Geospatial Data Tools and Services for Academic Library Users: the Mann Library Experience

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Geospatial Data Tools and Services for Academic
Library Users the Mann Library Experience
Gail Steinhart Environmental Sciences and GIS
Librarian Albert R. Mann Library Cornell
University Northeast GIS Librarians Meeting May
15, 2006
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Here we are today...

• Supporting the use of GIS tools instruction,
  consulting
• Providing data to GIS users managing
  collections, finding additional sources of data
• Supporting the management and distribution of
  geospatial data metadata creation and training,
  distribution platforms

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... Here's where we'd like to be tomorrow.

• Easier ways to find data!
• Geospatially enabled resource discovery systems
• Geospatial resources for use by expert and
  non-expert users
• MORE??

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Supporting the use of GIS tools

• Hardware and software
• 22 computers
• Two additional instructional / public computing
  labs
• 2 plotters
• 2 GPS units
• ArcGIS
• Manifold
• Google earth
• HTML image mapper

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Supporting the use of GIS tools

• Instruction
• Workshops
• Program- and course-related instruction
• Consulting
• GIS Day
• synerGIS local user group

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Here we are today...

• Supporting the use of GIS tools instruction,
  consulting
• Providing data to GIS users managing
  collections, finding additional sources of data
• Supporting the management and distribution of
  geospatial data metadata consulting, creation
  and training, distribution platforms

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Cornell University Geospatial Information
Repository
Jon Corson-Rikert Programmer / Analyst Keith
Jenkins Metadata Librarian Jeff
Piestrak Computer Support Specialist Gail
Steinhart Environmental Sciences and GIS
Librarian Elaine Westbrooks Metadata
Librarian Other collaborators Jaime Martindale,
Lee LaFleur, Nan Hyland, Philip Herold, Tom
Turner, Bill Kehoe, Tom Gale

• http//cugir.mannlib.cornell.edu/
• Overview
• Operations and management
• Future plans

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Cornell University Geospatial Information
Repository

• Online repository for geospatial data and
  metadata for New York State, coordinate with New
  York State GIS Clearinghouse
• Special emphasis on those natural features
  relevant to agriculture, ecology, natural
  resources, and human-environment interactions
• One of the few state-wide repositories created
  and maintained by a library
• National Spatial Data Infrastructure node and
  registered data publisher with geodata.gov

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Data providers

• Adirondack Park Agency
• AWS Truewind
• Cornell Department of Natural Resources
• Hudson River Estuary program
• National Atlas
• New York State Department of Agriculture and
  Markets
• New York State Department of Environmental
  Conservation
• Tompkins County ITS/GIS
• U.S. Census Bureau
• U.S. Geological Survey
• USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service

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New interface
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Browse
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Map browse
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Search elevation
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Data set information
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Downloads and updates
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Feedback
Please change it back to the way it was. It was
so easy. Why change something that works so well
to a system that look aweful and is hard to
navigate.  please.
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Feedback
I have been rooting and rummaging about in your
excellent repository for nearly ten years.
Several projects over time have only been
possible because of the public access you
provide. Thank you.Your revised and updated
site... I have only this to say this is probably
the first time in the same ten years that I have
been impressed and surprised by the
reorganization of any informational site
anywhere. The new layout and functionality are ,
in my opinion, a dramatic improvement to an
already great site.Congratulations on a job
well done!
Please change it back to the way it was. It was
so easy. Why change something that works so well
to a system that look aweful and is hard to
navigate.  please.
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Alternate access to data

• Participation in NSDI, geodata.gov
• Metadata sharing project CUGIR in the OPAC and
  beyond
• Web mapping and services (temporarily
  unavailable)

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Operations staffing

• GIS Librarian
• Work group coordination
• Management of partner relationships
• Collection development
• User support
• Programmer / analyst
• Database management
• Server maintenance
• License manager
• Web mapping development

• Metadata Librarian
• Metadata creation and editing
• Metadata consulting
• Development of new means of data discovery
• Computer support specialist
• Data and metadata processing
• Web site maintenance
• User support
• Collection development librarians

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Operations support for users

• CUGIR help pages
• E-mail form
• Reference desk questions

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Managing relationships with data providers
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Data management and distribution policy

• Data and metadata management
• Preferred formats
• Preferred coordinate systems
• Statement of preservation responsibility
• Data availability via web mapping
• Metadata enhancements
• Metadata harvesting
• Security assessment
• Use, distribution, and rights
• Use constraints
• Intellectual property rights in data
• Liability

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Security assessment procedure

• Problem Security concerns
• Memo from New York State Director of Public
  Security
• Full content review based on actual risk,
  distribution level
• Decisions made by data producers

• Solutions
• Formalize data sharing agreements
• Conduct review on receipt of data

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Security assessment procedure

• Usefulness
• Is the information useful for target location or
  selection purposes?
• Is the information useful for attack planning
  purposes?
• Uniqueness / availability of alternatives
• Is the information readily available from other
  geospatial and non-geospatial information
  sources?
• Is direct access or direct observation by
  potential attackers feasible?
• Can attackers' information needs be met using
  general engineering and technical expertise?
• Rand report - Mapping the Risks
  http//www.rand.org/publications/MG/MG142/

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Workflow ingest
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Workflow metadata creation / enhancement

• Data providers asked to provide metadata or other
  forms of documentation.
• We may collaborate on metadata creation.
• Enhance metadata for CUGIR
• LC subject headings
• FIPS codes
• USGS GNIS names
• ISO topic categories
• Other additions
• Additional liability statements
• Additional contact information
• Create alternate forms of record.

