Part B
LEAD FEDERAL AGENCY AND/OR SUBCOMMITTEE/WORKING GROUP REPORT (Agencies With Lead Responsibilities From Circular A-16) (Please provide a separate report for each activity for which you have the lead)
1. Data Theme Name:
Historical Data Working Group
2. What are the programs this data supports?
Long term access to geospatial data and metadata by creating agencies, other agencies and other secondary users.
Very Briefly Describe All Applicable Items:
3. Uses of Data: What are the end uses of this data? How does it benefit customers, support lead and other agency missions, etc.?
Historical uses of data are varied. They can support agency needs, satisfy intellectual curiosity, or provide information to document historical changes.
4. Charter/Plan: Do you have a current charter or plan for collection? Should it be updated?
NARA is not a data creator. Plans for transfer of historical data to NARA are "negotiated" with creating agencies through mutual development of records control schedules. These are modified as required.
The working group's charter focuses on data management and historical preservation.
5. Metadata: What is the status of metadata? Is it discoverable and served through the NSDI Clearinghouse? What percentage of this theme's data has metadata and is in a Clearinghouse node?
All metadata transferred to NARA will remain discoverable through the Clearinghouse and/or NARA's customer service units. Under NARA's transfer standards all geospatial data created after the effective date of Executive Order 12906 must have metadata. That metadata will be transferred with the geospatial data and will be searchable either through the FGDC Clearinghouse or through NARA archival reference program.
6. Standards: What is the status of this theme's data, process, transfer, and classification standards?
This working group has not developed any standards. The working group does not anticipate developing any standards.
7. Progress: List FY 2000/2001 activities/progress to date (quantify where possible)
The working group did not hold any meetings in this time. The Chair continues to perform liaison activities and to maintain the WG homepage as necessary. During this time the chair and the working group provided liaison information and assistance regarding geospatial historical data management, archives, and data management costs to the EROS Data Center, the San Diego Supercomputer Center, the Consultative Committee on Space Data Systems, and the FGDC Secretariat.
8. Leadership: Describe your active leadership role with others (private, local, State, Federal) who collect and use this data.
The working group chair has continued a consultative role with other FGDC subcommittees and working groups and other agencies responding to questions and requests for assistance as they arise.
9. Collaborative Partnerships: How many major partnerships with others do you have on this theme? (list if desired)
NARA's Steering Committee representative and Coordination Group member include geospatial data management and preservation concerns in their liaison activities within NARA and with external agencies and groups. The most significant include the Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems (CCSDS), the National Partnership for Advanced Computational Infrastructure (NPACI), and the International Research on Permanent Authentic Records in Electronic Systems (InterPARES).
10. Scope: Are you engaged in broad participation and international/global coordination?
Yes. Both CCSDS and InterPARES are international
11. Policy: Do you have a policy in place for full and open access or data sharing?
Yes. All data transferred to NARA is available for public use subject to valid restrictions that conform with the Freedom of Information Act or other valid negotiated specific restriction.
12. Funding: Are data activities adequately funded? If not, what are your greatest needs? (e.g. development of standards, metadata, collection, maintenance, sharing, serving, archiving, etc.)
Geospatial data activities are not funded separately. They are part of overall agency data preservation activities.
13. Are there areas or issues regarding lead responsibilities for spatial data themes that require attention, or lessons-learned that you would like to share with others? Please describe.
None.