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How to use the Repository

The core of the LandMan System is a Metadata Repository for the management and maintenance of a catalog of research data collections for (basically any) scientific area. The repository provides extensive information via metadata of each data entry for searches and retrieval of data collections. The LM-Repository provides effective searches for the data collections and fast access to the connected research data files.

Open Repository

The button <Repository> on the home page opens the “Repository Overview”, a table of the data collections in the LM-Repository with their most relevant metadata information (ID, Title, Author(s), Coverage, Creation).

Display Metadata Values

The button <See Details> in an entry of the table in the “Repository Overview” displays (in the view “Entry Details”) the respective metadata content with its most relevant attributes, especially with information or links for “Access to Datasets”.
The button <See Full Entry> (in the view “Entry Details”) displays all metadata attributes for the data collection.
In both views, the button <Show on Collection Map> shows a visualisation of the places where the scientific work was done that led to the data collections. The markers may be representatives for excavation site(s), local areas of research or scientific institute(s) where the data collections were created.

Searches in “Repository Overview”

The search and retrieval of Repository entries can be carried out on three different levels.

Direct Search

Typing search values in the Search Box at the top of the repository table matches the search for the displayed columns of the overview (ID, title, authors, spatial and temporal coverage, final timestamp). This allows quick and easy real-time filtering. The list of search results can be displayed on the Collection Map and the Exploration Map.

Advanced Search

By selecting the button Advanced Search, all of the fields of the entries are available for searching. Write the value(s) that you search for in the respective data field(s). Start selection by the button <Search>. When querying more than one field, an inclusive (AND) search is executed in the repository. A filtered list is displayed below the search mask. The list of search results can be displayed on the Collection Map and the Exploration Map.

Expert Search

The Expert Search provides a tool to define and run search conditions of any complexity, using all metadata fields and search operators (AND, OR, NOT, Contains, =, <, >, ...), enabling custom tailored searches in the repository. After clicking “Perform Search in Repository”, a filtered list is displayed below the search mask. You can store your search condition for later re-use. The list of search results can be displayed on the Collection Map and the Exploration Map.

Create entries in LM-Repository

The creation of entries in the LM-Repository is done by loading the LM-Repository Questionnaire (see Menu “Participation / Download Entry Creation Questionnaire”), filling in the metadata values and sending the document to LM-Coordination. If you provide data to the LM-Repository for the first time, best-practice has shown that an initial meeting with the LandMan-Coordination is the fastest and most comfortable way for the provider and coordination. Send a request for a meeting (may be done in presence or online) to LM-Coordination (mailto:lm_coordination@sfb1266.uni-kiel.de). The complete creation process is can be seen here.

Modify or delete data in LM-Repository

The modification or deletion of entries or values in the LM-Repository is only possible for metadata owners or their named metadata contacts by sending a respective change request via E-Mail to lm_coordination(at)sfb1266.uni-kiel.de. The LandMan-Coordination will check the requested changes for compliance with LandMan policies and standards and then execute the changes in the LandMan-Informationsystem.

Metadata Ownership and Privacy Rules

The ownership for each LM-Repository entry is clearly and strictly assigned to the person or organisation as documented in metadata field “Metadata Owner”. No activity concerning the LM-Repository entry is done without order or approval of the metadata owner.
The metadata owner can decide to (temporarily or permanently) restrict the access to an entry in the LM-Repository completely or restrict access to the related research data collection(s). The metadata owner can also decide to only grant access to an LM-Repository entry or to its related research data collections to selected persons or groups, which he can manage and assign himself.
There may be many reasons to keep parts of the LM-Repository entry private, e.g. datasets are still in a collection process or the results of related scientific work are not yet published.
Setting access restrictions in the LM-Repository is exclusively carried out by the LM-Coordination on order of the metadata owner.

How to use the Collection Map

The collection map gives a visual impression of the location(s) where the research datasets were collected and where the scientific work was conducted. The markers may be representatives for excavation site(s), local areas of research or scientific institute(s) where the data collections were created. By clicking on a marker, information on author(s), title and collection location(s) are shown and a link to open the corresponding metadata entry is provided. Some data collections may be represented by more than one marker, following the metadata owner's order to indicate different sampling locations.

How to use the Exploration Map

Preliminary remark: This functional area is currently in status prototype.
The Exploration functions represented by the Exploration Map constitute a broader approach for the use of the r esearch data collections by extending the classification, categorisation and retrieval functionalities to the content objects of the data collections. This will significantly expand the possibilities for the (interdisciplinary) analysis and use of research data. This functional area is limited to specific data sets for now, therefore, this function should be seen as work in progress.