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CUGIR the future

• Metadata redistribute processing load
• Metadata examine options for tools
• Metadata guidelines for data providers
• Test and develop clearinghouse model for
  discovery and distribution
• Many of the most frequently-used datasets are not
  unique to CUGIR (i.e. census)
• Trend to managing data close to the source
• Value in one-stop shopping
• Restore and extend web mapping services

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... Here's where we'd like to be tomorrow.

• Easier ways to find data!
• Geospatially enabled resource discovery systems
• Geospatial resources for use by expert and
  non-expert users
• MORE??

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Easier ways to find data!
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A proposal for a GeoPortal

• Stable index to sources of GIS data
• Constantly updated
• Trustworthy source of information
• Browseable by geography, publisher, topic, ???
• Searchable
• Collaborative

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A proposal for a GeoPortal
Not a static web page.
In philosophy, ontology is the most fundamental
branch of metaphysics. It studies being or
existence and their basic categories and
relationships, to determine what entities and
what types of entities exist. (From
Wikipedia) CLASSES PROPERTIES
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A proposal for a GeoPortal
THING
agent
abstract info
person
online resource
organization
geogr region
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A proposal for a GeoPortal
THING
agent
abstract info
topic service access constraints
person
online resource
organization
data portal data directory
academic governmental non-profit commercial
geogr region
geopolitical entity geographic feature
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A proposal for a GeoPortal
THING
agent
abstract info
topic service access constraints
person
online resource
organization
data portal data directory
academic governmental non-profit commercial
geogr region
geopolitical entity geographic feature
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A proposal for a GeoPortal
http//cugir-tng.mannlib.cornell.edu8080/geo/
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A proposal for a GeoPortal
http//cugir-tng.mannlib.cornell.edu8080/geo/
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A proposal for a GeoPortal
http//cugir-tng.mannlib.cornell.edu8080/geo/
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A proposal for a GeoPortal
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A proposal for a GeoPortal
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A proposal for a GeoPortal
http//cugir-tng.mannlib.cornell.edu8080/geo/
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A proposal for a GeoPortal

• Uncompleted pieces
• Geographic ontology (county is in state is in
  country)
• May be able to use ADL gazetteer
• Rights ontology
• May be able to use existing, or create simplified
• Challenges
• ISO topics are very general, but using a more
  complex system would greatly increase the work of
  curation
• Participation?
• Standards and process for adding and editing
  resources?

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... Here's where we'd like to be tomorrow.
Geospatially enabled resource discovery systems

• Goal develop and interactive web-based mapping
  application to search for the complete range of
  georeferenced materials in the Cornell University
  Library catalog.
• Components
• Develop a database solution for metadata for the
  librarys map resources
• develop an administrative interface that allows
  for adding and changing metadata for map
  holdings
• develop a user interface to expose this metadata
  to the end user.

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... Here's where we'd like to be tomorrow.
Geospatial resources for use by expert and
non-expert users

• Build on existing prototype for Tompkins County
• 600 images
• 1938 - 1991
• New counties Cayuga, Cortland, Wayne (high
  priority areas for instruction and research)
• 2500 additional images
• JPEG2000 for distribution, TIFF for archival and
  on request
• LUNA for storage and viewer
• In-house interface for navigation and discovery

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... Here's where we'd like to be tomorrow.

• Facilitating data distribution and archiving
• GOAL  The AEP Upper Susquehanna River Basin
  project should serve as a source of valuable data
  and insight for people in county, state, and the
  Federal government, NGOs, and the public to
  improve water quality in the Upper Susquehanna
  Basin and the Chesapeake Bay. 
• Approach
• Create a public research portal, with background
  information, research plans, results, and data.
• Document data sets using Ecological Metadata
  Language (EML).
• Deposit and preserve data sets in Cornells
  digital repository, DSpace.

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... Here's where we'd like to be tomorrow.
Facilitating data distribution and
archiving GOAL  The AEP Upper Susquehanna River
Basin project should serve as a catalyst for
innovative cross-disciplinary research at Cornell
that will produce better scientific understanding
of nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment cycling in
the Upper Susquehanna basin and the Chesapeake
Bay.  Approach Create a wiki, with access
restricted to project participants. The wiki can
be used to share datasets, preliminary results,
and any other information about the project as it
progresses, before such information is made
publicly available.
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Upper Susquehanna - AEP research portal
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Albert R. Mann Library http//www.mannlib.cornell
.edu/ CUGIR http//cugir.mannlib.cornell.edu/ G
eo Portal http//cugir-tng.mannlib.cornell.edu80
80/geo/
Gail Steinhart Environmental Sciences and GIS and
Librarian Albert R. Mann Library Cornell
University GSS1_at_cornell.edu