Adventures in Metadata: Addressing the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) Standard Allison Gaylord Owner / GIS Specialist Nuna Technologies POB 1483 Homer, AK 99603 907-399-1120 www.nunatech.com
My personal Metadata awakening 1991: Metadata??? What s that? (limited to Read.Me and log files in a UNIX environment privy to only to programmers) Mid 1990s: Lots of talk about the need for documentation, poor tools available (document.aml) Late 1990s: increased awareness, massive growth of the internet, better tools (MP, SMMS, ArcCatalog, NOAA Metadata Collector, etc.) 2000: Funding agencies started to include metadata requirements in contracts and grants. Awarded CAPs grant for staff training 2003: Awarded CAPs grant for outreach 2006: Increased emphasis toward online data publishing and the notion that data are incomplete without metadata. History of the FGDC 1973: Report of the Federal Mapping Task Force on Mapping, Charting, Geodesy, and Surveying was published (the advent of the digital computer ushers in a revolution in mapping...) 1990: FGDC established. 1994: National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) Cooperative Agreements Program (CAPs) established and starts providing seed $$$ 2001: Coordination of Geographic Information and Related Spatial Data Activities 2003: Geospatial One-Stop launched Future Directions Transition to ISO; Crosswalks drafted.
Don t Duck Metadata Make creating metadata part of the process of developing your data.
Create XML Templates! http://mms.gina.alaska.edu/suppmat.html
Integrate Metadata into Applications
Integrate Metadata into Applications
What is the FGDC? The Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) is an interagency committee that promotes the coordinated development, use, sharing, and dissemination of geospatial data on a national basis. This nationwide data publishing effort is known as the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI). NSDI is a physical, organizational, and virtual network designed to enable the development and sharing of this nation's digital geographic information resources. Global SDI Proposed Arctic SDI
What is FGDC Metadata? The Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata (CSDGM), Vers. 2 (FGDC-STD-001-1998) is the US Federal Metadata standard (adopted in 1994 and revised it in 1998).
FGDC Profiles and Extensions Extended elements are user-defined elements outside the Standard needed by the metadata producer. A profile is a document that describes the application of the Standard to a specific user community. Metadata Quick Guide (formerly published as Metadata Cliff Notes http://www.fgdc.gov/metadata/documents/metadataquickguide.pdf See www.fgdc.gov for examples, tools, training info, etc.
Metadata Parser (mp) Validation tool checks for structural or content errors and omissions Typically used iteratively to check for and fix metadata errors Once all errors are corrected, the tool can then be used to create final metadata output products for web servers or catalogs.
FGDC Editor in ArcCatalog XML (Extensible Markup Language) is the native format. XSL (Extensible Stylesheet Language) can be used to reformat XML in an infinite variety of ways. These stylesheets can be modified or created from scratch to display metadata in a new way. REQUIRED fields are noted Embedded help Metadata travels with data sets
NPS Metadata Editor Plugs into ArcCatalog and runs as a FREE stand-alone application!
Future Directions - What is ISO Metadata? The international community, through the International Organization of Standards (ISO), has developed and approved an international metadata standard, ISO 19115. As a member of ISO, the US is required to revise the CSDGM in accord with ISO 19115. The FGDC is currently leading the development of a US Profile of the (ISO) international metadata standard, ISO 19115. ISO 19115 Metadata Elements Mandatory Elements: Dataset title Dataset reference date Dataset language Dataset topic category Abstract Metadata point of contact Metadata date stamp Conditional Elements Dataset responsible party Geographic location by coordinates Dataset character set Spatial resolution Distribution format Spatial representation type Reference system Lineage statement On-line Resource Metadata file identifier Metadata standard name Metadata standard version Metadata language Metadata character set
What about legacy metadata? Crosswalks drafted for: CSDGM Vers. 2.0 Dublin Core, others Conversion software in development: FGDC sponsored effort with Intergraph /SMMS for standalone ESRI has drafted for ArcCatalog Source: Status of US Implementation of ISO Metadata, FGDC. October, 2005.
How do I prepare for the transition to ISO? Now. Continue creation using CSDGM vers.2!!! Use ISO-poised software ESRI ArcCatalog Intergraph / SMMS MetaD, FGDC/Polytechnic University Catalunya 3. Add one or more ISO Topic Categories to your existing CSDGM metadata records as Theme_Keywords
ISO 19115 Topic Categories 19 high-level subject categories are provided within the ISO 19115 standard as a means of quickly sorting and accessing thematic information. To aid in the transition to ISO metadata, you are encouraged to include one or more of the Dataset topic category terms, as presented below (funny truncation and capitalization and all), as Theme_Keywords within your current CSDGM metadata. Reference the associated Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus as ISO 19155 Topic Category boundaries oceans health transportation economy society elevation farming location biota structure environment utilitiescommunication intelligencemilitary geoscientificinformation inlandwaters imagerybasemapsearthcover planningcadastre climatologymeteorologyatmosphere
ArcCatalog s ISO Editor Access Tools > Options to change to the ISO Editor
Online Resources National Park Service Tools and Editor: Version 1.1 http://science.nature.nps.gov/nrdata/tools/ HowTo: Convert HTML metadata to a well-formatted text file (that can be edited in ArcCatalog) http://support.esri.com/index.cfm?fa=knowledgebase.techarticles.articlesh ow&d=23071 Using the FGDC metadata editor to document your data http://webhelp.esri.com/arcgisdesktop/9.2/index.cfm?topicname=using_th e_fgdc_metadata_editor_to_document_your_data ArcGIS 9.2 Working with Metadata http://webhelp.esri.com/arcgisdesktop/9.2/index.cfm?topicname=about_m etadata
Online Training Protecting Your Investment in Data with Metadata http://training.esri.com/acb2000/showdetl.cfm?did=6&product_id=703 Creating and Maintaining Metadata Using ArcCatalog Desktop http://training.esri.com/acb2000/showdetl.cfm?did=6&product_id=839 Metadata: Tips and Tricks http://training.esri.com/acb2000/showdetl.cfm?did=6&product_id=842 ArcCatalog Tutorial http://gisgate.co.clark.nv.us/gismo/xmlmetadatahelp.htm NOAA Coastal Services Center Metadata Training Workbook http://www.csc.noaa.gov/metadata/curriculum/modules.html
Meeting the minimal FGDC requirements http://geology.usgs.gov/tools/metadata/tools/doc/minimal.met