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ANTH 421: Intro to Geospatial Science in Anthropology and Archaeology

Maps Collections - Penn State

Higgbee Stream map of Pennsylvania

The Pennsylvania State University Libraries are home the largest map collection in Pennsylvania with over 337,000 sheets.  The Donald W. Hamer Center for Maps and Geospatial Information is responsible for 300,000 of these maps.  It has a selective housing agreement with the State Library of Pennsylvania and the FDLP and acts as the Regional Depository Library for maps in Pennsylvania.  The Center concentrates on PA, US and world maps dating from about 1900 and forward, although it has a large collection of Sanborn Fire Insurance maps of PA.  The Fletcher L. Byron Earth and Mineral Sciences Library concentrates on below ground maps useful.  The Penn State Special Collections Library primarily hold rare maps prior 1900.  Some maps can be found in the Digital Map Drawer.

How Maps are Organized

Our map and aerial photographs are organized by the Library of Congress Call Number system which groups maps by geographic area.  ( then use information from this website.

Sanborrn Fire Insurance Maps

University Park historic maps

For more campus and State College maps, please contact the Donald W. Hamer Center for Maps and Geospatial information.  ul-maps@lists.psu.edu