Metadata Builder

While drafting the Regional Metadata Tool Recommendations report, the Metadata Working Group recommended the concept of a 'metadata builder'. This recommendation did not make it into the final draft of the report as a key recommendation, but PNAMP felt the idea should still be pursued.

In addition, BPA issued new mandate in 2011 for funders to provide a metadata record for all new datasets developed through BPA funding. To support this requirement and the idea from the Metadata Working Group, BPA agreed to fund a pilot effort to develop a prototype metadata builder. The metadata builder would identify elements of a standard metadata record that are currently documented through separate project management or other documentation tools, such as Pisces, cbfish.org, and MonitoringMethods.org. Using web services and an agreed upon metadata template, the metadata builder would serve to integrate these currently disparate elements of a metadata record into one metadata report. While not all elements of a standard metadata report are also contained within BPA project databases, the builder would look to maximize efficiencies where the elements do exist.