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DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/NCDC

**DRAFT**

**Guidelines for NCDC Metadata**

**National Climatic Data Center (NCDC)**

**March 2004**

**1^st^ Revision March 2005**

**DRAFT**

**Table of Contents page**

Executive Summary\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\....3

Introduction\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...3

NCDC Metadata Policy\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\.....3

Policy changes prompt Guidelines\...\...\...\...\...\.....4

Definitions and Descriptions\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\.....4

Guidelines\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\.....5

Recommended Steps\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\.....5

**EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:**

The importance of standardized metadata that adequately documents
geospatial data, and that can be used by standardized computer software
both inside and outside the organization that wrote the metadata, is
steadily increasing in the geospatial data community.

National Climatic Data Center (NCDC), a data center in the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), has required standardized
metadata to document meteorological data for many years. Recent NCDC
policy clarifications make clear that data creators are responsible for
the data\'s metadata, and re-emphasize that metadata must be
standardized, adequate, and timely.

This document, Guidelines for NCDC Metadata, suggests a procedure that
allows NCDC data creators to write standards-compliant metadata that
adequately describes data or data-related items. The procedure consists
of sequential steps, with alternatives offered at many steps. Peer
review of the metadata is part of the procedure. The procedure suggests
alternatives that managers may implement for their groups.

**NCDC METADATA GUIDELINES:**

**Introduction:**

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), of which
NCDC is a part, is finding that metadata does not need only to document
geospatial data adequately; it also must be standardized in a way that
allows it to be used by computer software inside and outside of NOAA.
Data archival projects like CLASS, with its complex data and metadata
content, storage, and accessibility requirements, suggest strongly that
the need for such metadata will continue to grow. Because of this trend,
it is important for organizations like NCDC, that work with geospatial
data, to have clear metadata policies that promote standardized,
adequate metadata.

**Guidance:**

A basic metadata policy has been in force in NOAA and at NCDC for many
years: Standardized metadata that adequately documents NCDC data and
data-related items must be created, distributed, and maintained. Outside
data archived at NCDC must arrive with metadata.

Metadata and metadata policy is becoming more important, and NCDC\'s
Deputy Director recently approved clarifications to NCDC policy for
metadata created at NCDC:

*Metadata is the responsibility of the data creators:* NCDC branch(es)
or division(s) that create a data set or other data-related item have
the responsibility to write metadata for the item. Unless managers make
other arrangements, the worker(s) who create the data item will write
its metadata.

*Metadata must be standardized:* NCDC metadata must be compliant with
NOAA\'s currently accepted metadata standard and adequate for its
intended application.

*Metadata must be created in a timely manner:* Metadata is to be written
and completed during the data item\'s creation process, or earlier. The
data item is to be distributed and/or archived with its metadata.

*Metadata must be maintained:* NCD metadata must be reviewed, then
updated if needed, at intervals of one to five years.

**Policy clarifications prompt these Guidelines:**

NCDC policy clarifications have prompted these Guidelines. The
Guidelines offer a method to create NCDC standardized metadata.
Alternatives for metadata writers and managers are offered at several
points.

Metadata created with the suggested method is adequate for the current
NOAA technology, funding, and project environment. Since the current
NOAA environment evolves constantly, these guidelines are subject to
change at any time.

**DESCRIPTIONS AND TERMS USED:**

**Standardized metadata** is information that conforms to one of the
widely accepted standards of content, or format and content.

**Current metadata standards**: Two widely used geospatial metadata
standards are the Directory Interchange Format (DIF) and the Content
Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata, published by the Federal
Geographic Data Committee, normally known as the FGDC standards. DIF is
still used in the NASA Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). However,
since the mid-1990s, the larger and more inclusive FGDC has largely
replaced DIF in U. S. government organizations. DIF is both a content
and a format standard, while FGDC is a content standard. It is expected
that there will be a new standard in the near future, ISO 19115, and it
will be designed such that FGDC will be a near-subset of it.

**Item**: In these Guidelines, the word **item** is verbal shorthand for
any data-related item that may require documentation. Such an item may
be a data set, customer product, manuscript record, microform data,
photograph, chart, log book, web page, data visualization service,
technical report, scientific paper, price list, or almost anything
data-related.

**NMMR** is NOAA Metadata Manager Repository, an Oracle-based data base
management system in which NCDC metadata should be archived. NMMR
releases finished metadata to the public, including NOAAServer. NMMR is
a combined effort of Blue Angel Technologies, Inc. and programmers at
the National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC). NMMR archives XML files
that are FGDC-compliant, that later will be converted by NGDC personnel
to files that are ISO 19115 compliant.

**Metadata support**: NCDC\'s Archive Branch will provide **metadata
support** to answer questions and assist with problems. The current
contact is Charles Phillips (<Charles.S.Phillips@noaa.gov>)

**GUIDELINES:**

These Guidelines provide a starting point and a procedure so that NCDC
people can write metadata. The method is long; but it is a step-by-step
process that can be readily followed if taken one step at a time. The
steps include discussions that enlarge upon points raised earlier in
this document.

**Recommended steps to follow:**

**(1)** Before an item is created, decide whether it needs standardized
metadata.

This is a case-by-case judgment call. Items that need metadata normally
meet the following criteria: The item will be produced and/or archived
at NCDC. It will be available from NCDC to a large user group (NCDC-wide
or greater). The item need not be actively marketed or distributed, just
available on request. Most data sets, most items in the NCDC basement
archive, and [all]{.underline} customer products, are examples.

