# NBII Metadata Standard for Web 

**Resources Cataloguing**

**Standard Developed by:**

NBII Program Office

## And

Bird Conservation Node

California Information Node

Central Southwest/Gulf Coast Information Node

Fisheries & Aquatic Resources Node

Pacific Basin Information Node

Pacific Northwest Information Node

Southern Appalachian Information Node

Developed: 2002-06

Revised: 2004-02; 2004-08; 2005-04

+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Elem   | ## Title                                                  |
| ent Name |                                                           |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # De     | A name given to a resource or resource component.         |
| finition |                                                           |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| #        | Provides descriptive context for a resource; major point  |
|  Purpose | of entry from search engine results.                      |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| **Obli   | Mandatory                                                 |
| gation** |                                                           |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Format | **Title:** Free text entry                                |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Ex     | \-                                                        |
| isting S |                                                           |
| tandards |                                                           |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Gu     | Drop the articles "a," "an," or "the" at the *beginning*  |
| idelines | of a title                                                |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| #        | -   If resource has no official title in the \<title\>    |
|          |     tag or page header, or if the official title poorly   |
|          |     describes the resource, the cataloguer has authority  |
|          |     to amend the title in the interests of catalogue      |
|          |     quality and improved intellectual access to the       |
|          |     resource.                                             |
|          |                                                           |
|          | -   Place the most relevant title information at the      |
|          |     beginning of the title for better intellectual        |
|          |     access; drop corporate or institutional names from    |
|          |     the title itself; these can go in Creator or          |
|          |     Publisher elements.                                   |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| #        | -   "The GLOBE Program" should be catalogued as\          |
| Examples |     **Title:** GLOBE Program                              |
|          |                                                           |
|          | -   "The National Wildlife Federation Backyard Habitat"   |
|          |     should be catalogued as\                              |
|          |     **Title:** Backyard Habitat\                          |
|          |     This enables the key terms to appear first in search  |
|          |     returns list. National Wildlife Federation can be     |
|          |     placed in the Publisher element.                      |
|          |                                                           |
|          | -   A resource from the University of XYZ having the      |
|          |     title "University of XYZ College of Agriculture" and  |
|          |     addressing the impacts of the varroa mite on honeybee |
|          |     populations in California should be renamed with a    |
|          |     more descriptive title, such as\                      |
|          |     **Title:** Varroa Mite Impacts on Honeybee            |
|          |     Populations in California. "University of XYZ College |
|          |     of Agriculture" will appear in the Publisher element. |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+

+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Elem   | ## Creator                                                |
| ent Name |                                                           |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # De     | The name of the person(s) or organization primarily       |
| finition | responsible for the intellectual content of the resource. |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| #        | This element allows users to search for a resource by the |
|  Purpose | creator's name.                                           |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Ob     | Mandatory                                                 |
| ligation |                                                           |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Format | **Creator:** Free text entry                              |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Ex     | -   For federal agency names: *[U.S. Government           |
| isting S |     Manual](http://frwebgate4.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/wais |
| tandards | gate.cgi?WAISdocID=0309035102+6+0+0&WAISaction=retrieve)\ |
|          |     *                                                     |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Gu     | -   For personal names: FirstName LastName.               |
| idelines |                                                           |
|          | -   Multiple personal names should be separated by a      |
|          |     semi-colon, followed by a space.                      |
|          |                                                           |
|          | -   For agency, organizational, or institutional names,   |
|          |     *use full agency name* with no abbreviations or       |
|          |     acronyms                                              |
|          |                                                           |
|          | -   To indicate a subdivision of the agency or            |
|          |     institution, separate entities with a comma           |
|          |                                                           |
|          | -   To indicate multiple agencies, separate agencies with |
|          |     a semi-colon                                          |
|          |                                                           |
|          | -   If *no* author is specifically identified, the        |
|          |     Publisher is the default Creator: enter identical     |
|          |     data for Creator and Publisher.                       |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| #        | -   **Creator:** Rachel Carson                            |
| Examples |                                                           |
|          | -   **Creator:** Rachel Carson; Stephen Jay Gould;        |
|          |     Edmund O. Wilson                                      |
|          |                                                           |
|          | -   **Creator:** United States Geological Survey          |
|          |                                                           |
|          | -   **Creator:** Information Center for the Environment,  |
|          |                                                           |
|          | -   University of California, Davis                       |
|          |                                                           |
|          | -   **Creator:** United States Fish and Wildlife Service, |
|          |     Division of Migratory Bird Management                 |
|          |                                                           |
|          | -   **Creator:** United States Geological Survey, Pacific |
|          |     Island Ecosystems Science Center                      |
|          |                                                           |
|          | -   **Creator:** Houston Advanced Research Center         |
|          |                                                           |
|          | -   **Creator:** Conservation Management Institute,       |
|          |     Virginia Tech                                         |
|          |                                                           |
|          | -   **Creator:** National Museum of Natural History,      |
|          |     Smithsonian Institution                               |
|          |                                                           |
|          | -   **Creator:** United States Geological Survey; United  |
|          |     States Fish and Wildlife Agency, Endangered Species   |
|          |     Program; United States Department of Defense, Office  |
|          |     of Environmental Information Technology Management    |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+

