FGDC / NBII Metadata Resources on the Web

Compiled by Lynn Kutner and Terry Giles, current as of March 13, 2006

III. Training Materials and Resources

V. Metadata Software and Other Tools

I. FGDC Materials

Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC): http://www.fgdc.gov/

The Federal Geographic Data Committee coordinates the development of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI). The NSDI encompasses policies, standards, and procedures for organizations to cooperatively produce and share geographic data. The 17 federal agencies that make up the FGDC are developing the NSDI in cooperation with organizations from state, local and tribal governments, the academic community, and the private sector.

FGDC Metadata Standards: http://www.fgdc.gov/metadata/geospatial-metadata-standards

· Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata (CSDGM) (version 2.0), FGDC-STD-001-1998 http://www.fgdc.gov/standards/projects/FGDC-standards-projects/metadata/base-metadata/index_html

· Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata, Part 1: Biological Data Profile, FGDC-STD-001.1-1999 (Note: The FGDC biological data profile is sometimes also referred to as the “NBII extension”) http://www.fgdc.gov/standards/projects/FGDC-standards-projects/metadata/biometadata/

FGDC links to online metadata resources:

http://www.fgdc.gov/metadata/online-metadata-resources

FGDC “Geospatial Metadata” Fact Sheet:

http://www.fgdc.gov/library/factsheets/documents/metafact.pdf

FGDC “Metadata Quick Guide: A short reference guide for writing quality metadata”:

http://www.fgdc.gov/metadata/documents/MetadataQuickGuide.pdf

FGDC “Institutionalize Metadata”:

http://www.fgdc.gov/metadata/documents/InstitutionalizeMeta_Nov2005.doc

FGDC “Ten Most Common Metadata Errors”: http://www.fgdc.gov/metadata/documents/top10metadataerrors.pdf

FGDC “Managing Historical Geospatial Data Records”:

http://www.fgdc.gov/library/factsheets/documents/histdata.pdf

FGDC “Geospatial One-Stop”:

http://www.fgdc.gov/library/factsheets/documents/gos.pdf

FGDC “The National Geospatial Data Clearinghouse”:

http://www.fgdc.gov/library/factsheets/documents/chouse.pdf

FGDC CAP Metadata Funding:

http://www.fgdc.gov/grants

II. NBII Materials

National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII): http://www.nbii.gov/

NBII is a broad, collaborative program to provide increased access to data and information on the nation's biological resources. The NBII links diverse, high-quality biological databases, information products, and analytical tools maintained by NBII partners and other contributors in government agencies, academic institutions, non-government organizations, and private industry. NBII partners and collaborators also work on new standards, tools, and technologies that make it easier to find, integrate, and apply biological resources information. Resource managers, scientists, educators, and the general public use the NBII to answer a wide range of questions related to the management, use, or conservation of this nation's biological resources.

NBII Metadata Resources - http://www.nbii.gov/datainfo/metadata/

NOTE: The NBII website is in the process of being reorganized. Some of the URLs may change, but the information described below will still be on the site. If the URLs in this document are “broken”, please start from the top-level NBII metadata page and browse for the resources.

· Information about Metadata Training workshops; lots of downloadable resources on different subject areas: http://www.nbii.gov/datainfo/metadata/training/index.html

Information about and links to a variety of metadata creation Tools: http://www.nbii.gov/datainfo/metadata/tools/index.html
Learn about Metadata Standards – links to the Biological Data Profile, the Biological Data Profile Workbook, graphical representation of the Biological Data Profile, and other background materials: http://www.nbii.gov/datainfo/metadata/standards/index.html
Link to the NBII Metadata Clearinghouse: http://www.nbii.gov/datainfo/metadata/clearinghouse/
Additional Resources for metadata information (including keyword thesauri and information about projections): http://www.nbii.gov/datainfo/metadata/resources/

Biological Data Profile Workbook - The NBII offers the Biological Data Profile Workbook. Patterned after the FGDC-CSDGM "green book", this document contains all FGDC elements plus biological elements and helpful tables and charts. Includes “FAQ” sections to help explain / illustrate components of the metadata standard:

http://www.nbii.gov/datainfo/metadata/standards/BDP-workbook.doc

Graphic Images Representing the Biological Data Profile - Viewable and downloadable .gif and .tif format images representing the structure of the Biological Metadata Standard. This representation uses colors and symbols to portray the metadata standard. A very helpful presentation, particularly to identify which metadata elements are mandatory, mandatory if applicable, or optional:

http://www.nbii.gov/datainfo/metadata/standards/bdp.html

Online Biological Data Profile Workbook – Online, hyperlinked version of the BDP workbook, complete with supplemental graphics and FAQs.

http://www.nbii.gov/datainfo/metadata/standards/BRD_metadata/version2/metav-2.html

