1 / 31

Adding Value and Enhancing Access to GIS Repositories

Learn about the importance of GIS repositories in enhancing access to geospatial data and how they add value to organizations. Explore the features and future developments of GIS repositories, focusing on Cornell University Libraries' GIS repository, CUGIR.

barbarajohnston
Download Presentation

Adding Value and Enhancing Access to GIS Repositories

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Adding Value and Enhancing Access to GIS Repositories Jaime Martindale, GIS Librarian Elaine Westbrooks, Metadata Librarian

  2. Overview • What is GIS? • GIS in Cornell University Libraries • GIS Repositories & CUGIR • Improving Access with Metadata • Future Developments

  3. What is GIS? “An organized collection of computer hardware, software, geographic data, and personnel designed to efficiently capture, store, update, manipulate, analyze, and display all forms of geographically referenced information”. From ESRI’s Understanding GIS: The ARC/INFO Method (1995)

  4. A GIS combines layers of information about a place to enable a better understanding of that place Customers Buildings Streets 3D Reality

  5. GIS in the Cornell Libraries • Supporting GIS on Campus • Map library and agriculture library • Map and data collections • Equipment and software • Reference and instruction • Supporting GIS for the Wider Community • Sponsor educational events and training • Develop, manage and maintain a GIS repository

  6. Why a GIS Repository at Cornell? • Land Grant Mission • Partnerships with Public Agencies • FREE and Unrestricted Public Access to Data

  7. Why a GIS Repository in the Library? • Creation and Management Skills • Integration With Other Library Resources • Digital Preservation

  8. The GIS Librarian • Campus Responsibilities • Reference and instruction • Special GIS projects with faculty, staff and students • Outreach/public relations (GIS Day) • Community Responsibilities • Project management (GIS repository) • Reference and technical support • Relations with data providers • Collection development • Publicity

  9. Features of Successful GIS Repositories • Metadata • Standardized documentation • Participation in a community • Data • Direct access to data, not just metadata • Commonly supported formats • Interface that allows users retrieve data quickly • Support • Online help contents • Access to expertise

  10. CUGIR: IntroductionCornell University Geospatial Information Repository<http://cugir.mannlib.cornell.edu/> • Started in 1998 • One of 2 NSDI nodes for New York State • Collection areas: natural resources & environment • 7500 data files, 99% have FGDC metadata • Primary access via website • Additional access via NSDI, WorldCat, OPAC, OAI • 2% of data unavailable due to post-9/11 security concerns

  11. CUGIR: Latest Features • RDBMS Back End • Allows access through multiple methods • Assures only appropriate content is displayed • Supports context-sensitive help, links, messages • Expanded Online Help • More FGDC Compliant Metadata • USGS Geographic Names Information System: names and features

  12. CUGIR: Web Mapping • Preview Data Before Downloading • See Data in Broader Context

  13. CUGIR: MultiServer Mapping • Developed web mapping using OpenGIS web mapping service (WMS) standard • Allows live connection to WMS-compliant services • Images from other servers display seamlessly within CUGIR • CUGIR data can similarly display in web maps generated elsewhere

  14. CUGIR: Future • More Universal Web Mapping Interoperability • Not just OpenGIS WMS-compliant, but also native ArcIMS or other vendors (Intergraph, MapInfo, Manifold) • Customized Data Extraction • Thematic Mapping • GIS Analysis • Future Options May or May Not be Justified Within CUGIR Mandate or Budget

  15. Other GIS Repository Models • Metadata Only • Vendor-Specific • Commercial • Federal

  16. A New Model for GIS Services • Moving Toward Web Services • Distributed management and hosting • Buy the right to access the latest streets or aerial photos to complement locally-managed data • Access GIS analysis without ever producing a map • Wireless access for hand-helds in the field

  17. CUGIR Access Principles • Open Access • No fees or restrictions • Effective Access • Online help supplemented by personal contact • Scope is focused on specific geographic and subject area • Consistent, complete, and reliable • Support for regional variability in providers and data • Consistent application of standards • Access Beyond Traditional GIS Communities • No requirement for GIS software • Discoverable via current and emerging digital library-based resources

  18. Metadata for Geospatial Data (1) • Standards • FGDC & ISO • Discovery • NSDI Clearinghouse and Geospatial One-Stop • Geography Network, OAI, traditional catalogs • Management • ArcCatalog and many other tools • Limitations • Needs relational model

  19. Metadata for Geospatial Data (2) GIS Metadata Standards • Purpose: • Describe the content, quality, condition • Help users locate and understand data • Use: • Maintain organization’s investment • Provide information to clearinghouses • Provide information for data transfer • Example: Metadata Record

  20. Metadata for Geospatial Data (3) • Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) Metadata is phasing out • International standards needed • FGDC elements are not adequate • FGDC not useful to many communities • Multilingual descriptions needed

  21. Metadata for Geospatial Data (4) • International Standards Organization (ISO) Metadata has been approved… • ISO 19115 development and standard • XML schema • Designed to be extensible and interoperable • Recommended core with full profile • Broad global participation

  22. Metadata for Digital Libraries • Common Standards • Dublin Core • Crosswalks • Typical Models • One data file = one metadata file • Flat structure of standard elements (author, title)

  23. Metadata & Tools for Digital Libraries • Metadata Encoding Transmission Standard (METS) • Metadata Object Description Schema, MARC XML • Resource Description Framework (RDF) • Open Archives Initiative Community (OAI) • eXtensible Stylesheet Language (XSL) • eXtensible Stylesheet Language Transformation • Smart Object Dumb Archive (SODA)

  24. CUGIR Metadata Management • The Problem • Goal • Eliminate the storage of multiple output formats • Manage natural groupings of elements independently • Automate global changes

  25. CUGIR Metadata Management • Challenges • Metadata must be harvestable and searchable by external tools (Isite, OAI) • Spatial elements are managed differently from non-spatial • Web mapping means content is not fixed

  26. Cross-fertilization • GIS Repositories are a Special kind of Digital Library • Live in present • Machine readability & automation is in high demand • Digital Libraries set Standards for Discovery & Access that can broaden use of GIS repositories • Live in present but also acknowledges past • Rely heavily on standards

  27. Future Developments • Enhance the Value of CUGIR to all Users • More interoperability with neighboring states and with servers of data beyond the scope of CUGIR • Expand the User Community • Increase the ways people can discover GIS data • Improve the value of services offered • Bring GIS Capabilities into Non-spatial Library Resources

  28. Summary • GIS a Good Fit with the Library • Metadata in GIS and other Digital Libraries Address Many of the Same Challenges • GIS Interoperability Trends Offer a Good Model for other Digital Library Resources

  29. Download Presentation • The latest version of this Presentation is Available at: <http://cugir.mannlib.cornell.edu/presentations/lita2003.jsp>

More Related