NATIONAL TREASURES

DATA PRESERVATION WITH METADATA

Sharon ShinMetadata Coordinator

Federal Geographic Data Committee Secretariat

ASPRS-Reno 2006

Introduction

• This presentation does not address human capital planning.

• The presenter is not an authority on data preservation or archiving.

• This presentation is to rally scientists to preserve their scientific careers through

METADATA.

Background• 20 percent of Department of

Interior employees eligible to retire by 2008

• 50% of the USGS scientific workforce will be eligible for retirement within the next 10 years (Publication date 2001).

Look around the room…

• Your colleagues, are they…• 50 years old or +?• Looking forward to retirement? • Planning the retirement:

• Cruise• Car• Relaxation

Your Colleagues Current Focus…

Where/how do you store your data?

How does one locate your data

What is and Why Metadata • Documents data assets • Inventories data • Enables data sharing• Enables electronic search and

discovery

Approaches to Metadata • Interviews• Questionnaires/Templates • Data project life cycle approach• Divide and conquer

Metadata Content

• Agency policy establishes content requirements

• Recent data content• Legacy data content

After Metadata,Ready for retirement

• Proper care for the media• Always accessible• Always discoverable• Proper care for the data

Never orphaned

National Archives and Records Administration

• 2004-Established archival requirements to transfer digital geospatial records including GIS data.

• Each federal agency specifies deposition instructions and scheduling.

*** http://www.archives.gov/records-mgmt/agency/officers-lists.html

Other Data Repositories

Unacceptable Repositories

USGS: Science Information Management Workshop

• Reston Virginia • March 21-23, 2006

Objectives • Compile needs and best practices• Recognize existing SIM groups or

"communities of practice" in USGS• Recommend actions to address SIM

challenges. • Establish communication capability

Breakouts

• Archiving of Scientific Data and Information

• Digital Libraries • Field Data for Small

Research Projects• Knowledge Capture• Portals and

Frameworks • Scientific Data from

Monitoring Programs

• Database Networks • Emerging Workforce• Knowledge

Organization Systems and Controlled Vocabularies

• Large Time Series Data Sets

• Preservation of Physical Collections

• Metadata

Communities of Practice

Communities of Practice • Informal groups • Strategic alliance. • Practitioners who share

knowledge, ideas, best practices, develop relationships, build tools

Metadata COP Draft Mission

Become a focal point to exchange bestpractices, share evolving technologies andtechniques, collaborate and coordinate oninformation management activities, andharness (enable discovery and access of) the vast information resources within USGS disciplines

Metadata COPBeyond Geospatial

• Museum and voucher collections• Methodologies and protocols • Digital objects • Training management systems,• Document and resource archives• Web applications and services • Enterprise metadata*

Metadata Issues

• Policy / Metadata Avoidance Culture

• Lack of easy to use tools• Unfamiliar with standard(s) • Share best practices

Next Steps

• Establish communications - Wiki• Emphasize hands-on training • Metadata in practice via tele

conferencing• Training calendar and contacts• Implementers corner• Success stories

USGS Leads

• Vivian Hutchison, USGS-BRD National Biological Information

Infrastructure Program • George Lienkaemper, USGS-BRD Forest and Range Ecosystem Science

Center

• Sharon Shin, Federal Geographic Data Committee