Module 3.3: Metadata for Open Civic Data

Introduction

This is the first of two modules on metadata and documentation. In this module, we consider the ways that open data initiatives have approached creating and managing the information about data, or metadata. We will build an understanding of the importance of metadata for supporting discovery, understanding, and reuse of civic open data.

Guiding Questions

What is metadata and why is it important to open civic data sharing?
How does metadata impact the interpretation of data?
How can information professionals create metadata that makes open civic data easier to use and understand?

Vignette

To support the usage of their Wi-Fi data, the librarian creates metadata for the dataset shared through the open data portal and creates a data dictionary and readme file that supports the reuse of the data. They also create a civic data guide, based on the LibGuide model, that provides information about why and how the data was collected, the organizational context in which it was collected, and limitations of the data. The librarian also seeks out qualitative stories to contextualize the data to include in this guide.