III. Training Materials and Resources

FGDC metadata training resources and calendar:

http://www.fgdc.gov/training/index_html

NBII metadata training program:

http://www.nbii.gov/datainfo/metadata/training/index.html

NOAA Coastal Services Center training materials:

http://www.csc.noaa.gov/metadata/

Metadata Primer -- A "How To" Guide on Metadata Implementation

This primer is designed to provide a practical overview of the issues associated with developing and maintaining metadata for digital spatial data. It is targeted toward an audience of state, local, and tribal government personnel. The document provides a "cook book" approach to the creation of metadata: http://www.lic.wisc.edu/metadata/metaprim.htm

'Colorized' Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata

The 'Colorized' Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata attempts to encapsulate the production rules of the 1998 version of the Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata (CSDGM), FGDC-STD-001-1998, and the Biological Data Profile of the Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata, FGDC-STD-001.1-1999, through the use of font style and color in an hierarchical arrangement of all possible metadata elements. There are several versions that are formatted slightly differently for viewing on-screen or for printing: http://www.sco.wisc.edu/wisclinc/colorstd/

IV. USGS Tools and Resources

USGS Formal Metadata resource page - includes many great resources and “how to” information such as: metadata in plain language, FAQs, advice for writing and reviewing / editing metadata, help for difficult components of the metadata: http://geology.usgs.gov/tools/metadata/

· Metadata in plain language: A guide for authors and reviewers

· Metadata FAQs with answers

· Metadata Examples from USGS Geoscience Data

· Editorial page: Advice and opinion about creating and using metadata

V. Metadata Software and Other Tools

ArcView 3.x: ArcView® Metadata Collector v2.0 (free)

The ArcView® Metadata Collector is an easy-to- use application that helps the ArcView 3.x user create Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC)-compliant metadata. The tool can create metadata for any data type supported by ArcView, including ARC/INFO coverages, ArcView shapefiles, as well as any supported image formats.

http://www.csc.noaa.gov/metadata/text/download.html, or

http://arcscripts.esri.com/details.asp?dbid=10413

ArcGIS 8 / 9: ArcCatalog (part of ArcGIS)

Metadata creation and editing tools are included in ArcCatalog. Advanced tools and customizations (such as specifying which parts of the metadata record to automatically update) can be downloaded from the ESRI ArcObjects website: http://arcobjectsonline.esri.com/ select “Samples”, “Metadata”, “Tools”, see “Advanced Synchronization” or “Set Synchronized Properties”

ITIS Taxonomic Metadata Tool –

An online tool from the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) that allows users to generate SGML for the Taxonomic Classification section of the Biological Data Profile. This tool currently works only on scientific names and within one kingdom at a time. http://www.itis.usda.gov/taxmatch_ftp.html

Metavist 2005 (free)

http://ncrs.fs.fed.us/pubs/viewpub.asp?key=2737

The USDA Forest Service North Central Research Station Metavist 2005 is a computer program designed to create metadata compliant with the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) 1998 metadata standard or the National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII) 1999 Biological Data Profile for the FGDC standard. The software runs under the Microsoft Windows 2000 and XP operating systems, and requires the presence of Microsoft's .Net Framework version 1.1. The metadata are output in XML format.

NPS Metadata Tools and Editor (free)

http://science.nature.nps.gov/nrgis/tools/editor.cfm

The National Park Service’s metadata management and editing tool. The application has 2 interfaces – one for use in ArcCatalog (8.3/9.x) and a standalone desktop application. While geared towards creating metadata for the NPS GIS data store, it contains many useful tools for metadata editing. The metadata are stored/output as XML files.

TKME: Metadata editor developed by USGS (free)

http://geology.usgs.gov/tools/metadata/tools/doc/tkme.html

Can be configured to support the NBII Biological Data Profile and other extensions (such as the ESRI metadata components). Not a Windows GUI-based application so can be initially harder to learn. Requires good understanding of the FGDC metadata standard. Additional documentation is available from Lynn Kutner.

SMMS (Spatial Metadata Management System): Intergraph (~ $600)

http://imgs.intergraph.com/smms/

FGDC-compliant metadata editor, including NBII biological profile. Can associate a SMMS metadata record with the actual GIS data layer it describes. Automated capture of spatial metadata elements (bounding coordinates, etc.) and list of attributes. Metadata publishing. Can create metadata templates & keywords lists, and includes a database so can re-use components such as Citations and Contacts. Can create user-defined metadata fields.

Metadata Validation Tools: CNS and MP

Download & documentation for metadata parser validation (MP) and pre-parsing (CNS) software tools. If you are using output from tools such as ArcCatalog or SMMS, you most likely do NOT need to run the CNS pre-parser before using MP. If you plan to post metadata to a clearinghouse portal, it’s strongly recommended to run MP to validate that your metadata record is correctly formatted and FGDC compliant. This USGS site also includes many great FGDC metadata resources, tools, FAQ, and links to other resources: http://geology.usgs.gov/tools/metadata/

CNS: http://geology.usgs.gov/tools/metadata/tools/doc/cns.html

MP: http://geology.usgs.gov/tools/metadata/tools/doc/mp.html