The FGDC and Metadata

1. The FGDC and Metadata

2. Setting the Stage Major Uses of Metadata • To maintain an organization's internal investment in geospatial data • To provide information about an organization's data holdings to data catalogues, • clearinghouses, and brokerages • To provide information needed to process and interpret data to be received through • a transfer from an external source.

3. Setting the Stage The Role of Metadata The information contained in the standard was selected based on the four roles that metadata play. Availability - information needed to determine the sets of data that exist for a geographic location. Fitness for use - information needed to determine if a set of data meets a specific need. Access - information needed to acquire an identified set of data. Transfer - information needed to process and use a set of data.

4. Definitions Geospatial data Information that identifies the geographic location and characteristics of natural or constructed features and boundaries on the earth. This information may be derived from, among other things, remote sensing, mapping, and surveying technologies. http://www.fgdc.gov/metadata/csdgm/glossary.html

5. Definitions NSDI "National Spatial Data Infrastructure" means the technology, policies, standards, and human resources necessary to acquire, process, store, distribute, and improve utilization of geospatial data. http://www.fgdc.gov/nsdi/nsdi.html

6. Definitions FGDC The Federal Geographic Data Committee A 19 member interagency committee composed of representatives from the Executive Office of the President, Cabinet-level and independent agencies. It’s mission is to promote the coordinated use, sharing, and dissemination of geospatial data on a national basis. http://www.fgdc.gov/fgdc/fgdc.html

7. Definitions National Geospatial Data Clearinghouse A distributed network of geospatial data producers, managers, and users linked electronically. http://www.fgdc.gov/publications/documents/geninfo/execord.html

8. Definitions The Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata (CSDGM) Objective:To provide a common set of terminology and definitions for the documentation of digital geospatial data. The standard establishes the names of data elements and compound elements (groups of data elements) to be used for these purposes, the definitions of these compound elements and data elements, and information about the values that are to be provided for the data elements. http://www.fgdc.gov/metadata/contstan.html

9. Organization of the Content Standard The Content Standard is organized using numbered chapters called “sections.” There are 7 main sections and 3 supporting sections. Each section is organized into series of elements that define the information content for metadata to document a set of digital geospatial data.

10. Organization of the Content Standard The Seven Main Sections Metadata 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Identification Information Spatial Reference Information Entity and Attribute Information Distribution Information Metadata Reference Information Data Quality Information Spatial Data Organization Information 8 Citation Information 9 Time Period Information 10 Contact Information The Three Supporting Sections

11. Organization of the Content Standard Section Compound Element Data Element Graphical Representation of Production Rules A production rule specifies the relationship between a compound element, and data elements and other (lower-level) compound elements. In the CSDGM Workbook, Version 2.0, the production rules are expressed graphically.

13. Interpreting the Graphical Production Rules Data Element A data element is a logically primitive item of data. Data elements are the things that you “fill in.” The form for the definition of a data element is: Data element name -- definition. Type: (choice of “integer”, “real”, “text”, “date”, or “time”) Domain: (describes valid values that can be assigned) An example of the definition of a data element is: Abstract -- a brief narrative summary of the data set. Type: text Domain: free text Note: Data element definitions are contained in the text of the Content Standard, not in the graphical production rules.

14. Adapting the CSDGM Extending the Standard Extended elements are elements outside the Standard, but needed by the data set producer. These elements may be defined by the data set producer or the user community. The official requirements and rules for User Defined Extensions are documented in Appendix D of the FGDC CSDGM. http://www.fgdc.gov/metadata/csdgm/elements.html

15. Adapting the CSDGM Creating Profiles A profile is a document that describes the application of the Standard to a specific user community A profile always contains the Standard, plus modifications to the optionality or repeatability of non- mandatory elements in the Standard. Modifications to the domains of standard elements can also be made where permitted by the Standard. Profiles may also contain extended elements. http://www.fgdc.gov/metadata/csdgm/profile.html

16. FGDC Endorsed Profiles or Extensions of the CSDGM, version 2.0 Biological Data Profile ofthe CSDGM (Biological Data Working Group) Metadata Profile for Shoreline Data (Bathymetric Subcommittee) CSDGM: Extensions for Remote Sensing Metadata (Standards Working Group) http://www.fgdc.gov/metadata/contstan.html