+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Elem   | ## Contributor                                            |
| ent Name |                                                           |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # De     | An entity responsible for making contributions to the     |
| finition | content of the resource.                                  |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| #        | This element gives credit to a minor author or an         |
|  Purpose | illustrator, photographer, editor, data provider,         |
|          | programmer, etc. A Contributor may be a person or an      |
|          | agency/organization. The cataloguer may optionally choose |
|          | to delineate the role of the contributor, using           |
|          | parenthetical comments.                                   |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Ob     | Optional                                                  |
| ligation |                                                           |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Format | **Contributor:** Free text entry                          |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Ex     | See Existing Standards under Creator.                     |
| isting S |                                                           |
| tandards |                                                           |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Gu     | See Guidelines under Creator.                             |
| idelines |                                                           |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| #        | -   **Contributor:** John Mosesso, Jr. (photographer)     |
| Examples |                                                           |
|          | -   **Contributor:** Environmental Protection Agency      |
|          |     (dataset)                                             |
|          |                                                           |
|          | -   **Contributor:** Ron Sepic (editor)                   |
|          |                                                           |
|          | -   **Contributor:** Deanne DiPietro; Allan Hollander     |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+

+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Elem   | ## Publisher                                              |
| ent Name |                                                           |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # De     | The name of the entity responsible for making the         |
| finition | resource available.                                       |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| #        | The element establishes responsibility for a resource's   |
|  Purpose | publication. It can serve as a contact point for          |
|          | additional information about a resource, and to direct    |
|          | users to related information on a topic or issue.         |
|          | Frequently the Publisher is an agency, organization,      |
|          | corporation, institution, or non-profit; however, it also |
|          | may be an individual.                                     |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Ob     | Mandatory                                                 |
| ligation |                                                           |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Format | **Publisher:** Free text entry                            |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Ex     | -   For federal agency names: *[U.S. Government           |
| isting S |     Manual](http://frwebgate4.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/wais |
| tandards | gate.cgi?WAISdocID=0309035102+6+0+0&WAISaction=retrieve)\ |
|          |     *                                                     |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Gu     | -   For Internet resources, the Publisher is often        |
| idelines |     identifiable from the domain name; this is the entity |
|          |     responsible for making the resource available on the  |
|          |     Web.                                                  |
|          |                                                           |
|          | ```{=html}                                                |
|          | <!-- -->                                                  |
|          | ```                                                       |
|          | -   For agency, organizational, or institutional names,   |
|          |     *use full agency name* with no abbreviations or       |
|          |     acronyms                                              |
|          |                                                           |
|          | ```{=html}                                                |
|          | <!-- -->                                                  |
|          | ```                                                       |
|          | -   To indicate a subdivision of the agency or            |
|          |     institution, separate parent entity from child entity |
|          |     with a comma                                          |
|          |                                                           |
|          | -   For personal names: FirstName LastName                |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| #        | -   **Publisher:** Rachel Carson                          |
| Examples |                                                           |
|          | -   **Publisher:** Washington Post                        |
|          |                                                           |
|          | -   **Publisher:** United States Geological Survey        |
|          |                                                           |
|          | -   **Publisher:** Information Center for the Environment |
|          |                                                           |
|          | -   University of California, Davis                       |
|          |                                                           |
|          | -   **Publisher:** United States Fish and Wildlife        |
|          |     Service, Division of Migratory Bird Management        |
|          |                                                           |
|          | -   **Publisher:** United States Geological Survey,       |
|          |     Pacific Island Ecosystems Science Center              |
|          |                                                           |
|          | -   **Publisher:** John Wiley and Sons, Inc.              |
|          |                                                           |
|          | -   **Publisher:** Ecological Society of America          |
|          |                                                           |
|          | -   **Publisher:** National Museum of Natural History,    |
|          |     Smithsonian Institution                               |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+

+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Elem   | ## Subject.Controlled                                     |
| ent Name |                                                           |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # De     | Keyword terms from a controlled list or thesaurus which   |
| finition | accurately describe the subject and the specificity of a  |
|          | resource.                                                 |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| #        | This element enables users to locate relevant resources   |
|  Purpose | from both a general and a fielded search, and allows them |
|          | to narrow or expand their search to the specificity of    |
|          | their information needs. Use of a controlled list or      |
|          | thesaurus ensures that all cataloguers are using a common |
|          | "language" to describe resources, greatly enhancing the   |
|          | consistency and the relevance of documents retrieved by   |
|          | the user.                                                 |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Ob     | Mandatory                                                 |
| ligation |                                                           |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Format | **Subject:** Free text entries                            |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Ex     | -   NBII/CSA Thesaurus **must** be used by all NBII Nodes |
| isting S |                                                           |
| tandards | -   use only [preferred terms]{.underline} from the       |
|          |     thesaurus                                             |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Gu     | -   Catalogue to the specificity of the document; if a    |
| idelines |     narrow term is used, there is no need to include the  |
|          |     approved broader term. For example, if the term       |
|          |     "forest management" specifically applies to the       |
|          |     resource being catalogued, there is no need to also   |
|          |     include approved broader terms such as "ecosystem     |
|          |     management" or "resource management."                 |
|          |                                                           |
|          | -   Capitalize the first word of each term, as well as    |
|          |     all proper nouns                                      |
|          |                                                           |
|          | -   Terms in this field are comma-delimited, with a space |
|          |     after each comma.                                     |
|          |                                                           |
|          | -   Do not include non-preferred terms in this field      |
|          |                                                           |
|          | -   To include terms not in the thesaurus, use the        |
|          |     "Uncontrolled Subject" field. Only preferred terms    |
|          |     occurring in the thesaurus should be included in the  |
|          |     Subject field.                                        |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| #        | -   **Subject:** Amphibians, Malformations, Contaminants  |
| Examples |                                                           |
|          | -   **Subject:** Urban environments, Watersheds,          |
|          |     Contaminants,                                         |
|          |                                                           |
|          | -   **Subject:** Climatic change, Kyoto Protocol          |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+

