-------- Original Message --------
Subject:        Univ. of TN Historic Topo Maps Project - FGDC metadata questions
Date:   Tue, 29 Aug 2006 09:55:39 -0400
From:   gmarch <[log in to unmask]>
To:     [log in to unmask]




Hello,

I was hoping someone could help answer some questions regarding FGDC metadata.
 We are in the home stretch for preparing the metadata for indexing into DLXS,
but there are still some lingering questions mainly about spatial data.

Below is a link to our online topo collection for browsing purposes which
displays the maps that we are making available online very soon.  This is
almost complete, still working on a few things, but it functions very
well. There is a FGDC preservation metadata record specific to each map that
appears in the Zoomify browser.  We will also offer a search function
(utilizing DLXS bib class) so that the user can view the map record and click
on the options for GEOTIFF download, JPEG download, etc.

http://diglib.lib.utk.edu/dlc/map/zoomify/tnvector.html


We decided to georeference the historic topo maps to NAD83 with planar
units in feet for the following reasons:

Tennessee GIS (TNGIS) uses NAD83 and feet, and since NAD27 isn't
used as much as NAD83, I figured georeferencing the maps to NAD83 would
generate more use.

Also, we wanted to give the user the option to download the GEOTIFF into a GIS
with this projection.  I figured reprojecting the maps to NAD83 would allow
for a user to overlay a historic topo over a recent version of the same map so
the user could see the changes overtime with the landscape. The University of
Tennessee Archaeological Research Laboratory (UTARL) agreed that NAD83 would
be more useful as well.

The listserv doesn't allow for attachments, so I could forward examples of
FGDC XML records and GEOTIFF's off list to anyone who could help.

I have some questions regarding the metadata; specifically the sections
for describing:

Spatial data Org
raster info row count and column count (where it says counts optional)
Do I need counts here?

Planar coordinate system definition (What should I be placing here?)
Grid coordinate system

Spatial reference (since I am using NAD83 and not NAD27)
Horizontal coordinate system definition
Planar (What should I be placing here?)
Geodetic Model (What should I be placing here?)

Should I be including any other data to describe the spatial data,
referencing, other?

Should I be getting rid of any data within the XML records?

I would really appreciate any advice/help that anyone could offer!

Thank you,

Greg

Gregory March
Graduate Research Assistant
Digital Library Center and Map Library
University of Tennessee
Knoxville, TN 37996
(865)974-4315
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