An Introduction to the MEDIN Discovery Metadata Standard MEDIN Workshop BGS, Edinburgh, June 2015

What is metadata & what should I do with it? Essentially, metadata is: Information about a dataset Discovery Metadata is: Information used to describe datasets (or series or services) so that a user can easily find them using a portal and determine the details of where they can be accessed A documented record of datasets managed within an organisation or an application Discovery Metadata contains: What I' TitleAbstractTemporal coverage Geographic coverage Ownership of record Access conditions Location of dataset (amongst others)

What is a dataset? The correct level for a dataset is a cruise, survey or a set of repeat observations with a common purpose A dataset usually constitutes a specifically-funded piece of work The dataset should be easily extractable from a database for a 3rd party Searchable using an online interface e.g. MEDIN portal MEDIN Workshop BGS, Edinburgh, June 2015

Discovery Metadata Standard MEDIN have developed a Discovery Metadata Standard to enable online discovery of datasets 3 components make up the Standard Defined metadata content, specified as elements and detailed in a guidance document Software tools (online and offline) to create metadata records A validation language (schematron) to check the records created using the software tools XML is the ‘language’ used to encode the record so that it becomes machine readable. MEDIN Workshop BGS, Edinburgh, June 2015

Discovery Metadata Standard - Guidance Available on website Compliant with: ISO19115 (Geographic information – Metadata) INSPIRE UK GEMINI2 ISO schema set for encoding xml However, there is a shorter, simpler version available!

The MEDIN standard specifies use of certain vocabularies (term lists) to distinguish your record as the ‘marine specific’ Keywords: SeaDataNet parameter discovery vocab (e.g. Fish taxonomy related counts; temperature of the water column) Keywords: SeaDataNet vertical coverage terms (e.g. epipelagic; benthic boundary layer) Spatial Reference System: European Petroleum Survey Group (EPSG) geodetic parameters (e.g. EPSG::4326) Data format: MEDIN (e.g. delimited; image; GIS) Organisations: SeaDataNet European Directory of Marine Organisations (EDMO) Discovery Metadata Standard - Vocabs

Discovery Metadata Standard - Introduction /medin_disc_stnd.html

Tools 1.On-line metadata generation and editing tool 2. Desktop tool Metadata Maestro. Can work in stand alone mode. MEDIN Workshop BGS, Edinburgh, June 2015

3.Also a tool which assists in transforming already populated metadata databases into MEDIN format XML metadata. Designed so that organisations who hold their own metadata can transfer their data into this structure from which a tool can be applied to produce xml records 4. Specific tools for GIS users: Stylesheets for transforming ArcCat ESRI ISO standard metadata to MEDIN standard. Arc 9 stylesheet no longer supported. Arc 10 stylesheets now available Other tools MEDIN Workshop BGS, Edinburgh, June 2015

► Testing the structure and content of the xml records to ensure that they comply with the standard Schematron (compliant with ISO (Part 3) Information technology -- Document Schema Definition Languages (DSDL) -- Part 3: Rule-based validation – Schematron). ►Used in many different circumstances and tools so that if the standard changes it only requires one update rather than various validation methods for different applications The schematron ‘sits’ in the metadata editor tools in a validation step. Can be used by organisations to test transfer between metadata holdings Validation MEDIN Workshop BGS, Edinburgh, June 2015

The Schematron Technical guidance document on the schematron MEDIN Workshop BGS, Edinburgh, June 2015

Summary of dataset discovery Important that the portal is not inundated with records or not rich enough to be useful to the user All metadata records can be harvested (and produced primarily for) by the portal. MEDIN guidance on website plus FAQs: MEDIN Workshop BGS, Edinburgh, June 2015

Updating the MEDIN discovery standard Standards evolve! Therefore: MEDIN has placed itself to be engaged in and contribute to any changes in national and international standards that could influence our own Members of the MEDIN standards Working Group also are represented on various groups such as the UK Location Programme, INSPIRE and BSI groups Sign up to the list to be kept up-to-date on changes