Collection context
Summary
- Title:
- Waldo Tobler papers
- Dates:
- bulk 1965-2017
- Creators:
- Tobler, Waldo R. (Waldo Rudolph), 1930-2018 and Mendenhall Tobler, Rachel
- Abstract:
- Papers of Waldo R. Tobler, former geographer and cartographer, Assistant Professor of Geography at University of Michigan, and Professor Emeritus of Geography at the University of California, Santa Barbara.
- Extent:
- 54.29 Linear Feet (37 Paige boxes, 18 flat boxes, 1 shoebox, 6 oversized map projections, 15 maps, 3 audiocassette tapes, five VHS tapes, and born-digital materials)
- Language:
- English , German , French .
- Preferred citation:
-
[Identification of Item], Waldo Tobler Faculty papers, UArch FacP 83. Department of Special Research Collections, UC Santa Barbara Library, University of California, Santa Barbara.
Background
- Scope and content:
-
This collection mostly contains materials pertaining to Professor Waldo Tobler's career as a researcher and educator at the University of Michigan and University of California, Santa Barbara; as well as Tobler's written works, presentations at other institutions and conferences, and computer programs he wrote.
Materials include Tobler's reference materials and notes, course materials and lecture notes, publications and drafts, correspondence, conference and workshop presentations, computer programs, oversized map projections, maps, audiovisual items, and born-digital items.
- Biographical / historical:
-
Dr. Waldo R. Tobler (November 16, 1930 – February 20, 2018) was an American-Swiss geographer and cartographer. Tobler is regarded as one of the most influential geographers and cartographers of the late 20th century and early 21st century. He is most well known for coining what has come to be referred to as Tobler's First Law of Geography. Tobler also made major contributions in map projections, cartograms, unclassed choropleth mapping, flow mapping, and in the mathematical basis of migration flows and properties of continuous fields.
Tobler's career had a major impact on the development of quantitative geography, and his research spanned and influenced the study of any discipline investigating geographic phenomena. He established the discipline of analytical cartography, contributed early to Geographic information systems (GIS), and helped lay the groundwork for geographic information science (GIScience) as a discipline. Tobler was one of the first geographers to explore using computers in geography making significant contributions to computer cartography including creating Flow Mapper, an early software program for mapping migration flows. In cartography, he contritubed to the literature on map projections, choropleth maps, flow maps, cartograms, Portolan charts, and animated mapping. His work with analytical cartography included contributions to the mathematical modeling of geographic phenomena, such as human movement in the creation of Tobler's hiking function.
Tobler held the position of Assistant Professor at the University of Michigan from 1961-1977. He then became Professor of Geography and Professor of Statistics at University of California, Santa Barbara and taught between 1977 to 1994. Upon his retirement, Tobler was an active Professor Emeritus at the Department of Geography until his death.
- Acquisition information:
- Gift of Rachel Tobler, 2023.
- Arrangement:
-
The collection has been arranged into 10 series by topic and within each series arranged chronologically.
- Series 1: Personal Materials
- Series 2: Professional Materials
- Series 3: Correspondence
- Series 4: Written Works
- Series 5: Research
- Series 6: Teaching Materials
- Series 7: Professional Development
- Series 8: Computer Programs
- Series 9: Oversized Maps and Map Projections
- Series 10: Born-Digital Materials
- Rules or conventions:
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Indexed terms
About this collection guide
- Date Encoded:
- This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2025-03-05 16:08:57 -0800 .
Access and use
- Restrictions:
-
The collection is open for research.
- Terms of access:
-
Property rights to the collection and physical objects belong to the Regents of the University of California acting through the Department of Special Research Collections at the UCSB Library. All applicable literary rights, including copyright to the collection and physical objects, are protected under Chapter 17 of the U.S. Copyright Code and are retained by the creator and the copyright owner, heir(s), or assigns.
All requests to reproduce, quote from, or otherwise reuse collection materials must be submitted in writing to the Department of Special Research Collections at UCSB at library-special@ucsb.edu. Consent is given on behalf of the Regents of the University of California acting through the Department of Special Research Collections at UCSB as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission from the copyright owner. Such permission must be obtained from the copyright owner, heir(s), or assigns. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds the copyright and pursue the copyright owner or their assigns for permission to publish where the UC Regents do not hold the copyright.
- Preferred citation:
-
[Identification of Item], Waldo Tobler Faculty papers, UArch FacP 83. Department of Special Research Collections, UC Santa Barbara Library, University of California, Santa Barbara.
- Location of this collection:
-
UC Santa Barbara LibrarySanta Barbara, CA 93106-9010, US
- Contact:
- (805) 893-3062