1 Topic by Darwyn Sumner (edited by Darwyn Sumner 23-04-2017 07:24:01)

  • Darwyn Sumner
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Topic: Guidance document

How to contribute records to the NBN Atlas
Whatever the reasons, a number of datasets have not yet made the transfer from Gateway to Atlas.
Potential and previous data partners wishing to contribute now are faced with a complex task of sifting through numerous NBN emails in order to figure out how to set about the job of uploading or transferring datasets to the Atlas.
Time therefore to have a guidance document under preparation to help both those who have datasets yet to upload and those recording organisations, such as new recording schemes who may wish to contribute.
From my experience in dealing with a number of recording schemes I suggest the following format:

1. Introduction
2. The License form & explanation
3. The information required for the Data Partner page (description, contact, website link, logos etc.)
4. How to submit a dataset, this may be in two parts:
4a. iRecord
4b. other formats
5. Metadata

Bundling everything together into a single downloadable document in this way will surely assist potential contributors.

Issues:
a. New recording schemes may not have received guidance emails (full list of schemes on BRC website)
b. iRecord - Martin Harvey (of BRC and Soldierflies dataset) tells me of mechanisms that will permit a recording scheme which is verifying incoming iRecords to arrange with BRC to have their dataset listed on their Data Partner page (as he has done with his Soldierflies).
c. Double-listing of datasets. Schemes relying on BRC don't have the dataset listed on their Data Partner page, they are on BRC's page. Some indicator on the scheme's page as to where to locate their data would be useful, better still if the dataset were linked in both places.
d. I'm told that it is possible for a Data Partner that lists several Resources that each resource can have a different contact
e. Means of organising datasets for submission appear to be in flux at the moment, whilst it may be that the standard Recorder 6 outputs will be sufficient, new formats may be under development. Metadata formats for Darwin Core - based datasets are certainly needed.

2 Reply by dgreves (edited by dgreves 23-04-2017 10:20:31)

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Re: Guidance document

Might it be helpful to have a list of organisations who have deliberately decided NOT to contribute datasets to NBN Atlas at this time? Would save a lot of guesswork.

3 Reply by Darwyn Sumner (edited by Darwyn Sumner 24-04-2017 07:40:47)

  • Darwyn Sumner
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Re: Guidance document

There's a very lengthy debate by ALERC and members at https://forum.lrcs.org.uk/viewtopic.php?id=1248 - that's in a members only section. If you cannot access this then perhaps Tom Hunt might be able to summarise for those interested in datasets from LERCs. LERCs have paid professionals so I guess the practicalities of how to upload are less of an issue for them, though I daresay such a guide would be useful.
I have a limited knowledge of the situation as regards NSSs, but I have been working with up to 25 of them in Dipterists Forum for a number of years as Editor of the Dipterists Forum Bulletin, in which I've written or presented numerous articles and reviews on this topic. They don't have the benefit of paid professionals but equally most don't have a "business case" to defend.
The following quote from our Chair and Conservation Officer, Rob Wolton in the latest Bulletin hopefully clarifies the issue of "deliberately decided NOT" from an NSS perspective:

So, please, if you don't already do so, may I urge you to ensure your records are made available to the likes of developers, planners and land managers through ensuring they reach widely used record centres? To put it bluntly, records held in private databases, however diligently maintained, have little practical use.

The importance of easily accessible records. Bulletin of the Dipterists Forum #83
I'm sure similar sentiments can be found expressed elsewhere by other NSSs.
The issue for many NSSs therefore is more likely to be the labour involved by unpaid volunteers. Their obligations are good will. It is incumbent upon those who have some knowledge of the practicalities therefore to make attempts to ensure the task of uploading datasets is as easy as possible. BRC can be very helpful in this regard but even they cannot do everything required to set up an NSS "Data Providers" page on the Atlas.
The NBN team gave it their best shot when sending out requests for Gateway dataset holders to provide the necessary information to transfer to the Atlas. Their next shot would be much simpler if they could provide a link to a complete guideline document, more friendly and useful than just a repeat request. It could also be targetted at new schemes, for example one that formed during the Gateway/Atlas transfer and therefore out of the loop, Barry Warrington's Agromyzidae Recording Scheme - leaf-mining flies.

4 Reply by chrisjohnson

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Re: Guidance document

There are times when the small recording groups, whether taxon or geographically based, can get over-looked. We have limited resources and often struggle because technical advice is either not provided or not written in an accessible form.
If groups who are prepared to subscribe to the open data philosophy are unable or find it difficult to upload their records to the NBN database, this should be a cause for serious concern.

We all understand that the NBN team are working hard to make the new Atlas scheme work and that they appreciate the feedback contributed by the Atlas users. However, NBN might be more pro-active and before guidance documents are published circulate a draft for comment and ensure that some of the smaller groups with volunteer database administrators are consulted. This doesn't have to be a big multi-facted questionnaire, a simple "what do you think" exercise is more likely to produce a constructive response.

Whether designing websites or writing guidance notes, the key is to think about the end user and keep it simple. If you make life too technically difficult for the non-technical NBN contributors the Atlas scheme will fail in its endeavour to be accessible to all.

Christine

5 Reply by shyslop

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Re: Guidance document

Hello All,

Many thanks for your posts and suggestions for guidance documents and information that is required by data providers.  We are discussing this within the team and will work to get documentation together but in the meantime please do be aware that any data which has not been transferred from the Gateway will now need to be re uploaded directly to the Atlas - the process for this is still in development but for now data should be sent to data@nbnatlas.org in the same format as previously sent to the Gateway.

We value your comments and feedback.

Kind Regards

Sarah

6 Reply by dgreves

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Re: Guidance document

Sarah, can you share percentages for pre-existing data providers (or datasets) that have a. Successfully migrated across to NBN Atlas, b. Have expressed their intention to do so but haven't done so yet, and c. Have stated they will not be doing so? What is the scale of the issue here?

7 Reply by dgreves

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Re: Guidance document

...or d. Haven't responded.

8 Reply by shyslop

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Re: Guidance document

Hello All,

There is now the following summary document on the NBN website which details what data has been transferred to the Atlas etc

https://nbn.org.uk/news/nbn-atlas-updat … pril-2017/

Many thanks

Sarah

9 Reply by dgreves (edited by dgreves 03-05-2017 07:21:01)

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Re: Guidance document

Very helpful summary - thanks. So when is the "non-commercial use guidance" issue affecting 8.1 million records likely to be resolved do you estimate? Or is it not something which can be resolved at present?

Also can you list the organisations which have 'Refused'? Or, alternatively, state which types of dataset are most likely to be affected?