Metadata workshop, June 2003

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Metadata workshop, June 2003
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The Workshop

• Workshop Timetable
• introduction to the Go-Geo! project
• metadata overview
• Go-Geo! portal hands on session and evaluation
• Aims of the Workshop
• inform potential users and data providers about
  the project and to seek feedback on the design
  and functionality of the Go-Geo! portal
• provide a brief overview of Go-Geo! metadata
  activities

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Project Context

• increasing amounts of geo-spatial datasets are
  being created and with demand growing there is a
  need to promote the re-use of data.
• The problem is
• how to find out what geo-spatial datasets already
  exist within (and outside) UK academia as the
  existence of many datasets often is not
  publicised
• having discovered a dataset, how to ascertain its
  quality and fitness for use
• how to access it
• how to use it.
• A solution.

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The Go-Geo! Portal (1)
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The Go-Geo! Portal (2)

• The Go-Geo! Portal is a
• 5/99 JISC-funded project, being undertaken by
  EDINA and the UK Data Archive.
• The Go-Geo! Portal will be
• a resource discovery tool that tells users what
  geo-spatial datasets exist
• a service that provides access to other related
  information resources which can either be local
  to the portal, or found by searching the JISC
  Information Environment and other online
  information services .

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Project Aims and Objectives

• the aim of the project is to develop a
  demonstrator geo-spatial portal suitable for
  extension to full service.
• The Go-Geo! Portal demonstrator should provide
• simple query interfaces
• search by subject, date, resource type and
  geographic location
• support for both controlled and uncontrolled
  vocabulary searching
• support for the Z39.50 Protocol for searching and
  record retrieval
• output of metadata in various forms using XML as
  the transfer format.

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Go-Geo! Portal Content

• The content of Go-Geo! comprises
• related resources, tied together by location,
  which include
• software, learning resources, courses and
  training, etc.
• information about studies and projects, articles,
  reports, personal contacts, mailing-lists
• guidance for creating geo-spatial data
• metadata describing geo-spatial datasets or
  geographically referenced datasets.

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Metadata (1)

• Metadata represent an ordered summary of
  information details that describe something, in
  this case, a geo-spatial dataset. These details
  include
• What, Where, When, Who and Why of the dataset,
  plus the means to access and use it.
• Metadata reveal information that is not apparent
  when looking at dataset files in a directory.

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Metadata (2)

• The details of a dataset are embedded in the
  metadata file and often address the following
  questions
• What is the purpose of the dataset? 
• Where did the dataset originate? 
• What attribute information does it contain? 
• What processes or algorithms were employed to
  create it? 
• What spatial reference system does the dataset
  use? 
• What is the granularity of the dataset? 
• When was the dataset created?
• What time period does the dataset content cover?
• What geographic area or extent does it cover? 
• Whom do I contact for more information or access
  to the dataset? 
• How do I obtain the dataset? 
• What are the access and use restrictions and how
  much will it cost? 
• Who is responsible for creating the metadata
  record for the dataset?

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The Go-Geo! Metadata

• amended and finalised the FE/HE Metadata
  Application Profile of the National Geographic
  Data Framework Discovery Metadata Guidelines
• reviewed the GEMET, NASA, HASSET and UNESCO
  thesauri and selected the UNESCO thesaurus for
  the controlled keyword vocabulary
• created a comprehensive 150 page metadata
  guidelines document complete with examples and
  explanations relevant to seven academic
  disciplines
• converted 70 metadata records to the FE/HE
  metadata profile format for use on the Go-Geo!
  portal demonstrator. These include 25 from ADS,
  HDS and MIMAS and 45 from the EDINA Data centre
• made cross-comparisons between the FE/HE Profile
  and the ISO 19115 Standard and FGDCs Content
  Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata (CSDGM)

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FE/HE Metadata Application Profile

• Contains 70 elements categorised under the
  following eight primary headings
• Citation
• Identification Information
• Dataset Capture Period
• Time Period of Content
• Spatial Extent of Dataset
• Custodian
• Distributor
• Metadata Creator.
• There are 27 mandatory elements. These include
  12 elements for contact details. The remaining
  15 elements require only short answers or
  selections from lists. The one exception is the
  Description element. This element is comparable
  to an abstract and requires a general overview
  statement.

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Example of a Go-Geo! Metadata Record
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Future Metadata Initiatives

• starting in autumn 2003, organise and hold
  workshops during the academic year to introduce
  FE/HE metadata application profile and guidelines
  to academics and students across the UK
• in addition, offer training at the workshops,
  which hopefully will include a tool for creating
  compliant metadata
• explain further the benefits of metadata to
  encourage metadata creation
• encourage relevant journals to list metadata
  titles and authors
• hopefully provide support for metadata creation
  through quality assessments and template creation
• address and resolve issues surrounding data
  licensing, especially derived datasets

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Future Go-Geo! Portal Demonstrator Activities

• trial access to the Go-Geo! portal demonstrator
  available until the July 30th to allow for
  further feedback and evaluation
• longer trials of the Go-Geo! portal demonstrator
  will begin in autumn 2003
• access to the demonstrator (password protected)
  and the evaluation questionnaire can be found at
• http//www.gogeo.ac.uk/TrialEvaluation.htm
• Further information on the Go-Geo! project can be
  found at
• http//www.gogeo.ac.uk

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