the nbii’s digital image library – aggregating diverse images means qc and standards tdwg,...

The NBII’s Digital Image The NBII’s Digital Image Library – Aggregating Library – Aggregating diverse images means diverse images means QC and standardsQC and standards

TDWG, October 24TDWG, October 24thth 2008 2008

Annette Olson, PhDAnnette Olson, PhDBiodiversity Scientist, Biodiversity Scientist, United States Geological SurveyUnited States Geological Survey

Definition Biological MediaDefinition Biological Media

• Media, in this case, meaning audio and Media, in this case, meaning audio and visual media = Moving Image, Still Image, visual media = Moving Image, Still Image, Sound.Sound.

Media, multimedia, and audiovisual all have Media, multimedia, and audiovisual all have connotations that don’t completely overlap connotations that don’t completely overlap with this definition above.with this definition above.

NBII NBII The National Biological Information InfrastructureThe National Biological Information Infrastructure

www.nbii.gov

• An in-house library in 2002.An in-house library in 2002.

• Went online in 2004, with 200 images. All public domain.Went online in 2004, with 200 images. All public domain.

• 2004 - partners saw it as a platform to serve, showcase and 2004 - partners saw it as a platform to serve, showcase and store their images. Two partners began putting their store their images. Two partners began putting their images in. Copyrighted, but allowing nonprofit use.images in. Copyrighted, but allowing nonprofit use.

• In 2005 had 1000 images in, offered 100,000In 2005 had 1000 images in, offered 100,000 images. images. Broad mission – to serve diverse, quality-controlled Broad mission – to serve diverse, quality-controlled biological images.biological images.

Initial History of the DILInitial History of the DIL

Audience and ObjectivesAudience and Objectives

• Users – natural resource managers, researchers, Users – natural resource managers, researchers, and decision-makers. and decision-makers.

• Subject scope is defined by what partners deem Subject scope is defined by what partners deem useful (resource managers = species and ecology)useful (resource managers = species and ecology)

• Public Domain, or Copyrighted with statement or C. Public Domain, or Copyrighted with statement or C. Commons license allowing most nonprofit uses. Commons license allowing most nonprofit uses. (no fully copyrighted images allowed)(no fully copyrighted images allowed)

• Serve as a repository, but also be a public gateway Serve as a repository, but also be a public gateway to other credible biological image galleries.to other credible biological image galleries.

http://images.nbii.gov

Giant armadillo (Priodontes maximus),© 2005 Guyra Paraguay

John J. Mosesso, Fish ladder

Rufous-collared sparrow nest

(Zonotrichia capensis), © 2005 Guyra

Paraguay

Amerafrican House Gecko (Hemidactylus mabouia) - whole body

dorsal view. ©2004 Yuri Huta/Finding Species

Japanese stilt grass (Microstegium vimineum) invasion, © 2004

Elizabeth A. Sellers.

Jaguar Track in Pantanal, Andrea Grosse and John Mosesso

Each image is dynamically Each image is dynamically linked to metadata.linked to metadata.

Required:Required:

Photographer, Photographer,

DescriptionDescription

Keywords,Keywords,

CatalogerCataloger

CopyrightCopyright

Scientific and common Scientific and common names, when organism names, when organism shown. Based on ITIS.shown. Based on ITIS.

Strongly encouraged.Strongly encouraged.

datedate

geographic locationgeographic location

physical description,physical description,

Media as Biological Records

PRE-SET METADATAPRE-SET METADATA WILL CREATE METADATAWILL CREATE METADATA

Portlets, RSS Portlets, RSS DISCOVER LIFE DISCOVER LIFE GBIFGBIF EoLEoL GAPServe GAPServe

DIL+ STANDARDS

+ QC

Nature Photographer

Finding Species NPN

Indiv. Biologist Hobby Photographer

WDIN

ReGAP

Discover Life

FRAMES

Morphbank

NatureServe

USGS Projects

US FWS

USGS Personnel

SAIN

USGS Projects

Smithsonian Dept. Botany

NBII Personnel

SolutionsSolutions

Original imagesOriginal imagesMention in metadataMention in metadataAutomatic tools, link checks,…Automatic tools, link checks,…Feedback mechanismsFeedback mechanismsEmbedding metadataEmbedding metadataSigned statement of authenticity and ownership – Signed statement of authenticity and ownership – images on setsimages on setsImage resizing toolImage resizing toolGuiding documents Guiding documents Metadata templatesMetadata templatesQA/QC proceduresQA/QC procedures

Devoting staff to screening, trackingDevoting staff to screening, tracking

Andrea Grosse, Wasp Nest in Gallery Forest, Paraguay

IssuesIssues• QualityQuality

• Digital editing (restrictions, original, info in metadata)Digital editing (restrictions, original, info in metadata)• Artificial settings (info in metadata)Artificial settings (info in metadata)• Species identification (feedback)Species identification (feedback)

• Metadata – burden of creationMetadata – burden of creation• (progress being made here - extraction EXIF info, pattern (progress being made here - extraction EXIF info, pattern

searches…, automatic validation tools)searches…, automatic validation tools)

• Change in the resource over timeChange in the resource over time• Broken links (auto validation tools)Broken links (auto validation tools)• Name changes (auto validation tools)Name changes (auto validation tools)

• Technical aspects of linkingTechnical aspects of linking• Copyright/privacy/publicity - globalCopyright/privacy/publicity - global• Standards – or lack of…Standards – or lack of…

Solutions Solutions

• Watermarks – not lost, hard to Watermarks – not lost, hard to alteralter

• Limited in information,Limited in information,• Info changesInfo changes• Watermarks can potentially cover Watermarks can potentially cover

information useful for later researchinformation useful for later research

• Embedding metadata via Adobe Embedding metadata via Adobe XMP, EXIF, JPEG2000…– can be XMP, EXIF, JPEG2000…– can be stripped. stripped.

