Creating Geospatial Metadata for the Long-term Lynda Wayne Federal Geographic Data Committee Geospatial One-Stop GeoMaxim

Metadata… again? Metadata has long been promoted by the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC), state GIS coordinators, and project managers as a means to: preserve organizational data investments instill data accountability and liability facilitate data sharing.

The Times They are a Changin’ International metadata standard ISO ANSI transitional process guidance documents and presentations tools under development stay the course (CSDGM) all shall be well…

The Times They are a Changin’ Geospatial One-Stop one of 19 federal e-gov initiatives Portal to: NSDI Clearinghouse other metadata servers web map applications geospatial research and related information

Metadata: official language for the geospatial community data discovery and clearinghouse operations data exchange and use data management ESRI ArcCatalog Intergraph SMMS quality metadata is operational metadata…

GIS Internal Metadata GIS tools enable data management via metadata: search for existing, in-house data products track updates, relates and other operations auto populate dataset properties preview data geography and dbase build templates for fixed descriptive info maintain multilevel metadata metadata is the fuel for data management…

Go Beyond the Minimum CSDGM mandatory elements are those common to all data types and organizations not most critical value of metadata is to capture that which is unique time spent early, saves time spent later

Create Templates Boilerplate your metadata: identify all pertinent fields provide content for fixed fields such as: Use_Constraints Contacts Process Methodologies Distribution Methods and Liability create organization, theme, and project templates

Links to Services and Data Online_Linkage is a repeatable field provide multiple links to: data download data clearinghouse webmapping applications and services enable users to locate data and related services…

ISO Topic Categories as Keywords select one or more categories to aid in data search and discovery (see handout) boundaries oceans health transportation economy society elevation farming location biota structure geoscientificInformation environment utilitiesCommunication inlandWaters planningCadastre intelligenceMilitary imageryBaseMapsEarthCover climatologyMeteorologyAtmosphere

ISO Topic Categories as Keywords aids translation to ISO metadata data can sort into geodata.gov ‘channels’

Document Planned Data Acquisitions promotes data development partnering required of federal agencies $1 million current $500,000 next fiscal year geodata.gov ‘Status’ provided as a data search element calls for partnerships can be featured within Channels

Publish or Perish… geodata.gov Metadata Harvest Register node/service at geodata.gov metadata will be regularly harvested & updated harvest counselor program Metadata Upload register and upload at geodata.gov Metadata Online Creation online tool at geodata.gov for bare metadata creation

Visit geodata.gov search for geospatial data and applications access, compile & download data from different sources seek out data development partnerships create and upload metadata join a thematic Channel Community http://www.geodata.gov

Better Content = Better Performance Robust and accurate metadata enables new functionality: entity attribute descriptions yield feature-level metadata accurate dates facilitate data currency reviews detailed source tracking supports cost benefit analysis detailed process descriptions enable repeatable methodologies valid accuracy statements enable fitness for use assessments metadata management is a GIS best practice

Quality Content large data sets require a metadata strategy consider Originator as responsible party a Title is not a filename the Abstract summarizes the metadata USE Supplemental_Information make Use_Constraints meaningful consider Entity/Attribute Detailed_Description as an opportunity to document your dbase see handout ‘Metadata Quick Guide’

More Information www.geodata.gov www.fgdc.gov/metadata Sharon Shin, FGDC Metadata Coordinator sharon_shin@fgdc.gov Lynda Wayne, NSDI Implementation Liaison Lwayne@fgdc.gov

Question? What is your next step in implementing or enhancing metadata creation within your organization?