+-----------+----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Ele     | ## Subject.Uncontrolled                                  |
| ment Name |                                                          |
+-----------+----------------------------------------------------------+
| # D       | Keyword terms not appearing in the CSA/NBII              |
| efinition | Biocomplexity Tthesaurus which are nevertheless key to   |
|           | describing the subject and the specificity of a          |
|           | resource.                                                |
+-----------+----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Purpose | This element enables users to locate relevant resources  |
|           | from a general search, even though it does not appear in |
|           | the Biocomplexity Thesaurus.                             |
+-----------+----------------------------------------------------------+
| # O       | Optional                                                 |
| bligation |                                                          |
+-----------+----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Format  | **Subject:** Free text entries                           |
+-----------+----------------------------------------------------------+
| #         | -   do [not]{.underline} include non-preferred terms     |
| Existing  |     from the Biocomplexity Thesaurus in this field. Only |
| Standards |     terms not appearing in the Thesaurus should be       |
|           |     included in this field.                              |
+-----------+----------------------------------------------------------+
| # G       | -   Terms in this field are comma-delimited, with a      |
| uidelines |     space after each comma.                              |
|           |                                                          |
|           | -   Capitalize the first word of each term, as well as   |
|           |     all proper nouns.                                    |
|           |                                                          |
|           | -   Do not include non-preferred terms in this field     |
+-----------+----------------------------------------------------------+
| #         | -   **Uncontrolled Subject:** Protocols, Citizen science |
|  Examples |                                                          |
|           | -   **Uncontrolled Subject:** Convention on Biodiversity |
+-----------+----------------------------------------------------------+

+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Elem   | ## Description                                            |
| ent Name |                                                           |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # De     | An abstract or textual description of the content, scope, |
| finition | and/or purpose of the resource.                           |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| #        | This element provides the user with crucial context in    |
|  Purpose | deciding the relevance of specific documents to an        |
|          | information need. It is also a searchable field, and can  |
|          | aid users who are using generic free text searching, or   |
|          | whose information needs are vaguely understood.           |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Ob     | Mandatory                                                 |
| ligation |                                                           |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Format | **Description:** Free text entry                          |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Ex     | \-                                                        |
| isting S |                                                           |
| tandards |                                                           |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Gu     | An abstract of the resource may include:                  |
| idelines |                                                           |
|          | -   Topic or focus                                        |
|          |                                                           |
|          | -   Intended audience or use                              |
|          |                                                           |
|          | -   Summary of findings                                   |
|          |                                                           |
|          | -   Limitations of use, or conditions of use              |
|          |                                                           |
|          | Remember that a good Description of this resource may     |
|          | already exist: check the HTML source code of the resource |
|          | to see if the \<meta name="description" value="..."\> tag |
|          | has been utilized by the Creator/Publisher. Cataloguers   |
|          | may use this value, augment it, or create their own       |
|          | Description.                                              |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| #        | -   **Description:** Global temperature fluctuations, and |
| Examples |     the resulting alterations to precipitation rates,     |
|          |     appear to play a direct role in the declines in some  |
|          |     amphibian populations. Research teams have linked low |
|          |     water levels in amphibian wetlands habitats to        |
|          |     debilitating outbreaks of stress-induced diseases in  |
|          |     frogs. (from FrogWeb)                                 |
|          |                                                           |
|          | -   **Description:** LMS is an evolving application       |
|          |     designed to assist in analysis and planning of forest |
|          |     ecosystems by automating the tasks of stand           |
|          |     projection, graphical and tabular summarization,      |
|          |     stand visualization, and landscape visualization      |
|          |     within a cohesive system. (from PNWIN)                |
|          |                                                           |
|          | -   **Description:** The Harold L. Lyon Arboretum         |
|          |     coordinates, facilitates, and executes research,      |
|          |     instruction, and service activities that utilize its  |
|          |     collections and resources. Its major emphases are     |
|          |     tropical plants, native Hawaiian plants, conservation |
|          |     biology, and Hawaiian ethnobotany. (from PBIN)        |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+

+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Elem   | ## Resource Identifier                                    |
| ent Name |                                                           |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # De     | An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given   |
| finition | context.                                                  |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| #        | A finding mechanism to provide the user with physical     |
|  Purpose | access to the resource. Recommended best practice is to   |
|          | identify the resource by means of a string or number      |
|          | conforming to a formal identification system. For most    |
|          | electronic resources, this will be the Uniform Resource   |
|          | Identifier (a URL, and FTP address, or DOI). For print    |
|          | resources, the identifier may be an ISBN or ISSN. For     |
|          | some resources there will be more than one identification |
|          | value -- for instance, a report available both online and |
|          | in print.                                                 |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Ob     | Mandatory                                                 |
| ligation |                                                           |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Format | Limited to the following qualifiers and free text values: |
|          |                                                           |
|          | **Resource Identifier:** \[a URI\] (free text value)      |
|          |                                                           |
|          | **Resource Identifier:** ISBN (free text value)           |
|          |                                                           |
|          | **Resource Identifier:** ISSN (free text value)           |
|          |                                                           |
|          | **Resource Identifier:** Other (free text value)          |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Ex     | URI -- Uniform Resource Identifier ( http:// ftp:// )     |
| isting S |                                                           |
| tandards | ISBN -- International Standard Book Number                |
|          |                                                           |
|          | ISSN -- International Standard Serial Number              |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Gu     | Cataloguers should be allowed to choose more than one     |
| idelines | qualifier.                                                |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| #        | **Resource Identifier:** http://www.issg.org/database/    |
| Examples |                                                           |
|          | **Resource Identifier:** ftp://cbi.usgs.gov               |
|          |                                                           |
|          | **Resource Identifier:**                                  |
|          | http://dx/doi.org/10.4046/j.1523-1739.1999.98075.x        |
|          |                                                           |
|          | **Resource Identifier:** ISSN: 0027-9633                  |
|          |                                                           |
|          | **Resource Identifier:** ISBN: 0-471-89736-2              |
|          |                                                           |
|          | **Resource Identifier:** Other: Report# T79138-1          |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+

