I used to sigh every time I saw "British Library" headlines, as they usually found some stupid way to wrap everything in icky Microsoft technologies long after they became unnecessary encumbrances on web sites.<p>There's not enough detail in the article to see if they've grown out of that phase, but it would still suprise me if they actually made these bits of "cultural history" freely available in a straightforward way.
The maps are from the 1600's, yet in the article's main photo, it clearly shows both library officials and visitors touching it with their bare (oily, and slightly acidic) hands.<p>There's a reason historical documents and old paintings are usually handled with gloves on...