Become a Clearinghouse Data Provider

If your organization has data that is described with metadata, we encourage your organization to become a partner in the CSAS Clearinghouse. For most organizations it's easy and, if you wish, we can even facilitate your participation in other major clearinghouses: the National Spatial Data Clearinghouse (NSDI) and the Geo.Data.gov, which are both initiatives of the Federal Geospatial Data Committee (FGDC).

What must a partner do?

Generally, partners must do two things:

1. have metadata in a computer-readable format accepted by CSAS (generally xml);
2. post a copy of these files on a Web or FTP site for our system to "harvest" weekly (which means CSAS makes a copy of it).

CSAS's core metadata standard is the FGDC's Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata (CSDGM). If you're already using this standard, then just give us a standardized generalized markup language (SGML) or eXtensible markup language (XML) metadata file for each data set and you're ready. Sorry, but we cannot accept hypertext markup language (HTML) versions of the metadata.

We realize that not everyone uses FGDC. We can also accept Ecological Markup Language (EML) metadata files, which we will convert to FGDC. If you are using other metadata standards, please contact us. CSAS also supports the DiGIR software used for specimen collections, but that activity is separate from the metadata clearinghouse.

If you have files in an acceptable format, just put your files on a Web server or FTP server and give us the address (URL). If you are already posting files on a Web server for the Geo.Data.gov, just give us that address.

What will the CSAS do for you?

The first thing we will do is make your metadata searchable via the CSAS Core Science Meatadata Clearinghouse. This helps put your data in the hands of researchers, educators, policy makers, and the general public around the world. You will maintain complete control of your metadata records.

The second thing we will do, if you want us to, is help you be a part of the Geo.Data.gov. We will assit you with any details to help you get connected.