Geospatial Data Tools and Services for Academic Library Users: the Mann Library Experience

1. Geospatial Data Tools and Services for Academic Library Users: the Mann Library Experience Gail Steinhart Environmental Sciences and GIS Librarian Albert R. Mann Library Cornell University Northeast GIS Librarians Meeting May 15, 2006

2. Here we are today... • Supporting the use of GIS tools: instruction, consulting • Providing data to GIS users: managing collections, finding additional sources of data • Supporting the management and distribution of geospatial data: metadata creation and training, distribution platforms

3. ... Here's where we'd like to be tomorrow. • Easier ways to find data! • Geospatially enabled resource discovery systems • Geospatial resources for use by expert and non-expert users • MORE??

4. Supporting the use of GIS tools • Hardware and software • 22+ computers • Two additional instructional / public computing labs • 2 plotters • 2 GPS units • ArcGIS • Manifold • Google earth • HTML image mapper

5. Supporting the use of GIS tools • Instruction • Workshops • Program- and course-related instruction • Consulting • GIS Day • synerGIS – local user group

6. Here we are today... • Supporting the use of GIS tools: instruction, consulting • Providing data to GIS users: managing collections, finding additional sources of data • Supporting the management and distribution of geospatial data: metadata consulting, creation and training, distribution platforms

7. Cornell University Geospatial Information Repository Jon Corson-Rikert Programmer / Analyst Keith Jenkins Metadata Librarian Jeff Piestrak Computer Support Specialist Gail Steinhart Environmental Sciences and GIS Librarian Elaine Westbrooks Metadata Librarian Other collaborators: Jaime Martindale, Lee LaFleur, Nan Hyland, Philip Herold, Tom Turner, Bill Kehoe, Tom Gale • http://cugir.mannlib.cornell.edu/ • Overview • Operations and management • Future plans

8. Cornell University Geospatial Information Repository • Online repository for geospatial data and metadata for New York State, coordinate with New York State GIS Clearinghouse • Special emphasis on those natural features relevant to agriculture, ecology, natural resources, and human-environment interactions • One of the few state-wide repositories created and maintained by a library • National Spatial Data Infrastructure node and registered data publisher with geodata.gov

9. Data providers: • Adirondack Park Agency • AWS Truewind • Cornell Department of Natural Resources • Hudson River Estuary program • National Atlas • New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets • New York State Department of Environmental Conservation • Tompkins County ITS/GIS • U.S. Census Bureau • U.S. Geological Survey • USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service

10. New interface

11. Browse

12. Map browse

13. Search: elevation

14. Data set information

15. Downloads and updates

16. Feedback Please change it back to the way it was. It was so easy. Why change something that works so well to a system that look aweful and is hard to navigate.  please.

17. Feedback Please change it back to the way it was. It was so easy. Why change something that works so well to a system that look aweful and is hard to navigate.  please. I have been rooting and rummaging about in your excellent repository for nearly ten years. Several projects over time have only been possible because of the public access you provide. Thank you.Your revised and updated site... I have only this to say: this is probably the first time in the same ten years that I have been impressed and surprised by the reorganization of any informational site anywhere. The new layout and functionality are , in my opinion, a dramatic improvement to an already great site.Congratulations on a job well done!

18. Alternate access to data: • Participation in NSDI, geodata.gov • Metadata sharing project – CUGIR in the OPAC and beyond • Web mapping and services (temporarily unavailable)

19. Operations: staffing • GIS Librarian: • Work group coordination • Management of partner relationships • Collection development • User support • Programmer / analyst: • Database management • Server maintenance • License manager • Web mapping development • Metadata Librarian: • Metadata creation and editing • Metadata consulting • Development of new means of data discovery • Computer support specialist: • Data and metadata processing • Web site maintenance • User support • Collection development librarians

20. Operations: support for users • CUGIR help pages • E-mail form • Reference desk questions

21. Managing relationships with data providers

22. Data management and distribution policy • Data and metadata management • Preferred formats • Preferred coordinate systems • Statement of preservation responsibility • Data availability via web mapping • Metadata enhancements • Metadata harvesting • Security assessment • Use, distribution, and rights • Use constraints • Intellectual property rights in data • Liability

23. Security assessment procedure • Problem: Security concerns • Memo from New York State Director of Public Security • Full content review based on actual risk, distribution level • Decisions made by data producers • Solutions: • Formalize data sharing agreements • Conduct review on receipt of data

24. Security assessment procedure • Usefulness • Is the information useful for target location or selection purposes? • Is the information useful for attack planning purposes? • Uniqueness / availability of alternatives • Is the information readily available from other geospatial and non-geospatial information sources? • Is direct access or direct observation by potential attackers feasible? • Can attackers' information needs be met using general engineering and technical expertise? • Rand report - Mapping the Riskshttp://www.rand.org/publications/MG/MG142/

25. Receipt of data: • Review data and metadata • With provider: • Review data management policy • Negotiate changes • Update inventory • Conduct security review • Create data package • Update admin DB • Upload data to CUGIR/staging area • Upload metadata to CUGIR/staging area • Create/assign JIRA issue • Prepare/edit metadata • Upload to CUGIR/staging area • Resolve JIRA issue • Enable full access to data and metadata • Close JIRA issue • Announce release of data Workflow: ingest

26. Workflow: metadata creation / enhancement • Data providers asked to provide metadata or other forms of documentation. • We may collaborate on metadata creation. • Enhance metadata for CUGIR: • LC subject headings • FIPS codes • USGS GNIS names • ISO topic categories • Other additions: • Additional liability statements • Additional contact information • Create alternate forms of record.

