Jessica G. Benner
Hello! When I am not eating sour cream doughnuts, you might find me playing games or sitting around a backyard fire. At work, I am a librarian supporting the information needs of students and researchers in computer science and philosophy and help people work with spatial data and maps.
I work at Carnegie Mellon University and spent way too many years getting degrees from the University of Pittsburgh. I am an active member of Pittsburghers for Public Transit and I recommend the Thomas Merton Center if you are looking for ways to advocate for change in the city and the Iyengar Yoga Institute of Pittsburgh for a yoga session or class.
I have listed a few current projects below. You can check out all of my activities or publications in my CV or on my Google Scholar page.
Current Projects
I am a member of the Software Preservation Network’s Research Working Group. We are currently working on a survey of service providers (libraries, archives, museums etc) to understand the landscape of services related to software preservation and access.
In 2019, a colleague and I started a Community of Practice on the Role of Libraries in Geography and GIS Education. You can learn more about its origins in this white paper and become part of the community by joining our groups.io page or attending a monthly meeting. .
During my doctoral work, I investigated the meaning of accessibility and how it relates to wayfinding. I also dabbled with collaborative mapping. This project includes using collaborative mapping tools to collect data about the accessibility of places in the City of Pittsburgh.
Pictures of me and people I love
Jessica G. Benner 