+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Elem   | ## Resource Type                                          |
| ent Name |                                                           |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # De     | The category or genre of the resource.                    |
| finition |                                                           |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| #        | This element allows users to restrict a search to         |
|  Purpose | resource of a specific kind. It also provides valuable    |
|          | information regarding the context, scope and purpose of a |
|          | resource. Cataloguers may select more than one Resource   |
|          | Type from an approved picklist, if appropriate.           |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Ob     | Mandatory                                                 |
| ligation |                                                           |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Format | **Resource Type:** choose from approved picklist (see     |
|          | NBII Resource Type Definitions document)                  |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Ex     | See NBII Resource Type Definitions document               |
| isting S |                                                           |
| tandards |                                                           |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Gu     | See NBII Resource Type Definitions document               |
| idelines |                                                           |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| #        | -   **Resource Type:** Proceedings                        |
| Examples |                                                           |
|          | -   **Resource Type:** Case Studies, Management Plans and |
|          |     Reports                                               |
|          |                                                           |
|          | -   **Resource Type:** Internet Map Services, Datasets    |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+

+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Elem   | ## Resource Format                                        |
| ent Name |                                                           |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # De     | The physical or digital manifestation of the resource.    |
| finition |                                                           |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| #        | Typically, Resource Format may include the media-type or  |
|  Purpose | dimensions of                                             |
|          |                                                           |
|          | the resource. Format may be used to determine the         |
|          | software, hardware or                                     |
|          |                                                           |
|          | other equipment needed to display or operate the          |
|          | resource. Providing this information to users prior to    |
|          | their physically accessing the resource enables them to   |
|          | determine quickly if they may utilize the resource --     |
|          | partially or completely -- from their current hardware    |
|          | and software. Cataloguers may choose more than one        |
|          | Resource Format, if applicable.                           |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Ob     | Mandatory                                                 |
| ligation |                                                           |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Format | **Resource Format:** choose from approved picklist of     |
|          | values (see Appendix B)                                   |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Ex     | See Appendix B for NBII Resource Formats                  |
| isting S |                                                           |
| tandards |                                                           |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Gu     | See Appendix B. Use multiple Formats only if they         |
| idelines | characterize major, independent components of the         |
|          | resource that may require individual equipment to access  |
|          | them. For instance, if the resource is a general Web page |
|          | which includes 2 illustrative images, do not characterize |
|          | the Format as URL, GIF; there is no need to include the   |
|          | image format GIF, as Web browsers can interpret and       |
|          | display the image. Alternatively, if a mapping            |
|          | application allows for export of data to an Access        |
|          | database, a Resource Format of Mapping Service, MDB would |
|          | be appropriate.                                           |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| #        | -   **Resource Format:** URL                              |
| Examples |                                                           |
|          | -   **Resource Format:** DOC                              |
|          |                                                           |
|          | -   **Resource Format:** XLS                              |
|          |                                                           |
|          | -   **Resource Format:** ESRI E00                         |
|          |                                                           |
|          | -   **Resource Format:** MDB                              |
|          |                                                           |
|          | -   **Resource Format:** ZIP                              |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+

+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| # El       | ## Rights                                               |
| ement Name |                                                         |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| #          | A statement about the rights management of the          |
| Definition | resource.                                               |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| # Purpose  | This element indicates intellectual property rights to  |
|            | the resource, as well as any restrictions to            |
|            | accessibility of the resource.                          |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| #          | Mandatory                                               |
| Obligation |                                                         |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| # Format   | Restricted checklist. Default value will be "Copyright  |
|            | held by Publisher"; multiple values may be selected.    |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   **Rights:** Copyright held by Publisher             |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   **Rights:** Copyright held by Creator               |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   **Rights:** Copyright held by Source                |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   **Rights:** Public Domain                           |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| # Existing | \-                                                      |
|  Standards |                                                         |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| #          | Default value is "Copyright held by Publisher."         |
| Guidelines |                                                         |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| # Examples | See Format.                                             |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+

+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Elem   | ## Language                                               |
| ent Name |                                                           |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # De     | The language(s) of the intellectual content of the        |
| finition | resource.                                                 |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| #        | While not a primary access point for searching, this      |
|  Purpose | field allows a search to be further restricted to         |
|          | resources in a specific language. It also provides        |
|          | information to the user regarding potential intellectual  |
|          | access to the resource.                                   |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Ob     | Mandatory                                                 |
| ligation |                                                           |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Format | **Language:** selected from picklist using Existing       |
|          | Standard.                                                 |
|          |                                                           |
|          | Selection of more than one language should be permitted;  |
|          | multiple language codes should be comma-delimited.        |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Ex     | ISO                                                       |
| isting S | \[[                                                       |
| tandards | RFC1766](http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/#rfc1766)\] |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Gu     | \-                                                        |
| idelines |                                                           |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| #        | -   **Language:** English                                 |
| Examples |                                                           |
|          | -   **Language:** English, French                         |
|          |                                                           |
|          | -   **Language:** English, French, Spanish                |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+

