David Cobb is Retiring from Harvard

After over 40 years of map librarianship, David Cobb announced to his staff and the SSP Managers today that he will be retiring from the Harvard Map Collection (exact date to be determined!). Prior to his arrival at Harvard College Library in 1992, David was a faculty member and Map and Geography Librarian at the University of Illinois (1973-1992), Map Librarian at Indiana University in (1970-1973), and Map Librarian at the University of Vermont (1967-1970).

David’s enthusiasm, energy, and overall effectiveness as a leader have been unswerving since he joined the profession. As both curator and manager of one of the world’s finest print map libraries, David changed the landscape of services and collections at Harvard. He literally opened the doors to the community at large, embarked on collaborations across the University for geosptatial data sharing, and laid the groundwork for our current 21st century digital cartography and geospatial library services before most map libraries began to even grapple with these ideas.

His professional contributions have been rich and varied. Highlights include: Member, ARL Coordinating Committee for the ARL GIS Literacy Project; Past editor, Meridian, a journal of the Map and Geography Round Table of ALA; host of the 2003 International Conference on the History of Cartography; Past Chair, Depository Library Council; founding President of the Boston Map Society; and numerous activities with the ALA/ACRL Rare Books and Manuscripts Section, ALA Map and Geography Roundtable, Western Association of Map Libraries, and the International Map Collector’s Society.

David has published widely including a co-edited book, Mapping Boston (MIT Press, 1999) and is a much sought after speaker. He has given numerous presentations and lectures on Harvard’s map treasures, cartography on the web, the impact of GIS on library services, map security and theft, map societies in the United States, and the list goes on.

Finally, throughout his career, he has been committed to open access to collections, raising awareness of security issues for research map libraries, conservation and preservation, and developing donor relations.

You might be thinking, what next? After retirement, David and Karen will be ‘dirt farming’ in Vermont. The first crop of garlic goes in this fall, and then there will be apples, pears, and blueberries to come. And that’s just for starters!

A big congratulations is in order! A proper celebration and more formal HCL and University announcement will occur down the road, but for now, let’s take advantage of every moment he remains with us in the SSP!
Diane

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Diane Geraci
Librarian for the Social Sciences
Harvard College Library