Please note: this presentation has not received Director’s approval and is subject to revision.

SOFIA Information Management: Metadata management and maintenance Heather Henkel

October 1, 2003http://sofia.usgs.gov SOFIA Information Management Background Overview of website Metadata Future of SOFIA

October 1, 2003http://sofia.usgs.gov SOFIA Information Management Background Overview of website Metadata Future of SOFIA

October 1, 2003http://sofia.usgs.gov Background - “The Early Years” Website initiated in 1995 Intention to provide “one-stop shopping” –Access to all major components (website, data, metadata) Initially fewer than 100 pages and visitors

October 1, 2003http://sofia.usgs.gov Background - Still growing Website provides access all available information –Proposals, publications, data, metadata, current events Currently over 4600 documents and over 1500 visitors/day

October 1, 2003http://sofia.usgs.gov SOFIA Information Management Background Overview of website Metadata Future of SOFIA

October 1, 2003http://sofia.usgs.gov Overview of Website Website updated weekly New additions highlighted on front page –Link to past highlights

October 1, 2003http://sofia.usgs.gov Overview - Navigation Navigation designed in 1998, updated in 2003 –Based on usability (user) testing Logical groups –Navigation on all pages

October 1, 2003http://sofia.usgs.gov Overview - Search Search function on all pages provides immediate access Robust search engine

October 1, 2003http://sofia.usgs.gov Overview - Help Walks users through website Small window provides assistance

October 1, 2003http://sofia.usgs.gov Overview - Projects Listed by title, investigator, region, topic, or program Each project page links to proposals, data, metadata, publications, related information

October 1, 2003http://sofia.usgs.gov Overview - Results Provides links to: –Publications Includes both publications produced by the SOFIA program as well as historical south Florida publications –Results presented at past meetings –South Florida Restoration Science Forum (held in 1999) –Synthesis projects

October 1, 2003http://sofia.usgs.gov Overview - Results > Publications Three different ways to locate a publication –Search publications –View by publication type Includes formal and information publications –View by topic and subtopic

October 1, 2003http://sofia.usgs.gov Overview - Results > Publications (cont.) New enhanced publications search coming Spring 2004 Will allow users to search by: –Title –Author(s) –Year –Number(s) –Type –Topic

October 1, 2003http://sofia.usgs.gov Overview - Information Provides links to: –Personnel pages and SOFIA contacts –Information about the SOFIA website and program –Links to our educational/outreach activities –Calendar of upcoming events

October 1, 2003http://sofia.usgs.gov Overview - Data Links to other major components of SOFIA information management system –Database Currently under a redesign –Data exchange –Metadata –Internet Map Service (IMS), under development

October 1, 2003http://sofia.usgs.gov Overview - Data Exchange Originally just an ftp site to allow scientists to share data –Eventually became a quick way to get data out to everyone before it is loaded into the database Organized by topic

October 1, 2003http://sofia.usgs.gov Overview - Data Exchange (cont.) Direct access to data sets as well as: –Format information –Methodology –Location map –Site listings –Photos –Project information

October 1, 2003http://sofia.usgs.gov Overview - Metadata Over 120 metadata records Listed by author Metadata search Link to more robust metadata search through FGDC website

October 1, 2003http://sofia.usgs.gov SOFIA Information Management Background Overview of website Metadata Future of SOFIA

October 1, 2003http://sofia.usgs.gov SOFIA Metadata Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) metadata standard used from the beginning Survey of project chiefs showed they felt metadata was important to their work, but did not have time to create it themselves SOFIA Metadata project component added

October 1, 2003http://sofia.usgs.gov Metadata Methodology When a new project is authorized, a metadata record is created As the project progresses and data becomes available, the metadata record is updated and another record is made for the data exchange pages Chart (modified) from

October 1, 2003http://sofia.usgs.gov Metadata Methodology (cont.) Metadata created using Spatial Metadata Management System (SMMS) from Intergraph Then parsed through USGS metadata parser, mp Output in three formats: –html (standard & FAQ) versions –text –xml

October 1, 2003http://sofia.usgs.gov Metadata Methodology (cont.) Once a metadata record has been created, it is uploaded to the SOFIA server In order to index the metadata records: –Metadata server (zserver) is stopped –Database is reindexed –Metadata server restarted Server software is separate from web server software

October 1, 2003http://sofia.usgs.gov Metadata Methodology (cont.) New records are now available via both the SOFIA search and FGDC search

October 1, 2003http://sofia.usgs.gov SOFIA Information Management Background Overview of website Metadata Future of SOFIA

October 1, 2003http://sofia.usgs.gov Future of SOFIA Usability test conducted at GEER conference (April 2003) –Adjustments will be made to website based on findings –Overall, SOFIA tested extremely well New database interface Internet Map Server (IMS) Continued addition of data, publications, project information

October 1, 2003http://sofia.usgs.gov Thank you Questions?