+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Elem   | ## Date.Issued                                            |
| ent Name |                                                           |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # De     | A date associated with an event in the life cycle of the  |
| finition | resource.                                                 |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| #        | Typically, Date will be associated with the creation or   |
|  Purpose | availability of the resource.                             |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Ob     | Optional                                                  |
| ligation |                                                           |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Format | Field entry                                               |
|          |                                                           |
|          | -   YYYY-MM-DD                                            |
|          |                                                           |
|          | If no date is entered, the element should either be       |
|          | omitted in the end-user display, or should contain a null |
|          | value.                                                    |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Ex     | ISO 8601                                                  |
| isting S | \                                                         |
| tandards | [[W3CDTF](http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/#w3cdtf)\] |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Gu     | -   Recommended best practice for encoding the date value |
| idelines |     is defined in a profile of and follows the YYYY-MM-DD |
|          |     format.                                               |
|          |                                                           |
|          | -   Use "date issued" [only for **fixed**                 |
|          |     resources]{.underline} such as print or digital       |
|          |     versions of news releases, articles, journals, fact   |
|          |     sheets, guidelines, standards, and other documents.   |
|          |                                                           |
|          | -   Leave blank if the above resources have no issue date |
|          |                                                           |
|          |     -   It will be difficult, if not impossible, for most |
|          |         nodes to utilize the "date last updated"          |
|          |         qualifier for cataloguing web sites, as most      |
|          |         electronic resources will continue to be updated  |
|          |         long after the Node catalogues them, and this     |
|          |         information is unlikely to be captured on a       |
|          |         continual basis. Because a "date last updated"    |
|          |         entry in the NBII catalogue might lead a user to  |
|          |         the erroneous assumption that the resource itself |
|          |         was never updated after the date entered by the   |
|          |         NBII cataloguer, the potential for                |
|          |         misunderstanding mitigates against the use of     |
|          |         this tag for NBII cataloguing of web sites.       |
|          |                                                           |
|          | -   If no day is specified, format YYYY-MM may be used.   |
|          |                                                           |
|          | -   If neither day nor month is specified, YYYY may be    |
|          |     used.                                                 |
|          |                                                           |
|          | -   The Date field should not be confused with the        |
|          |     Coverage.Temporal field. The Date field indicates a   |
|          |     specific/fixed moment in the life cycle of a          |
|          |     resource; the date that the version in question was   |
|          |     issued. \[If multiple versions continue to be         |
|          |     available within the resource catalogue, the Relation |
|          |     element should also be employed.\] Coverage.Temporal  |
|          |     addresses the relation of a time period to the        |
|          |     content itself: a range or span of time the content   |
|          |     covers.                                               |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| #        | -   2002-06-28                                            |
| Examples |                                                           |
|          | -   2002                                                  |
|          |                                                           |
|          | -   2002-06                                               |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+

+---------+------------------------------------------------------------+
| # Eleme | ## Source                                                  |
| nt Name |                                                            |
+---------+------------------------------------------------------------+
| # Def   | A reference to a resource from which the present resource  |
| inition | is derived.                                                |
+---------+------------------------------------------------------------+
| #       | The present resource may be derived from the Source        |
| Purpose | resource whole or in part.                                 |
+---------+------------------------------------------------------------+
| # Obl   | Optional                                                   |
| igation |                                                            |
+---------+------------------------------------------------------------+
| #       | **Source:** (free text value of a Resource Identifier for  |
|  Format | the [source]{.underline} document, plus additional         |
|         | bibliographic information, if appropriate.)                |
+---------+------------------------------------------------------------+
| # Exis  | Use Existing Standards for Resource Identifier.            |
| ting St |                                                            |
| andards |                                                            |
+---------+------------------------------------------------------------+
| # Gui   | Recommended best practice is to reference the resource by  |
| delines | means of a string or number conforming to a formal         |
|         | identification system -- i.e. a Resource Identifier.       |
+---------+------------------------------------------------------------+
| # E     | -   The referenced resource, the Dublin Core Metadata      |
| xamples |     Element Set 1.1, at \<                                 |
|         |     http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/\>, is a          |
|         |     component of a larger project, the Dublin Core         |
|         |     Metadata Initiative. Therefore,                        |
|         |                                                            |
|         | > **Source:** Dublin Core Metadata Initiative              |
|         | > \<http://dublincore.org\>                                |
|         |                                                            |
|         | -   The referenced resource, "Environmental Contaminants:  |
|         |     Factors Affecting Natural Resources" at                |
|         |                                                            |
|         |    \<http://biology.usgs.gov/s+t/SNT/noframe/idx-co.htm\>, |
|         |     is a component of the print and digital resource,      |
|         |     [Status and Trends of the Nation's Biological          |
|         |     Resources]{.underline}. Therefore,                     |
|         |                                                            |
|         | > **Source:** [Status and Trends of the Nation's           |
|         | > Biological Resources]{.underline},\                      |
|         | > http://biology.usgs.gov/s+t/SNT/index.htm\               |
|         | > GPO stock \# 024-001-03603-7                             |
|         |                                                            |
|         | -   A scientific organization has donated images to the    |
|         |     NBII to be served online. These photographs have been  |
|         |     taken by a variety of photographers. For each image,   |
|         |     the individual photographer would be credited as the   |
|         |     Creator; the parent agency contributing the images to  |
|         |     the NBII Image Gallery would be attributed as the      |
|         |     Source. Therefore,                                     |
|         |                                                            |
|         | **Source:** Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of    |
|         | Natural History                                            |
+---------+------------------------------------------------------------+

