Shared Geospatial Metadata Repository for Ontario University Libraries: Collaborative Approaches

Abstract

Successfully providing access to special collections of digital geospatial data in academic libraries relies upon complete and accurate metadata. Creating and maintaining metadata using specialized standards is a formidable challenge for libraries. The Ontario Council of University Libraries’ Scholars GeoPortal project, which created a shared geospatial data infrastructure, involved centrally curating metadata for shared geospatial data collections, using a collaborative and cost-effective consortial model. This article presents the background and findings of the Scholars GeoPortal project. Through the development of advanced library systems and expertise, libraries in Ontario have improved discovery and access to geospatial data for researchers.

KEYWORDS:

• metadata standards
• geospatial data
• GIS librarianship
• consortial approaches