17. FGDC Endorsed Standards • Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata (CSDGM - version 2.0) • CSDGM, Part 1: Biological Data Profile • Spatial Data Transfer Standard (SDTS), Part 5: Raster Profile and Extensions • SDTS, Part 6: Point Profile • SDTS Part 7: Computer-Aided Design and Drafting (CADD) Profile • Cadastral Data Content Standard • Vegetation Classification Standard • Soils Geographic Data Standard • Geospatial Positioning Accuracy Standard, • Part 1 - Reporting Methodology • Part 2 - Geodetic Control Networks • Part 3 - National Standard for Spatial Data Accuracy • Content Standard for Digital Orthoimagery, • Content Standard for Remote Sensing Swath Data http://www.fgdc.gov/standards/status/textstatus.html#Final

18. Discovering Data Through Metadata The FGDC metadata clearinghouse is a decentralized system of Internet servers you can use to search for available geospatial data. Servers housing metadata Client FGDC Gateway

19. Discovering Data Through Metadata The descriptive information that fuels the FGDC clearinghouse is metadata, which is collected in a standard format to facilitate query and consistent presentation across the multiple participating sites.

20. A Brief Look at the FGDC Clearinghouse The FGDC has six gateways to its clearinghouse system, with access to over 250 spatial data servers. www.fgdc.gov/clearinghouse/clearinghouse.html

21. A Brief Look at the FGDC Clearinghouse Searches can be performed by using the NSDI Search Wizard, or by using a map interface with place names, or by place names alone.

22. A Brief Look at the FGDC Clearinghouse The new NSDI “Smart Select” Search Wizard bins servers by the types of metadata they house.

23. A Brief Look at the FGDC Clearinghouse Searches can be performed using a map interface that allows the user to define an area of interest. An area of interest can be defined by dragging an area of interest box on the map interface.

24. A Brief Look at the FGDC Clearinghouse You can search all the servers listed, or you can select only those that interest you.

25. A Brief Look at the FGDC Clearinghouse Select individual servers of interest to your search.

26. A Brief Look at the FGDC Clearinghouse Search criteria can be further refined by time period of content and keywords.

27. A Brief Look at the FGDC Clearinghouse The status of each selected node is displayed as the search is conducted.

28. A Brief Look at the FGDC Clearinghouse When the search is complete, the status window lets you know if you were successful in discovering metadata that matched your search criteria.

29. A Brief Look at the FGDC Clearinghouse Select a server to see what metadata is available.

30. A Brief Look at the FGDC Clearinghouse Metadata discovered by the search is shown by title.

31. A Brief Look at the FGDC Clearinghouse Links take you to each of the seven main sections of the record. Metadata record returned in HTML format.

32. A Brief Look at the FGDC Clearinghouse

33. A Brief Look at the FGDC Clearinghouse The Coastal Information Directory (CID) at the NOAA Coastal Services Center is similar to the FGDC gateway interface, but the CID searches only those spatial data servers that house metadata of a coastal nature. www.csc.noaa.gov/CID/

34. A Brief Look at the FGDC Clearinghouse For more information on the clearinghouse system, visit the FGDC Web site (www.fgdc.gov). Here you can find information on how to establish your own clearinghouse node using free Isite software. On-line tutorials provide assistance for setting up and configuring this software.

35. A Quick Look at Section 5 Entity and Attribute Information

36. A Quick Look at Section 5 Entity Attributes A Common, Everyday Example

37. A Quick Look at Section 5 Section 5 can be used to describe a wide range of data set components. It is perhaps the most underutilized section of the standard. Entity_and_Attribute_Information: Detailed_Description: Entity_Type: Entity_Type_Label: Roads Entity_Type_Definition: Paved and unpaved surfaces used for transportation. Refers to public access roads only. Entity_Type_Definition_Source: South Carolina Department of Transportation Attribute: Attribute_Label: Road_ID Attribute_Definition: Numerical value assigned to each road. Attribute_Definition_Source: South Carolina Dept. of Transportation Attribute_Domain_Values: Range_Domain: Range_Domain_Minimum: 1 Range_Domain_Maximum: 10000 Attribute_Units_of_Measure: 1

38. Michael Moeller Mike.Moeller@noaa.gov www.csc.noaa.gov/metadata/