27. CUGIR – the future • Metadata: redistribute processing load • Metadata: examine options for tools • Metadata: guidelines for data providers • Test and develop clearinghouse model for discovery and distribution • Many of the most frequently-used datasets are not unique to CUGIR (i.e. census) • Trend to managing data “close to the source” • Value in one-stop shopping • Restore and extend web mapping services

28. ... Here's where we'd like to be tomorrow. • Easier ways to find data! • Geospatially enabled resource discovery systems • Geospatial resources for use by expert and non-expert users • MORE??

29. Easier ways to find data!

30. A proposal for a GeoPortal… • Stable index to sources of GIS data • Constantly updated • Trustworthy source of information • Browseable – by geography, publisher, topic, ??? • Searchable • Collaborative

31. A proposal for a GeoPortal… Not a static web page. In philosophy, ontology is the most fundamental branch of metaphysics. It studies being or existence and their basic categories and relationships, to determine what entities and what types of entities exist. (From Wikipedia) CLASSES PROPERTIES

32. A proposal for a GeoPortal… THING agent abstract info person online resource organization geogr region

33. A proposal for a GeoPortal… THING agent abstract info topic service access constraints person online resource organization data portal data directory academic governmental non-profit commercial geogr region geopolitical entity geographic feature

34. A proposal for a GeoPortal… THING agent abstract info topic service access constraints person online resource organization data portal data directory academic governmental non-profit commercial geogr region geopolitical entity geographic feature

35. A proposal for a GeoPortal… http://cugir-tng.mannlib.cornell.edu:8080/geo/

36. A proposal for a GeoPortal… http://cugir-tng.mannlib.cornell.edu:8080/geo/

37. A proposal for a GeoPortal… http://cugir-tng.mannlib.cornell.edu:8080/geo/

38. A proposal for a GeoPortal…

39. A proposal for a GeoPortal…

40. A proposal for a GeoPortal… http://cugir-tng.mannlib.cornell.edu:8080/geo/

41. A proposal for a GeoPortal… • Uncompleted pieces: • Geographic ontology (county is in state is in country…) • May be able to use ADL gazetteer • Rights ontology • May be able to use existing, or create simplified • Challenges: • ISO topics are very general, but using a more complex system would greatly increase the work of curation • Participation? • Standards and process for adding and editing resources?

42. ... Here's where we'd like to be tomorrow. Geospatially enabled resource discovery systems • Goal: develop and interactive web-based mapping application to search for the complete range of georeferenced materials in the Cornell University Library catalog. • Components: • Develop a database solution for metadata for the library’s map resources; • develop an administrative interface that allows for adding and changing metadata for map holdings; • develop a user interface to expose this metadata to the end user.

43. ... Here's where we'd like to be tomorrow. Geospatial resources for use by expert and non-expert users • Build on existing prototype for Tompkins County • ~600 images • 1938 - 1991 • New counties: Cayuga, Cortland, Wayne (high priority areas for instruction and research) • ~2500 additional images • JPEG2000 for distribution, TIFF for archival and on request • LUNA for storage and viewer • In-house interface for navigation and discovery

44. ... Here's where we'd like to be tomorrow. • Facilitating data distribution and archiving • GOAL:  The AEP Upper Susquehanna River Basin project should serve as a source of valuable data and insight for people in county, state, and the Federal government, NGOs, and the public to improve water quality in the Upper Susquehanna Basin and the Chesapeake Bay. • Approach: • Create a public research portal, with background information, research plans, results, and data. • Document data sets using Ecological Metadata Language (EML). • Deposit and preserve data sets in Cornell’s digital repository, DSpace.

45. ... Here's where we'd like to be tomorrow. Facilitating data distribution and archiving GOAL:  The AEP Upper Susquehanna River Basin project should serve as a catalyst for innovative cross-disciplinary research at Cornell that will produce better scientific understanding of nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment cycling in the Upper Susquehanna basin and the Chesapeake Bay.Approach: Create a wiki, with access restricted to project participants. The wiki can be used to share datasets, preliminary results, and any other information about the project as it progresses, before such information is made publicly available.

46. Upper Susquehanna - AEP research portal

47. Albert R. Mann Library: • http://www.mannlib.cornell.edu/ • CUGIR: • http://cugir.mannlib.cornell.edu/ • Geo Portal: • http://cugir-tng.mannlib.cornell.edu:8080/geo/ Gail Steinhart Environmental Sciences and GIS and Librarian Albert R. Mann Library Cornell University GSS1@cornell.edu