+-----------+----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Ele     | ## Relation                                              |
| ment Name |                                                          |
+-----------+----------------------------------------------------------+
| # D       | A reference to a related resource.                       |
| efinition |                                                          |
+-----------+----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Purpose | Identification of other sources that are related to the  |
|           | current resource, and the type of relationship.          |
+-----------+----------------------------------------------------------+
| # O       | Optional                                                 |
| bligation |                                                          |
+-----------+----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Format  | **Relation:** is part of (Resource Identifier)           |
|           |                                                          |
|           | **Relation:** is version of (Resource Identifier)        |
|           |                                                          |
|           | **Relation:** is replaced by (Resource Identifier)       |
|           |                                                          |
|           | **Relation:** replaces (Resource Identifier)             |
|           |                                                          |
|           | **Relation:** Other (explain)                            |
+-----------+----------------------------------------------------------+
| #         | See Existing Standards for Resource Identifier element.  |
| Existing  |                                                          |
| Standards |                                                          |
+-----------+----------------------------------------------------------+
| # G       | Recommended best practice is to reference the resource   |
| uidelines | by means of a string or number conforming to a formal    |
|           | identification system -- i.e. a Resource Identifier.     |
+-----------+----------------------------------------------------------+
| #         | Replaces http://www.website.org/000123.pdf/              |
|  Examples |                                                          |
+-----------+----------------------------------------------------------+

+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Elem   | ## Coverage.Temporal                                      |
| ent Name |                                                           |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # De     | The temporal scope of a resource.                         |
| finition |                                                           |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| #        | Provides temporal context to the scope of a resource,     |
|  Purpose | delineated by a date range. This is especially useful     |
|          | when cataloguing a dataset, to denote the interval during |
|          | which data was collected. For completed datasets, both a  |
|          | Beginning and an Ending Date are required; for a dataset  |
|          | whose data collection efforts are ongoing, only a         |
|          | Beginning date is required.                               |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Ob     | Mandatory if applicable to your resource                  |
| ligation |                                                           |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Format | **Coverage.Temporal.Beginning** YYYY-MM-DD                |
|          |                                                           |
|          | **Coverage.Temporal.Ending:** YYYY-MM-DD                  |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Ex     | For date ranges, use Existing Standard ISO 8601           |
| isting S | \                                                         |
| tandards | [[W3CDTF](http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/#w3cdtf)\] |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Gu     | Do not confuse Coverage.Temporal with the Date element.   |
| idelines | Coverage.Temporal should be used only when the resource's |
|          | intellectual content is characterized by a given          |
|          | *interval* of time.                                       |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| #        | [Example 1:]{.underline} A transect was monitored for     |
| Examples | amphibians from 1 July 1990 to 1 July 1991:               |
|          |                                                           |
|          | **Coverage.Temporal.Beginning:** 1990-07-01               |
|          |                                                           |
|          | **Coverage.Temporal.Ending:** 1995-12-31                  |
|          |                                                           |
|          | [Example 2:]{.underline} Project FeederWatch, an annual   |
|          | volunteer bird monitoring program, has been collecting    |
|          | observational data on birds present at feeders around the |
|          | country:                                                  |
|          |                                                           |
|          | **Coverage.Temporal.Beginning:** 1999-01                  |
|          |                                                           |
|          | \[Note that there is no Coverage.Temporal.Ending Date, as |
|          | data collection is ongoing.\]                             |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+

+-----------+----------------------------------------------------------+
| # DC.Ele  | ## Coverage.Geographic                                   |
| ment Name |                                                          |
+-----------+----------------------------------------------------------+
| # D       | The geographic extent or scope of the content of the     |
| efinition | resource. Coverage will typically include spatial        |
|           | location: place name(s) or geographic coordinates.       |
+-----------+----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Purpose | Use of this element enables geospatial referencing and   |
|           | searching on resources, using place names or             |
|           | georeferenced coordinates. Geospatial interfaces to the  |
|           | reference catalogue enable users to limit searches to a  |
|           | particular region of interest.                           |
+-----------+----------------------------------------------------------+
| # O       | Mandatory, if applicable.                                |
| bligation |                                                          |
+-----------+----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Format  | Picklist from approved sources                           |
|           |                                                          |
|           | **Coverage.Geographic.Hemisphere:\                       |
|           | Coverage.Geographic.Continent:** (one or multiple)       |
|           |                                                          |
|           | **Coverage.Geographic.Country:** (one or multiple)       |
|           |                                                          |
|           | **Coverage.Geographic.State:** (one or multiple)         |
|           |                                                          |
|           | **Coverage.Geographic.County:** (one or multiple)        |
|           |                                                          |
|           | **Coverage.Geographic.Coordinates: \[option not          |
|           | available in Release 2.0\]**                             |
|           |                                                          |
|           | **Coverage.Geographic:** Not defined                     |
+-----------+----------------------------------------------------------+
| #         | Approved place name authorities for NBII:                |
| Existing  |                                                          |
| Standards | -   The Geographic Names Information System              |
|           |     \[[GNIS](http://geonames.usgs.gov/index.html)\] from |
|           |     USGS                                                 |
|           |                                                          |
|           | ```{=html}                                               |
|           | <!-- -->                                                 |
|           | ```                                                      |
|           | -   Federal Information Names Processing Codes           |
|           |                                                          |
|           | \[[FIPS](http://www.census.gov/geo/www/fips/fips.html)\] |
|           |     from US Census                                       |
|           |                                                          |
|           | ```{=html}                                               |
|           | <!-- -->                                                 |
|           | ```                                                      |
|           | -   GeoNet Names Server                                  |
|           |     \[[G                                                 |
|           | NPS](http://gnpswww.nima.mil/geonames/GNS/menu-fr.jsp)\] |
|           |     from NIMA                                            |
+-----------+----------------------------------------------------------+
| # G       | -   Coverage.Geographic metadata is specific to the      |
| uidelines |     scope of the [resource's]{.underline} geographic     |
|           |     area of study or concern; it should                  |
|           |     [not]{.underline} be used to characterize the origin |
|           |     of the resource itself. For instance, a resource     |
|           |     published by the University of Texas on lynx         |
|           |     populations in Canada would have a geographic        |
|           |     coverage metadata for the regions of Canada, and     |
|           |     **no** geographic coverage metadata related to       |
|           |     Texas.                                               |
|           |                                                          |
|           | -                                                        |
+-----------+----------------------------------------------------------+
| #         | **Coverage.Geographic.Hemisphere:** Northern Hemisphere  |
|  Examples |                                                          |
|           | **Coverage.Geographic.Continent:** North America         |
|           |                                                          |
|           | **Coverage.Geographic.Country:** Canada                  |
|           |                                                          |
|           | **Coverage.Geographic.State:** British Columbia, Alberta |
+-----------+----------------------------------------------------------+

