NPS Data Store
The NPS Data Store application manages and shares natural resource and GIS metadata and data generated by the Natural Resource and Service wide GIS Programs of the National Park Service. To facilitate data dissemination to the public and throughout the National Park Service, the NPS Data Store application posts information to the NPS GIS Clearinghouse located in NPSFocus. The NPS Data Store is part of the NPS Metadata System and provides two functions: the GIS Metadata Database and the GIS Data Server. The GIS Metadata Database is a repository of and search engine for metadata describing natural resource and GIS data. The NPS Data Server hosts natural resource and GIS data (documented by the metadata in the GIS Metadata Database) for download.
Data Store Metadata Data Stewardship:
The data steward is the individual that the Data Store staff can call if there is a problem with their files. This person’s name only shows up when a person with an NPS login searches for a metadata record. We recommend that the data steward be the individual that created the data and loaded the files onto the NPS Data Store.
Metadata Contact Information.
As many of you know there are at least four sections in a metadata record where a contact person can be listed.
- The Point of Contact in the Identification Information section – We recommend this be a generic GIS Specialist or Collateral Duty staff member at the park with a generic e-mail address (such as whsa_gis_coordinator@nps.gov). This allows the e-mail to automatically go to the person at the park who works with the GIS data even when there are staff changes. If desired a generic IMRO contact can be used.
- The Process Contact in the Data Quality Process Step section – We recommend this always be the individual who did the process being described.
- The Contact Information in the Distribution Information section for Vector Data - We recommend this be a generic GIS Specialist or Collateral Duty staff member at the park with a generic e-mail address (such as whsa_gis_coordinator@nps.gov). This allows the e-mail to automatically go to the person at the park who works with the GIS data even when there are staff changes. If desired a generic IMRO contact can be used, same as the Point of Contact in the Identification Information section.
- The Contact Information in the Distribution Information section for Raster Data – Standard NPS entries for Raster data. Also note that the NPS Data Store has a data size limit of 25MB. Most Raster data exceeds that therefore we use TIC as the Distributor Contact.
- Contact Information in Metadata Reference Information - We recommend this always be the individual who wrote the metadata.
Posting Digital Geospatial Data to the NPS Data Store
The NPS Data Store is part of the NPS Metadata System and provides two functions: the GIS Metadata Database and the NPS Data Server. The GIS Metadata Database is a repository of and search engine for metadata describing natural resource and GIS data. The GIS Data Server hosts natural resource and GIS data (documented by the metadata in the GIS Metadata Database) for download.
NPS Data Store instruction documents include directions for creating, parsing, editing, and deleting metadata and for uploading metadata and data. General metadata authoring guidance with details on the use the NPS Metadata Profile is available online
Mandatory Metadata Quality Check ("QC")
The GRIM Office is offering assistance performing a quality control (QC) check of metadata files. We have found it extremely beneficial to have another party (independent of the collection process) review the metadata document for formatting and information placement early on in metadata development. This is particularly useful if the file will be used as a template for many other files. Please send one or two of your draft metadata records at a time for QC in HTML format to Nancy Shock or your quality control representative before creating a bulk of records. This ensures a timely response and you can avoid being overwhelmed with small changes to dozens of files.
