Metadata & Methods

The Cultural Landscape Archive uses a standardized metadata system to describe, organize, and link materials across counties, Tribal Nations, watersheds, and New Deal programs. This page outlines the methods that ensure consistency, accuracy, and long‑term research value across the statewide archive.

Why Metadata Matters

Metadata allows researchers, educators, and community members to understand what an item is, where it came from, how it was created, and how it connects to specific places and programs. Consistent metadata ensures that materials from different collections can be compared, mapped, and interpreted together.

Core Metadata Fields

Each item in the Archive includes a standardized set of descriptive fields:

  • Title: A concise description of the item
  • Date: Year or date range of creation
  • Creator: Agency, photographer, engineer, or author
  • Program: CCC, CCC‑ID, WPA, PWA, SCS, BIA, BOR, NPS, NYA, FSA
  • Location: County, reservation, watershed, town, or site
  • Coordinates: GIS point or polygon when available
  • Landscape Feature: Dam, terrace, shelterbelt, ranger station, school, etc.
  • Document Type: Photograph, map, report, plan, correspondence
  • Description: A narrative summary of the item’s content and significance
  • Source Collection: Tribal, county, state, federal, or private archive
  • Rights & Access: Usage restrictions, permissions, or copyright notes

Geospatial Methods

The Archive uses GIS to link items to specific places. When possible, each item includes:

  • Latitude/longitude coordinates
  • Watershed and sub‑basin identifiers
  • County and reservation boundaries
  • Landscape feature classifications

These spatial links allow users to explore New Deal projects across ecological and administrative boundaries.

Controlled Vocabularies

To maintain consistency across collections, the Archive uses controlled vocabularies for:

  • Landscape features (e.g., “erosion control,” “stock pond,” “shelterbelt”)
  • Document types
  • Agency names and program codes
  • Geographic identifiers

These vocabularies ensure that items from different sources can be searched and compared reliably.

Digitization Standards

When materials are digitized for inclusion in the Archive, the following standards are used:

  • Resolution: 300–600 dpi for photographs and documents
  • Color: True‑color or grayscale depending on the original
  • File Formats: TIFF for preservation, JPEG/PNG for access
  • Metadata Embedding: Descriptive fields embedded in file headers when possible

Data Integrity & Preservation

The Archive follows best practices for digital preservation, including:

  • Redundant storage across multiple systems
  • Regular integrity checks
  • Version control for metadata updates
  • Long‑term file format sustainability

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