+-----------+----------------------------------------------------------+
| # DC.Ele  | ## Coverage.Jurisdictional                               |
| ment Name |                                                          |
+-----------+----------------------------------------------------------+
| # D       | ## The entity or entities with legal sta                 |
| efinition | nding or obligation to interpret or apply the law, agree |
|           | ment, or binding commitment articulated in the resource. |
+-----------+----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Purpose | ## Use of this elemen                                    |
|           | t enables geospatial referencing and searching on resour |
|           | ces, using place names or georeferenced coordinates. Geo |
|           | spatial interfaces to the reference catalogue enable use |
|           | rs to limit searches to a particular region of interest. |
+-----------+----------------------------------------------------------+
| # O       | ## Mandatory if applicable                               |
| bligation |                                                          |
+-----------+----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Format  | Free text                                                |
|           |                                                          |
|           | Coverage.Jurisdictional.Entity                           |
+-----------+----------------------------------------------------------+
| #         | ## Approved place name authorities for NBII:             |
| Existing  |                                                          |
| Standards | -   The Geographic Names Information System              |
|           |     \[[GNIS](http://geonames.usgs.gov/index.html)\] from |
|           |     USGS                                                 |
|           |                                                          |
|           | ```{=html}                                               |
|           | <!-- -->                                                 |
|           | ```                                                      |
|           | -   Federal Information Names Processing Codes           |
|           |                                                          |
|           | \[[FIPS](http://www.census.gov/geo/www/fips/fips.html)\] |
|           |     from US Census                                       |
|           |                                                          |
|           | ```{=html}                                               |
|           | <!-- -->                                                 |
|           | ```                                                      |
|           | -   GeoNet Names Server                                  |
|           |     \[[G                                                 |
|           | NPS](http://gnpswww.nima.mil/geonames/GNS/menu-fr.jsp)\] |
|           |     from NIMA                                            |
+-----------+----------------------------------------------------------+
| # G       | -   Coverage.Jurisdiction metadata is specific to the    |
| uidelines |     scope of the resource's jurisdiction; that is, where |
|           |     it is legally enforceable.                           |
|           |                                                          |
|           | -   Multiple entities should be separated with a         |
|           |     semi-colon.                                          |
+-----------+----------------------------------------------------------+
| #         | ## North American Free Trade Agreement:                  |
|  Examples |                                                          |
|           | ##  Cover                                                |
|           | age.Jurisdictional.Entity: Canada; Mexico; United States |
|           |                                                          |
|           | Canada-United States Air Quality Agreement:              |
|           |                                                          |
|           | #                                                        |
|           | #  Coverage.Jurisdictional.Entity: Canada; United States |
|           |                                                          |
|           | Chesapeake Bay Program:                                  |
|           |                                                          |
|           | ##  Coverage.Jurisdict                                   |
|           | ional.Entity: Virginia; Maryland; District of Columbia;  |
|           |                                                          |
|           | ##  Pennsylvania                                         |
|           |                                                          |
|           | Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds:             |
|           |                                                          |
|           | Coverage.Jurisdictional.Entity: European Union           |
+-----------+----------------------------------------------------------+

