U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey Archiving Geospatial Data John Faundeen, Archivist Presentation to Map & Geographic Information Collections in Transition Conference Cartographic Users Advisory Council May 2005 Library of Congress

Outline  Background & Context  Records Management at USGS / EROS  Appraisal Process  Accession Experience  Access / Finding Aids  Preservation Efforts  Disposition Procedures  Advocacy  Summary

Background & Context  Department of the Interior  U.S. Geological Survey  National Center for Earth Resources Observation & Science  1972  Landsat  Mid-US  Sioux Falls, SD  Primarily Laser-Beam Recorder Film  Today  Multiple Satellites – Mainly Digital  Aerial Photography – Still Analog  GIS  Topography / Elevation

Background & Context  Film  4 Film Types  Black-and-White  Black-and-White Infrared  Natural Color  Color Infrared  Multiples Sizes  9” x 9” / 9” x 18” / 70mm / 70mm x 30”  110,000 Rolls – 13,000,000 Frames  1937 to Present  Aerial & Satellite

Background & Context  Digital  1 to 2 Terabytes / Day Incoming  >2 Petabytes – 3,000,000 Images  1972 to Present  National Satellite Land Remote Sensing Data Archive  Public Law (1992)  Federal Advisory Committee Act  Advisory Committee  Third Re-Chartered Period

Records Management at EROS  Then  No “Back Door”  Seeking Additional Relevance  Meshed With Other Agency Desires  Now  Embracing Lifecycle  Creation / Acceptance  Maintenance & Use  Disposition  Tight Budgets  Records Management Scandals in Biz World

Records Management at EROS  Current Areas of Emphasis  Appraisal  Accession  Access  Preservation  Disposition  Advocacy

Appraisal Process  Evolving  Driven by  Archivist Position  2001  Need for Mission Alignment  Re-Organizations  Accountability  Budget Constraints

Appraisal Process  Collection Policy  Appraisal Flow  EROS Science Council Support  Scientific Tool Development   USGS HQ and NARA Involved

Accession Experience  Requirements  Checklists  Shipping Summaries

Accession Experience  Experience  NASA / Goddard Space Flight Center  NASA / Ames & Houston  NOAA / National Climatic Data Center  Reciprocal Archive LOA  SPOT Image Corporation  Space Imaging Corporation  Future  NARA  4 to 5 Semi-trucks

Access / Finding Aids  Organizational Commitment  Spatial & Temporal Criticality  Spatial Challenges  Contracts  New Techniques

Access / Finding Aids  Textual and Spatial Characterizations  Federal Geographic Data Committee  Earth Explorer  Photo Finder  GloVis  EOS Data Gateway  Seamless / The National Map  Customer Service Unit

Access / Finding Aids

Preservation Efforts  Macro  Environmental  Redundant Temperature / Relative Humidity  Security  Technology  Eyes  Micro  Molecular Sieves  AD Strips

Preservation Efforts  Film  Vinegar Syndrome  Copying  Freezing  Digital  Flaking  Obsolescence  Digital Transcriptions  Something changing  Digital Migrations  Just a New Media  Baking

Preservation Efforts  Vinegar Syndrome  19,000 Rolls  1950s & Older Film  Not If, But When & at What Rate  Digital Transcriptions  22,000 Wide Band Video Tapes  1980 – Current, Landsat HDTs to DCRSi  DCRSi to LTO2 & 9940B  Migrations  CCT to 3480 to DLT to LTO2 to …

Preservation Efforts  Archive Media Trade Studies   Long-Term Digital Philosophy  Near-Line  Off-Line  Off-Site

Disposition Procedures  Formal Appraisal Process Evolving  Scientist Involvement  Documented Recommendations & Actions  Follow Through  Relevant Agencies  NARA  Transfers or Destruction

Advocacy  Numerous Conventions  American Society of Photogrammetry & Remote Sensing  International Society of Photogrammetry & Remote Sensing  National Satellite Land Remote Sensing Data Archive  Federal Advisory Committee Act  Participants Become Strong & Vocal Advocates  Leading News Agencies  Internationally Known Academics  CEOs of Global Companies  Committee on Earth Observation Satellites

Summary  Formal Archivist Position  4 Years in Records Management Processes  Endorsement of the Lifecycle of Records  Legislative Mandate  Organizational Commitment to Archiving