Metadata Builder and Metadata Guidance

PNAMP seeks to provide guidance, support and other tools that can facilitate and encourage the development and use of metadata for aquatic monitoring data collected by government agencies and partners in the Pacific Northwest. A subset of the Data Management Leadership Team has provided support this ongoing task and looks to build on existing tools, standards and references whenever practical. The workgroup supported the development of a Regional Metadata Guidance document published in 2009. In 2010 and 2011, the workgroup is supporting requirements scoping for tools that will support metadata development within the region.

While drafting the Regional Metadata Tool Recommendations report, the Metadata Working Group recommended the concept of a ‘metadata builder’. This recommendation did not make it into the final draft of the report as a key recommendation, but PNAMP felt the idea should still be pursued.

In addition, BPA issued new mandate in 2011 for funders to provide a metadata record for all new datasets developed through BPA funding. To support this requirement and the idea from the Metadata Working Group, BPA agreed to fund a pilot effort to develop a prototype metadata builder. The metadata builder would identify elements of a standard metadata record that are currently documented through separate project management or other documentation tools, such as Pisces, cbfish.org, and MonitoringMethods.org. Using web services and an agreed upon metadata template, the metadata builder would serve to integrate these currently disparate elements of a metadata record into one metadata report. While not all elements of a standard metadata report are also contained within BPA project databases, the builder would look to maximize efficiencies where the elements do exist.

For more information about this past project or specific events related to this project, please contact us at gs-pnamp_contact@usgs.gov.