Introduction to Geospatial Metadata Module 1 – Introduction to Metadata and Metadata Standards

Objectives learn what metadata is and why it is helpful to discover, access and understand various types of data Know the current standards and formats of metadata standards in common use by federal government agencies Identify tools and resources needed to write metadata in both the CSDGM and the ISO standard be aware of the commonly used fields within different standards Know the importance of “valid” metadata for interoperability among standards Write quality metadata to document “your” data as completely as possible Discover datasets of different types from NCEI data holdings by searching metadata catalog

Agenda Introduction to Geospatial Metadata DateModule Title June 04, 2015Introduction to Metadata and Metadata Standards June 11, 2015UML Basics and XML Basics June 18, 2015Tools for CSDGM June 25, 2015Tools for Creating ISO Metadata July 02, 2015Transforms and Stylesheets July 09, 2015Advanced Topics

Logistics All participants on “mute” to begin Use “Questions” pane for questions Use chat or for technical Session will be recorded and posted Poll for CSDGM interest

WHAT IS METADATA? WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? Metadata 101

What is Metadata? Metadata is information “about” your data

Who? What Where When How Why Who collected the data? Who processed the data? Who wrote the metadata? Who to contact for questions? Who to contact to order? Who owns the data? What are the data about? What project were they collected under? What are the constraints on their use? What is the quality? What are appropriate uses? What parameters were measured? What format are the data in? When were the data collected? When were the data processed ? Why were the data collected? How were the data collected? How were the data processed? How do I access the data? How do I order the data? How much do the data cost? How was the quality assessed Where were the data collected? Where were the data processed? Where are the data located? Metadata answers questions “about” the data….

We often use metadata without even knowing it. Examples?

Metadata contains vital information Without a label, how would you know which one to open? Spinach? Ravioli? Imagine being given two identical cans. Your task is to choose one to eat. But here’s the catch. Neither can has a label. Which would you choose?

aurora with comet This is the metadata for this. What’s Missing?

Author(s) Blair, Diane. Title(s) Whales watching/ by Diane Blair and Pamela Wright Place Mankato, Minn. : Capstone Books Physical Descr 48 p.: col. ill., col. maps ; 23 cm. Subject(s) Whales -- Juvenile literature Whale watching -- Juvenile literature Author(s) Blair, Diane. Title(s) Whales watching/ by Diane Blair and Pamela Wright Place Mankato, Minn. : Capstone Books Physical Descr 48 p.: col. ill., col. maps ; 23 cm. Subject(s) Whales -- Juvenile literature Whale watching -- Juvenile literature While the card-catalog entry is a form of metadata, it does not address topics such as quality, accuracy, or scale. Well-written geospatial metadata describes these and many more aspects of the data. This is the metadata for this.

Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How What is Metadata? metadata can have different functions…  documentation  management  discovery  access  use

... A COMPONENT OF DATA Metadata is….

A Component of Data Properly documented data provides vital information to interested parties.

A published map contains “elements” of metadata… Publisher Publication date Type of map Title / Description Spatial references Scale and accuracy Sources Legend Metadata – a “component of data”

What’s missing?

Metadata is that component of data which describes it. Environmental Sensitivity Index Data Metadata RARNUM - unique combination of species, concentration, and seasonality CONC (concentration) = Density species is found at location Season_ID = seasonality code like to the seasonal table Element - Biology group Metadata – a “component of data”

CONTENT CONDITION QUALITY CONTENT CONDITION QUALITY Characteristics of the data Metadata describes… Metadata – a “component of data”

Because metadata provides vital information about a dataset, it should never be viewed or treated as a separate entity. Metadata is a critical component of a complete data set. Metadata is a critical component of a complete data set.

1980 HEW Teheran British Honduras Cape Hatteras Light Mt. St. Helen West Germany 2005 HHS & HUD Tehran Belize Cape Hatteras Light Mt. St. Helen Germany Metadata should be updated to reflect changes in the data…

WHY DO METADATA? The Value of Metadata

Why does an organization need to be able to track its data or work? What about the employee who is ready to retire? Do you know what he did or how did it? What were his processing steps? What about the grad student who is leaving? Do you even know where their data is?

Properly documenting a data set is the key to preserving its usefulness through time.

For data developers, metadata helps to … Avoid duplication Share reliable information Publicize efforts Reduce workload!!

For organizations, metadata helps to … Protect investment in data Create an institutional memory Counter personnel changes Allow sharing of data with other agencies Save time and money Limit potential liability

This saves time and money. For data users, metadata... Facilitates understanding Focuses on key elements Enables discovery – inside and outside of organizations – Find data of interest – Determine data usefulness – Determine data access

For organizations, metadata helps to … Protect investment in data Create an institutional memory Counter personnel changes Allow sharing of data with other agencies Save time and money Limit potential liability

This “data discovery” is all accomplished through the use of a clearinghouse, an on-line searchable catalog of standardized metadata records. This “data discovery” is all accomplished through the use of a clearinghouse, an on-line searchable catalog of standardized metadata records.

METADATA POLICIES Why do we develop metadata?

Metadata Policies US National/Federal Policies – Executive Order – OMB Circular A-16 – OMB Circular A-119 – Open Data Policy – Public Access to Research Results (PARR) NOAA Policies – NAO – EDM Data Documentation Directive

National Policy EO OMB Circular A-16 OMB Circular A-119 Open Data Policy OMB memorandum M-13-13

Executive Order Established the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) to support public and private sector applications of geospatial data Established an electronic National Geospatial Data Clearinghouse for the NSDI to: - address data standardization, make geospatial data publicly available, and - address redundancy and incompatibility of geospatial information

OMB Circular A-16 Provides guidance for federal agencies that create, maintain or use spatial data directly or indirectly through the establishment of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) and the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) Establishes guidelines for the management of digital spatial data and the use of those assets. It also appoints the FGDC to the interagency coordinating body for NSDI-related activities

OMB Circular A-119

Open Data Policy (Project Open Data)

Agency Policy / NOAA Policy NAO EDM Data Documentation Directive NOAA Public Access to Research Response

NAO Data Documentation Directive

What do these policies say “in a nutshell” ? Have a data management strategy Use standard metadata Publish the metadata Make data accessible

Questions? Kathy Martinolich Jaci Mize