Tip: Sometimes it is useful to combine the documentation of two or more
very similar items into one metadata record.

**(2)** Before an item is created, decide who will write metadata for
the item.

By default, whoever creates the item will become the metadata writer.

Managers may designate someone else to write the metadata. But managers
please note: Writing good metadata requires an understanding of the item
and the science involved in creating it, and also the importance of
metadata.

Familiarity with the metadata standard is not a prerequisite for a
writer; however, the knowledge is helpful. Exposure to the standard
happens as metadata records are created.

If desired, metadata support can be contacted to arrange FGDC classes.
Classes will probably use an outside instructor.

**(3)** Obtain NMMR user account and become familiar with NMMR.

A user account is required for a metadata writer to log in to NMMR. By
default, each writer will have his/her own user account. A first-time
metadata writer must obtain an account and password by contacting
metadata support. An alternative is for each manager to have one or more
accounts that all of his/her group\'s metadata writers will use.

A request for a user account should be done earlier rather than later,
since metadata support cannot create the account. Instead, metadata
support submits a request for an account to NGDC, where NMMR is
maintained.

By default, the current NCDC standard user account has privileges to
take any and all actions on records that are owned by the account,
including final approval and publishing. The standard account also has
the privilege to view records that belong to other accounts, but cannot
make changes. Managers, please see the discussion in step (8) about
final approval.

Writers should visit the home web page for NMMR, which does not require
an account for access. The link is

<http://ngdc.noaa.gov/metadata/>

Links to NMMR and to an abbreviated NMMR Users Guide can be found on the
above web page. There is also a link to a colorized version of the
current FGDC Standards manual there. There is a link to download video
tutorials that give instruction about the NMMR user interface.

**(4)** Get a \"FGDC number\" via e-mail from metadata support.

The writer needs to obtain a unique \"FGDC number\", which is needed in
the metadata to create an ID that is unique in all of NOAA, from
metadata support. The \"FGDC number\" is also used to create a product
number used in the NCDC product catalog when the item is offered as a
customer product.

The next step cannot be completed without the \"FGDC number\".

**(5)** Before or during creation of an item, write its metadata.

The current recommended method of creating NCDC metadata is to use one
of the templates and its companion users guide. This recommendation is
subject to change as NMMR or other NOAA metadata software evolves.

Both template and users guide are digital files. The template is an XML
text file. Metadata is created by filling in the blanks in a copy of the
template as described in the users guide.

The following templates/users guides are currently available:

a\. Standard NCDC template. It can be used to document any item, but it
does not

contain extensions that improve documentation for certain specialized
data types such

as remote sensing. Files are:

*NCDC Standard Template for FGDC Metadata.xml* (digital text file) and
companion

*Users Guide for NCDC Standard Template for FGDC Metadata.doc* (MS Word)

**(6)** Initial peer review of metadata.

Metadata writers should ask a qualified person (peer) to review the
first draft of the metadata. This review should focus on the accuracy,
adequacy, and completeness of the metadata. This review is especially
important if the metadata writer does not have a major role in creating
the data, or is not fully knowledgeable about the science involved. If
there are large-scale changes needed, this initial review is the place
to make the writer aware of them.

This review is probably best done informally. Managers may make
different local policy.

The writer should make the agreed changes.

**(7)** Move metadata into NMMR, edit and validate.

The writer moves the metadata into NMMR, edits and validates by
following the instructions in *NMMR Instructions for NCDC Metadata.doc*.

Successfully completing the validation step verifies that there are no
XML or FGDC standard type errors remaining in the metadata.

**After the metadata has been validated, any later changes to the
metadata cause NMMR to revert back to step (7), where the validation
step and all later steps must be repeated.**

**(8)** Final peer review and approval.

The metadata should be given formal final review by another qualified
person. The reviewer should recommend no more than minor changes, if the
initial review was done properly. This review is the final check before
release of the metadata to the public. It gives managers an opportunity
to track their group\'s metadata.

The writer makes the agreed changes. Any changes whatsoever require that
the writer go back to step (7) and re-validate the metadata. This may be
an iterative process: The reviewer should re-check the metadata, the
writer makes any new changes and re-validates, and so forth.

When the reviewer is satisfied that the metadata is ready for approval,
the approval step should be done as described in *NMMR Instructions for
NCDC Metadata.doc*.

By default, the metadata writer does the approval step. If managers
prefer, or if problems occur, it is possible to set up NMMR user
accounts for metadata writers that lack final approval authority, plus
an account that has no authority except final approval for use by a
final reviewer.

**(9)** Publish.

The writer performs the publish step as described in *NMMR Instructions
for NCDC Metadata.doc.* The metadata status changes from approved to
published. As a result of this step, the metadata becomes available to
the public and to NOAAServer.

**(10)** Maintain the metadata.

Metadata in NMMR should periodically be reviewed and updated. This
should normally be not more than once every one or two years, nor less
than 5 years.

The same branch or division that produced the metadata is responsible
for its maintenance. By default, the original metadata writer will
maintain the metadata, if he/she is available. Second choice is one of
the original worker(s) who created the documented item, if he/she is
available. Managers can make other assignments -- and may need to, if
the default people are not available.