The American Geographical Society and our members mourn the passing of Dr. Barbara Borowiecki. Dr. Borowiecki was first a professor from 1960 and then Chairman of the Department of Geography at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee from 1971 until her retirement in 1992. Among Barbara’s many life accomplishments were her efforts to ensure that the AGS library would be available to scholars and the public through her work to transfer the AGS Map Collection to the Golda Meir Library. This transfer was a pivotal moment not only for AGS, but also for geography and geographers in general.
Regarded as one of the most important map collections in the world, today the AGS Library is internationally recognized as a treasure. The collection serves as an important foundation from which the contemporary explosion of geospatial tools and analysis receive their origins. In 2009, Barbara received the Distinguished Samuel Finley Breese Morse Medal for “the encouragement of geographical research” for being instrumental in securing and preserving the AGS Map Collection.
In addition, we are thankful to her family for their thoughtfulness in asking that Memorial Contributions be made to AGS. All of the donations received in her memory will be used to further the work of leading the cause for geography…something Dr. Borowiecki clearly valued.
At the AGS Council meeting held June 24, 2016, the Council publicly recognized her passing and significant contribution to geography through a moment of silence. Her efforts regarding the Map Collection will also be read into the minutes which will then be recorded in the permanent archives of AGS.
To read the full obituary of Dr. Barbara Borowieck click here.