• GUIDS (LSIDs) ….. Do not give GUIDS (LSIDs) ….. Do not give information immediately, but information immediately, but resolvableresolvable

Metadata issuesMetadata issues

• No one standard fits – digital resource, original, subjectNo one standard fits – digital resource, original, subject Dublin Core – most common among image galleries, doesn’t Dublin Core – most common among image galleries, doesn’t

handle biological info…handle biological info… Darwin Core – specimen orientedDarwin Core – specimen oriented EML – dataset oriented (potential, but media module still needs EML – dataset oriented (potential, but media module still needs

to be created)to be created) MODS, PREMIS, DIG35, NISO, “EXIF,” FGDC Biological Profile, MODS, PREMIS, DIG35, NISO, “EXIF,” FGDC Biological Profile,

OGC, …OGC, …

• Encoding Schemes/data valuesEncoding Schemes/data values

Multiple subjects within an imageMultiple subjects within an image

• Describing relationshipsDescribing relationships

• Repeatability - Multiple Repeatability - Multiple species, subjects, time species, subjects, time periods…periods…

• Pairing of fields – species Pairing of fields – species names with authorities, names with authorities, common names, and taxon common names, and taxon levels. levels.

Red-crested and Yellow-billed cardinals (Parcaria coronata,

Parcaria capitata), ©2004 Guyra Paraguay

© Ronald Hoff, White-eared

Puffbird (Nystalus chacuru)

© 2008 Bruce Avera Hunter, Red-eared Sliders on American alligator's back

Related images, issuesRelated images, issues• Different resolutions for display, Different resolutions for display,

disseminationdissemination• Rapid Sequences (time lapse)Rapid Sequences (time lapse)• Related images of same specimen Related images of same specimen

– and the habitat where they were – and the habitat where they were trapped. trapped.

• Related via other subject matter Related via other subject matter (habitat changes at a location over (habitat changes at a location over time.)time.)

• Images derived from other Images derived from other images… (montages)images… (montages)

• Illustrations published in a book Illustrations published in a book (dc:Source)(dc:Source)

• Images linked to a dataset, Images linked to a dataset, specimenspecimen

California broomrape (Orobanche californica), © 2007 Ted Niehaus/Smithsonian

Metadata – other issues standards Metadata – other issues standards don’t quite coverdon’t quite cover

• History – image derived from image that is History – image derived from image that is derived from video… derived from video…

• Precision of geolocations, Precision of geolocations, • Methods, Methods, • Language of metadataLanguage of metadata• Listing which authority behind a classificationListing which authority behind a classification

Scientific name source (Catalogue of Life, a Scientific name source (Catalogue of Life, a published paper, published paper, Sibley’s Guide to BirdsSibley’s Guide to Birds….)….)Habitat, agriculture (Bailey’s Ecoregions)Habitat, agriculture (Bailey’s Ecoregions)

• Others…Others…

Many Communities asking for:Many Communities asking for:

• Best Practices Best Practices • Quality controlQuality control• ProcessProcess

• SchemaSchema• Flat, simple Definitions docsFlat, simple Definitions docs• XMLXML

Why another image gallery and not Why another image gallery and not Flickr, others?Flickr, others?

Always more images than there will be galleries to serve. Always more images than there will be galleries to serve.

Mirroring doesn’t hurt -- preservation.Mirroring doesn’t hurt -- preservation.

Capacity building.Capacity building.

Mandate to help serve US Dept. of Interior Images, Mandate to help serve US Dept. of Interior Images, includes long-term preservation.includes long-term preservation.

Add value with controlled vocabularies, quality control, Add value with controlled vocabularies, quality control, standards, and interoperability. standards, and interoperability.

Treat the images as Treat the images as biological records.biological records.

Copyright Issues…Copyright Issues…

• Global library – learning global copyright law. Global library – learning global copyright law. • Tied to “Publication.” If disseminating online – Tied to “Publication.” If disseminating online –

publishing. giving presentations publishing. giving presentations for for disseminationdissemination on a website can be considered on a website can be considered a form of publication. For us, probably fair use, a form of publication. For us, probably fair use, but….but….

• Images travel! Images travel! • Downloaded from websites Downloaded from websites • Can be selected from PDFsCan be selected from PDFs• Presentations – slides can be copiedPresentations – slides can be copied

People IssuesPeople Issues

Photos by John J. Mosesso,Bird Banding

1. Right to Privacy – name or even just image not used without permission, in some cases even if taken in a public space.

2. Right to not have their images/face used for any commercial use/publicity without their permission. Even if taken in public space and public domain.

Signed waivers, or statements in prominent places online.

Facial recognition software is changing this environment. It’s not just about names. Especially for kids!!

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