The event, "The Map That Named America: The 1507 Waldeseemüller Map," will be on Tuesday, Oct. 25, at 12:30 p.m., in the library's presentation room. A replica of the actual map will be featured.

Featured speakers will include Margrit Krewson, a specialist from the German/Dutch Library of Congress, and Ronald Grim, curator of the Leventhal map collection for the Boston Public Library.

The purchase of the Waldeseemüller map by the Library of Congress was a century-long effort.

"This map is considered a national treasure in Germany because it was first drawn by German cartographer, Martin Waldseemüller. Countries have a tough time letting go of national treasures," said Cal State Northridge history professor Michael Meyer. "It is also very important to Americans because it is the first such document to name America, outline the new continents and show the Pacific Ocean as a separate body of water…it's considered America's birth certificate."

The event will be the first in the nation to celebrate the acquisition of the Waldeseemüller map.

"I hope that everybody gets exposed to this event. This will be an enthusiastic expression of the third most important document behind the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence," Meyer said.

The free event is sponsored by the Friends of the Oviatt Library, CSUN's History Department, Phi Beta Delta and the German-American Cultural Society.

For more information, please contact Meyer at 818-677-5449 or via e-mail at michael.meyer@csun.edu.