+-----------+----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Ele     | ## Scientific Name                                       |
| ment Name |                                                          |
+-----------+----------------------------------------------------------+
| # D       | The unequivocal scientific name by which an organism is  |
| efinition | universally recognized.                                  |
+-----------+----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Purpose | Establishes a standard name observed by all researchers  |
|           | to describe an organism, and ensures                     |
+-----------+----------------------------------------------------------+
| # O       | Mandatory if your resource is species-specific           |
| bligation |                                                          |
+-----------+----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Format  | **Scientific Name:** Genus species                       |
+-----------+----------------------------------------------------------+
| #         | -   The [Integrated Taxonomic Information                |
| Existing  |     System](http://www.itis.usda.gov/) (ITIS) **must**   |
| Standards |     be used by all NBII Nodes.                           |
|           |                                                          |
|           | -   If ITIS does not provide coverage for a particular   |
|           |     species, an appropriate alternative may be used.     |
|           |     Cataloguers must specify the name of the resource.   |
+-----------+----------------------------------------------------------+
| # G       | -   Genus name should be capitalized; species name       |
| uidelines |     should be lower case.                                |
|           |                                                          |
|           | -   Multiple species are comma delimited, with a space   |
|           |     after the comma.                                     |
|           |                                                          |
|           | -   If the resource deals with a multiple species within |
|           |     a given genus, use the genus name, followed by spp.  |
|           |     (e.g. Rana spp.)                                     |
|           |                                                          |
|           | -   If the resource does not address species-level data, |
|           |     this should be indicated in this field               |
+-----------+----------------------------------------------------------+
| #         | -   **Scientific Name:** Rana catesbeiana                |
|  Examples |                                                          |
|           | -   **Scientific Name:** Carodacus spp.                  |
|           |                                                          |
|           | -   **Scientific Name:** Rana catesbeiana, Rana aurora   |
|           |     draytonii, Rana luteiventris                         |
+-----------+----------------------------------------------------------+

+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Elem   | ## Common Name                                            |
| ent Name |                                                           |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # De     | The name(s) by which an organism is known colloquially.   |
| finition |                                                           |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| #        | Common names are generally used outside the scientific    |
|  Purpose | community to refer to species. Common names for species   |
|          | may vary by region; many organisms are known by more than |
|          | one common name, but have only one Scientific name.       |
|          | Cataloguing common name provides a useful way for amateur |
|          | scientists and the general public to search for           |
|          | information about a particular organism.                  |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Ob     | Mandatory if your resource is species-specific            |
| ligation |                                                           |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Format | **Common Name:** Common name(s)                           |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Ex     | See Existing Standards for Scientific Name.               |
| isting S |                                                           |
| tandards |                                                           |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Gu     | -   Capitalize first word in common name; subsequent      |
| idelines |     words in the name are lower case, with the exception  |
|          |     of place-based names                                  |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| #        | -   **Common Name:** Bullfrog                             |
| Examples |                                                           |
|          | -   **Common Name:** Finch spp.                           |
|          |                                                           |
|          | -   **Common Name:** Bullfrog, California red-legged      |
|          |     frog, Columbia spotted frog                           |
|          |                                                           |
|          | -   **Common Name:** Species-level data not indicated     |
+----------+-----------------------------------------------------------+

+-----------+----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Ele     | ## Cataloguing Node                                      |
| ment Name |                                                          |
+-----------+----------------------------------------------------------+
| # D       | Official name of the NBII Node performing original       |
| efinition | cataloguing on a new resource in the NBII catalogue.     |
+-----------+----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Purpose | This element identifies the originating node cataloguing |
|           | the resource, and serves as a point of reference for     |
|           | questions about the resource and/or the cataloguing      |
|           | process.                                                 |
+-----------+----------------------------------------------------------+
| # O       | Mandatory                                                |
| bligation |                                                          |
+-----------+----------------------------------------------------------+
| # Format  | **Cataloguing Node:** Full Node Name                     |
+-----------+----------------------------------------------------------+
| #         | \-                                                       |
| Existing  |                                                          |
| Standards |                                                          |
+-----------+----------------------------------------------------------+
| # G       | -   Capitalize the first letter of each word in the      |
| uidelines |     Node's name, excluding articles.                     |
+-----------+----------------------------------------------------------+
| #         | -   **Cataloguing Node:** Bird Conservation Node         |
|  Examples |                                                          |
|           | -   **Cataloguing Node:** Coral Reefs Project            |
|           |                                                          |
|           | -   **Cataloguing Node:** Fisheries and Aquatic Resource |
|           |     Node                                                 |
|           |                                                          |
|           | -   **Cataloguing Node:** Gap Analysis Program           |
|           |                                                          |
|           | -   **Cataloguing Node:** Great Basin Project            |
|           |                                                          |
|           | -   **Cataloguing Node:** Guyda Paraguay Project         |
|           |                                                          |
|           | -   **Cataloguing Node:** IABIN                          |
|           |                                                          |
|           | -   **Cataloguing Node:** Invasive Species Information   |
|           |     Node                                                 |
|           |                                                          |
|           | -   **Cataloguing Node:** NBII Image Gallery             |
|           |                                                          |
|           | -   **Cataloguing Node:** NBII Program Office            |
|           |                                                          |
|           | -   **Cataloguing Node:** Wildlife Disease Information   |
|           |     Node                                                 |
|           |                                                          |
|           | -   **Cataloguing Node:** California Information Node    |
|           |                                                          |
|           | -   **Cataloguing Node:** Central Southwest Gulf Coast   |
|           |     Information Node                                     |
|           |                                                          |
|           | -   **Cataloguing Node:** Northern Rockies Information   |
|           |     Node                                                 |
|           |                                                          |
|           | -   **Cataloguing Node:** Pacific Basin Information Node |
|           |                                                          |
|           | -   **Cataloguing Node:** Pacific Northwest Information  |
|           |     Node                                                 |
|           |                                                          |
|           | -   **Cataloguing Node:** Southern Appalachian           |
|           |     Information Node                                     |
|           |                                                          |
|           | -   **Cataloguing Node:** Southwest Information Node     |
+-----------+----------------------------------------------------------+

## 

##