The Birmingham Public Library has a marvelous trove of maps in their collection and this site is the perfect place to explore almost 1,000 cartographic gems. As might be expected, the maps housed here depict various sections of Alabama, along with maps and atlases from Europe, Africa, and other regions of the world. First-time visitors might start by giving close attention to the Persia sive Shahistan map, which depicts the Middle East as it was in 1740. Visitors can scan around the maps by title, subject, type or date. It's remarkable to see how the field of cartography has progressed just by looking over these maps by date. This collection is a great way to explore the world and perhaps will inspire a new passion.