GeoData Reusable Metadata “Snippets”

To facilitate metadata creation and maintenance, GeoData creates reusable sections of metadata. These are referred to as snippets. These primarily include information for people, organizations, and institutions. Any information that might be reused should be created as a reusable component. Individual name, organization name, phone, email, title, location, online resources, and more can be included in these components.

  • All contact information can/should use a snippet

  • The appropriate person (permanent responsibility) or position (current responsibility) should be used

Benefits include:

  • Metadata creators do not have to enter the same information over and over

  • Drawing from a single information source cuts back on errors and inconsistencies when completing the metadata form

  • If information for a contact point changes in the future, simply updating the snippet will automatically update all catalog entries that contain that snippet

(For those technically inclined, the snippets are stored separately in GeoData and are merged into the catalog entry each time it is displayed, edited, or downloaded.)

The snippets allow you to search/choose the name of the person or organization from a list, and all the rest of the details (Name, position, organization, email, etc.) will automatically be filled in for you. This automatic population of information from the snippet is surrounded by a shaded area as an indicator that it is a non-editable unit. Please contact the GeoData curators at NAL-GeoData@ars.usda.gov if a reusable component needs to be updated.

Add a Reusable Point of Contact Snippet

To add a Point of Contact using a reusable component, find the search box next to the Add contact button at the bottom of the Point of Contact section. This process is identical regardless of which section you are addding a contact for.

snippet add

If your contact does not have a reusable component entered, you can use the Add contact button to add that information. However, if you plan to make more than one record using this information, contact NAL-GeoData@ars.usda.gov about creating a reusable component for your purposes.

Begin typing the name of the individual or organization to add. Choices narrow down with each letter entered. When the desired contact appears, choose the Link icon next to the name.

snippet choice

You will then choose the appropriate role code for that contact. In this case, Point of contact is chosen.

snippet role code

When the fields populate based on your choice, any information associated with this reusable component is also added to the XML metadata, even if not visible on the form view. This particular entry has office address, phone, and institutional web site integrated into the snippet.

snippet added

Note

The asterisk next to certain entries denotes whether that entry is for an individual (permanent) snippet, or a position (transient) snippet.

Authors, Principal Investigators, Processors, and Creators are all generally permanent designations, as those roles usually indicate a completed task and will not change even if staffing changes. However, the Distributor is most likely the responsibility of a position and not an individual. As staffing changes, the snippet can be updated to reflect the new individual charged with that role, allowing metadata to stay up to date.