Nebraska GIS Steering Committee

The Nebraska Geospatial Data Clearinghouse is a project to provide a searchable online catalog of information about available spatially-referenced data for the geographic area of Nebraska. The Clearinghouse provides users of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) with a means to identify potential sources of Nebraska-related geospatial data. The Nebraska Clearinghouse is available for use at its Internet site of: "http://geodata.state.ne.us".

The Nebraska Geospatial Data Clearinghouse is a cooperative effort of the Nebraska GIS Steering Committee, the Nebraska Library Commission, and the organizations who list their geospatial data with the Clearinghouse. The Clearinghouse is also a node of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) administered by the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC). In August 1995, the GIS Steering Committee and the Library Commission received an award from the FGDC to support the upgrading of Nebraska's existing online GIS Data Inventory to comply with the newly adopted Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata and to make this information accessible as an Internet node of the national Geospatial Data Clearinghouse network. A report on this one-year NSDI development project is available.

Metadata - An Essential Ingredient
The Nebraska Clearinghouse does not actually house geospatial databases itself, but rather it houses metadata (information about the data) related to those databases. This metadata provides potential users with information about what geospatial data is currently available, information about the quality and format of the data, and information about how the data may be accessed. The listing of data with the Clearinghouse does not necessarily imply that listed data is available without restrictions. However, the metadata listed in the Clearinghouse should provide information on what, if any, restrictions apply to the availability of a particular geospatial database.

To facilitate data-sharing, the Nebraska GIS Steering Committee has adopted the Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata developed by the FGDC. This Metadata Standard provides a common set of terminology, definitions and format for documenting information about available geospatial data, and therefore greatly facilitates the sharing of that data. The development of this geospatial metadata, in a standardized format, is an essential ingredient to the successful functioning of the Nebraska Clearinghouse. A key components of the Clearinghouse development project, and its continued success, are efforts to assist agencies to learn about the Metadata Standard and to assist them in developing metadata for their spatial databases.

Interagency, Intergovernmental Cooperation and Support the Key
The Clearinghouse is a project whose ultimate success will depend upon the cooperation and support of state, local, and federal agencies and/or private interests who develop and maintain geospatial data related to Nebraska. The GIS Steering Committee invites such groups to use this site to locate needed geospatial data, and to let others know about Nebraska-related geospatial data that they may have available (or in the planning stage). The Clearinghouse also includes the capability of listing and conducting searches for geospatial databases that have been catalogued at other compatible Clearinghouse node sites. To enhance the utility of the Nebraska Geospatial Data Clearinghouse, we appreciate the assistance of users to help us identify and list other Clearinghouse node sites which include Nebraska-related geospatial data.

The Nebraska GIS Steering Committee appreciates the early support and/or participation of the following agencies and organizations in the Nebraska Geospatial Data Clearinghouse and Metadata Development Project.

City of Omaha Public Works
Conservation and Survey Division - UNL
Natural Resources Conservation Service- USDA
Nebraska Association of County Officials
Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
Nebraska Library Commission

Nebraska Department of Administrative Services
Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality
Nebraska Department of Roads
Nebraska Natural Resources Commission
Scotts Bluff County Surveyor
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services

If you would like information about how you can help strengthen the Nebraska Geospatial Data Clearinghouse, either by developing metadata or by listing your geospatial databases with the Nebraska Clearinghouse, check out the Clearinghouse Internet web page at: "http://geodata.state.ne.us" or contact:

Larry Zink, Coordinator, Nebraska GIS Steering Committee, 402-471-3206, lzink@doc.state.ne.us