Alaska Region Metadata Guide
  • Alaska Region Interim Metadata Guide
    • Other Training Resources
  • Goals of Data Management
  • Project & Data Management Integration
  • Alaska Region Tools
    • Alaska Regional Data Repository
    • Metadata Standard Checklist
    • Contact Master List
    • mdEditor basics
      • Record Types
      • mdJSON vs. mdEditor files
      • Settings
      • Profiles and Schemas
      • Import Records
      • Copy Records
      • Export Records
      • I Need HELP! and Bug Reporting
    • Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs)
    • Data.gov
  • Creating Metadata
    • A Workflow At A Glance
  • Contact Entry Guidance
    • Organization Contacts
    • Individual Contacts
  • Project Metadata Guidance
    • Project Main Tab
      • Guide to Good Titles
    • Project Metadata Tab
    • Project Keywords Tab
    • Project Extent Tab
    • Project Taxonomy Tab
    • Project Distribution Tab
    • Project Funding Tab
    • Project Associated Tab
  • Product Metadata Guidance
    • Product Main Tab
      • Resource Types Defined
    • Product Metadata Tab
    • Product Keywords Tab
    • Product Extent Tab
    • Product Lineage Tab
    • Product Taxonomy Tab
    • Product Distribution Tab
    • Product Constraints Tab
    • Product Associated Tab
  • Product Dictionary Entry Guidance
    • Dictionary Main Tab
    • Dictionary Entities Tab
    • Dictionary Domain Tab
  • Glossary
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  • Distribution (Required)
  • Creating a Distribution
  • Contacts and Role (Required)
  • Transfer Options (Required)
  • Online Option (Required if Available)
  • Offline Option

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  1. Product Metadata Guidance

Product Distribution Tab

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Last updated 2 years ago

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Distribution (Required)

Distribution provides documentation on how or where users can obtain the data products. Distribution methods may include online options (e.g., website, database) or offline options (e.g., delivery via email, snail mail, or a library). Multiple distributions may be added when data products are shared broadly.

The Alaska Regional Data Repository project folder location should be added as a distribution, as applicable.

An online distribution link is required for any products sent to data.gov.

Creating a Distribution

Click Add Distribution Section and then Add Distributors to begin adding distribution metadata.

Contacts and Role (Required)

Add a contact and select 'distributor' as the role. The default contact for is 'USFWS Alaska region'

Transfer Options (Required)

Transfer Options provide details regarding how to obtain the product. Online and offline options are available.

Select Add Transfer Option. This opens an Editing Transfer Options for Distributor window.

Select Add Online Option to add the Alaska Regional Data Repository or other online distribution link.

Online Option (Required if Available)

Name

The Name of the online resource should be something that indicates it is a product page where the data can be downloaded. Examples: "product webpage" or "Product Webpage with Downloadable Files." If there are multiple files for a single product record, the Name should be different for each file so the user can differentiate between them. For example, "Download Aguiguan Veg 2016 data" or "Download FDM Veg 2011 data."

Use unique names for datasets that will be sent to data.gov. Without a name, the link will display as "webpage." This or identical names for different datasets are not informative.

URI

The most important thing to enter is the URL where the product can be accessed or downloaded.

Add the URI for the distribution. For the RDR, enter the url for the project's archive folder. For example, the RDR folder location for the Migratory Bird Management land bird project on Red Knots is 'https:\\ifw7ro-file.fws.doi.net\datamgt\mbm\mbmlb003_RedKnot'.

The format of the online link must start with https:\\ A unintelligible error message will occur otherwise.

The format of the online link MUST start with https:\\ A unintelligible error message will occur otherwise.

An online link is required for any products sent to data.gov. Preferably the link should be a direct download to the data and not an intermediary page.

Function

In the Function field, you should indicate the type of URL. If the link is a direct download of the data, select “download.” If the link goes to an informational page, select “information.” For the RDR, select "fileAccess"

How to obtain download link for data also distributed as a USGS ScienceBase Item

In some cases, the data may also be distributed by the USGS. This distribution information should also be added to your data product metadata record.

Simply copy the name and url for the data release and paste into your distribution metadata.

Offline Option

If your product is only available offline, describe how users can obtain the product in this section.

Blank Distribution Entry
Example Alaska region contact and role entry
undecipherable error message that occurs when the distribution URL format does not begin with https:\\
Example Alaska Regional Data REpository Distribution online option entry
Example Alaska Regional Data Repository Distribution Entry
Example USGS ScienceBase distribution entry
Blank offline distribution entry fields