NPS Data Store: Data Standards Information

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NPS Data Store FAQs

Data Store FAQs:
What is the difference between Category and Subject searches on the NR-GIS Data Store?

How can I change the font size on the page and dropdown lists to make it more readable?

Why am I unable to load records with values other than null/empty or "none" in the Access Constraints element in the Identification Information Section?

What, if any, disclaimer is appropriate to attach to data being requested by the public?

Why do I get fewer responses than I would expect when using the "regional search function?"


Data Store FAQ Answers:
What is the difference between Category and Subject searches on the NR-GIS Data Store?
The Category search is applicable to formal metadata records and the Subject search is applicable to Dataset Catalog records. Switching the Search Type between Dataset Catalog and either Formal Metadata or Online Data toggles the Search Type option back and forth between Category and Subject. A Category search searches the NPS Theme Category element, which is stored NPS Info section of the metadata record. The Theme Category is also repeated as a Theme Keyword in the Identification Information Section (Section 1) of the metadata record with "NPS Theme Category" as the keyword thesaurus name. A Subject Search searches for Investigator's Annual Report (IAR) Subject List values that were populated in records originally created in the NPS Dataset Catalog desktop metadata application. These IAR Subject List values are stored in the NPS Info section of the metadata record. Currently, Category or Subject searches also search all the keywords in a metadata record. This is because many records have not been populated with NPS Theme Category values. If you notice records for your park or network that do not have a Category value, please encourage the data steward for those records to update the Category.
More information: NPS Dataset Catalog desktop metadata application:http://science.nature.nps.gov/im/apps/datacat/index.htm Geospatial One-Stop (GOS) federal metadata clearinghouse: http://www.geodata.gov/gos

How can I change the font size on the page and dropdown lists to make it more readable?
The Data Store interface uses a design template that conforms to NPS web content standards. The template does not specify preset font sizes so font sizes are based on individual browser settings. This means that users must reset the text size on their browser if it displays poorly. You can enlarge the font size in the search criteria dropdown lists by changing the text size setting in your browser (for Internet Explorer go to the View menu, Text size, and select a larger font). Be aware that changing the text size setting may affect other aspects of the Data Store layout.

Why am I unable to load records with values other than null/empty or "none" in the Access Constraints element in the Identification Information Section?
At this time, sensitive records (those with entries other than null/empty or "none" in the Access Constraints element) cannot be stored on the Data Store as the security infrastructure required to protect them is not available on the website. A value of null/empty or "none" in the Access Constraints element indicates that these data are not considered sensitive and may be provided to the public.
http://science.nature.nps.gov/nrdata/docs/metahelp/NR-GISDataStoreCreatingGSMetadata.pdf

What, if any, disclaimer is appropriate to attach to data being requested by the public?
The same Distribution Disclaimer as that used for the Data Store would be appropriate: "The National Park Service shall not be held liable for improper or incorrect use of the data described and/or contained herein. These data and related graphics (i.e. GIF or JPG format files) are not legal documents and are not intended to be used as such. The information contained in these data is dynamic and may change over time. The data are not better than the original sources from which they were derived. It is the responsibility of the data user to use the data appropriately and consistent within the limitations of geospatial data in general and these data in particular. The related graphics are intended to aid the data user in acquiring relevant data; it is not appropriate to use the related graphics as data. The National Park Service gives no warranty, expressed or implied, as to the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of these data. It is strongly recommended that these data are directly acquired from an NPS server and not indirectly through other sources which may have changed the data in some way. Although these data have been processed successfully on computer systems at the National Park Service, no warranty expressed or implied is made regarding the utility of the data on other systems for general or scientific purposes, nor shall the act of distribution constitute any such warranty." This disclaimer applies both to individual use of the data and aggregate use with other data.

Why do I get fewer responses than I would expect when using the "regional search function?"
A regional search will only return records that have the region office code in the NPS unit element of the metadata. However, using the Advanced Search option, you can select the region office code from the NPS Unit pick list and check the "Search all associated units" box to return records for all parks in the region.