UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State University Libraries, a member of the Big Ten Academic Alliance Geospatial Information Network (BTAA-GIN), joins 18 partner institutions in announcing the relaunch of the BTAA Geoportal. Rebuilt on a new modular, API-first architecture, the redesigned Geoportal continues BTAA-GIN’s commitment to making geospatial data, maps and GIS resources easy to find and use.
The Geoportal provides access to more than 100,000 downloadable GIS data sets across hundreds of government agencies, as well as scanned historical maps from university library collections.
The redesigned Geoportal debuts with a more intuitive interface and expanded discovery tools. Researchers, students and instructors can now:
- Explore the collection visually with an interactive map.
- Filter searches by date range, resource type, geographic extent and viewing style.
- Jump directly to a university’s collection from the map.
- Generate properly formatted citations for any map or data set.
- Browse spotlighted collections, including the ever-popular Sanborn fire insurance maps, the Urban Base Layers collection, and the novel USDA Important Farmlands collection.
- Access a growing library of ready-made georeferenced historic maps.
Using the BTAA Geoportal has multiple benefits:
- Open access, with no login, account or subscription required.
- Standards-based metadata that keeps records citable and interoperable.
- Guided tutorials and teaching materials that support classroom use with minimal prep.
Live Demo: BTAA Geoportal Best Practices for Finding Data and Maps
Penn State researchers, students and instructors are invited to join BTAA-GIN at 2 p.m. EST on Monday, Nov. 2, for a live walkthrough of the redesigned BTAA Geoportal. Attendees will learn how to find GIS data sets, historical maps, imagery and web services from a collection of more than 100,000 resources. Presenters will demonstrate new search and filtering tools, historical map discovery, and best practices for citing geospatial data. Questions will be welcome throughout, with time for Q&A. The session is free and open to all. Register for the Nov. 2 online demo here.
Explore the redesigned BTAA Geoportal at geo.btaa.org. For questions or specialized assistance, contact Penn State BTAA-GIN members Tara Anthony, GIS specialist, tll38@psu.edu, and Heather Ross, map specialist, hdr10@psu.edu, both at the University Libraries’ Donald W. Hamer Center for Maps and Geospatial Information.