sorensen Collection.
Photo 9: Woman at general store in Tepoztlรกn, Mexico, between 1937 and 1969, from the Eugene V. Harris Collection.
Photo 10: Girl holding cat on farm in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, U.S.A., between 1934 and 1969, from the Clarence W. Sorensen Collection.

๐Ÿฑ ๐Ÿ˜ป ๐Ÿฑโค๏ธ

Happy Throwback Thursday from the AGSL! ๐Ÿ“–๐ŸพIn anticipation of International Cat Day next week, today we are highlighting ...
07/30/2026

Happy Throwback Thursday from the AGSL! ๐Ÿ“–๐Ÿพ
In anticipation of International Cat Day next week, today we are highlighting what is affectionately referred to as our Catlas: a 1573 world atlas featuring ink footprints from a feline friend from over 450 years ago!

Happy Throwback Thursday from the AGSL! ๐Ÿ—บ๐Ÿ“Today we offer you some slides from PowerPoint presentations from 2005 & 2010 ...
07/23/2026

Happy Throwback Thursday from the AGSL! ๐Ÿ—บ๐Ÿ“
Today we offer you some slides from PowerPoint presentations from 2005 & 2010 made by our Cartographic Materials Cataloging Librarian, Angie Copeland -- enjoy! โœจ

Address

2311 E Hartford Avenue
Milwaukee, WI
53211

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 9am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 9am - 4:30pm
Thursday 9am - 4:30pm
Friday 9am - 4:30pm

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+14142296282

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