Making your data accessible to CGDI users is a two-part process. You first must choose a discovery mechanism in which to publish your data collection (or database, or data product); you then must install a search server to connect your database to the CGDI. There are several steps involved in each part of the process.

Note that if you have a small number of data products and don’t wish to install a search server, you can register the products individually on a discovery mechanism such as the GeoConnections Discovery Portal. What follows is the normal procedure for large collections.

PART ONE - Register with a discovery mechanism

Publishing your data product or collection entails registering with a discovery mechanism of your choosing. You are free to register with any and as many discovery mechanism(s) covering your subject area. Discovery mechanisms continue to join the CGDI on a regular basis. You can find a current list of discovery mechanisms to choose from at:

http://geodiscover.cgdi.ca/gdp/index.jsp?language=en.

In this online training, we will use the GeoConnections Discovery Portal as an example. You can register your data products with the GeoConnections Discovery Portal by entering information in an online form (See Module 4, Describing Geospatial Resources, for more information). When the form is submitted, the information is added to the GeoConnections Discovery Portal’s catalogue. Users can then perform a search though the GeoConnections Discovery Portal to find your data product.

In addition, when you register your data product using this process, you can add a link to a database search server, which allows users to search the database directly for individual data products, once the necessary connections are made. Users can then find any individual datasets, map sheets, images, reports, and other data product information that you want to make available. Installing a search server and allowing remote searching via the Internet makes your database searchable.

Registering your data product gives you total control over your content. The data product registration information should describe the data product in detail, using keywords, geographical location, etc. The data products contained in the GeoConnections Discovery Portal follow the U.S. Federal Geographic Data Committee’s approved Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata (FGDC CSDGM), and also conform to the core profile of the ISO 19115 content standard for metadata.

There are metadata fields describing specific geospatial attribute information, such as the time period that your data covers and spatial and thematic keywords. There are approximately 270 fields; of these, about 50 must be completed, and depending on your data product the remaining fields may or may not apply.

The Mandatory Information section is a summary of metadata information fields required for completion. You can submit the form with just the “Name of the Product Collection” completed, but the content management team will not let your entry pass quality control until all the required fields are completed (or until you provide a reasonable explanation for the fields that are not completed).

You may create or update your registration and/or promotion page for free at any time over the Internet; all that is required is a web browser, Internet access, and a GeoConnections Discovery Portal user name and password. From time to time, you will be notified by email to update your registration and promotion details to ensure that your metadata content in the GeoConnections Discovery Portal is current.