The FGDC and 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. Major Uses of Metadata Setting the Stage

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. The Role of Metadata The information contained in the standard was selected based on the four roles that metadata play. Setting the Stage

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. Definitions Geospatial data

"National Spatial Data Infrastructure" means the technology, policies, standards, and human resources necessary to acquire, process, store, distribute, and improve utilization of geospatial data. Definitions NSDI

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. Definitions FGDC

A distributed network of geospatial data producers, managers, and users linked electronically. Definitions National Geospatial Data Clearinghouse

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. Definitions

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. Organization of the Content Standard

Metadata The Three Supporting Sections 9 Time Period Information 10 Contact Information 8 Citation Information Organization of the Content Standard Data Quality Information Spatial Data Organization Information Spatial Reference Information Entity and Attribute Information Distribution Information Metadata Reference Information Identification Information The Seven Main Sections

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. Graphical Representation of Production Rules Compound Element Data Element Organization of the Content Standard Section

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.

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.

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. Adapting the CSDGM Creating Profiles

Biological Data Profile of the CSDGM (Biological Data Working Group) Metadata Profile for Shoreline Data (Bathymetric Subcommittee) CSDGM: Extensions for Remote Sensing Metadata (Standards Working Group) FGDC Endorsed Profiles or Extensions of the CSDGM, version 2.0

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 FGDC Endorsed Standards

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

For more information on the clearinghouse system, visit the FGDC Web site ( 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. A Brief Look at the FGDC Clearinghouse

A Quick Look at Section 5 Entity and Attribute Information

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

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: Attribute_Units_of_Measure: 1 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: Attribute_Units_of_Measure: 1 Section 5 can be used to describe a wide range of data set components. It is perhaps the most underutilized section of the standard.

Michael Moeller