Tara L Anthony

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Specialist

Office Address

1A Pattee Library, University Park, PA 16802
Office Phone
814-863-5753
Departmental Phone
814-863-0094 (department)
tll38@psu.edu

About Me

Tara Anthony is a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Specialist in the Donald W. Hamer Center for Maps and Geospatial Information at Penn State University Libraries. She provides geospatial consultations to users, conducts geospatial workshops, and supports geospatial outreach initiatives. She is the supervisor of part-time employees of the Donald W. Hamer Center for Maps and Geospatial Information. Tara is a representative to the the BTAA-Geospatial Information Network (BTAA-GIN), where she works with others to support engagement with the BTAA Geoportal. Tara is an active facilitator to the PSU GIS Users group, which engages geospatial users across departments, along with a coordinator of an annual co-sponsored Penn State GIS Day event. 

Education

MSLS, Clarion University of Pennsylvania, Information and Library Science. 

MEd, Penn State University, Lifelong Learning and Adult Education, Global and Distance Education option. 

MS, Michigan State University, Geography.

BA, Colgate University, Geography, Honors. 

Research Interests

Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Geospatial Technologies and Software, Online Mapping, Opensource GIS, Spatial Literacy, Student Engagement, Open Geospatial Data resources

Teaching Interests

Facilitating the integration of map and geospatial information, GIS, spatial literacy, digital fluency, and place-based education strategies through individual and group active learning assignments across disciplines. 

Other Publications

Discovery of Geological Maps in the BTAA Geoportal, BTAA-Geospatial Information Network, BTAA-GIN Collection Stories. 2025.

Locating Historical Aerial Photos in the BTAA Geoportal, BTAA-Geospatial Information Network, BTAA-GIN Collection Stories. 2023.

Collection Highlight: Government Open Geospatial Data Collection, BTAA-Geospatial Information Network, BTAA-GIN Collection Stories. 2022.

Journal Article

Planning for Change: A Maps and Geospatial Information Services Survey., Issues in Science and Technology Librarianship. 2018.

Review of Cartography. MOOC, Cartographic Perspectives. 2018.

Review of Getting to Know ArcGIS Pro, Cartographic Perspectives. 2017.

A Tale of Two Internships: Developing Digital Skills through Engaged Scholarship, Digital Humanities Quarterly. 2017.

Changing forest recovery dynamics in the northeastern, Area. 2013.

The Influence of Land Cover on Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) Elevations in Low‐relief Areas, Transactions in GIS. 2010.