Metadata is descriptive information about your geospatial data. It is a reinvestment in an organization’s data that facilitates easy manipulation and limits data redundancy. Adherence to robust metadata standards increases the potential for easy searching and sharing of geospatial data within and between organizations, resulting in a net cost savings to all. Metadata is a collective effort, so it is imperative that data producers at all levels - including county governments - adopt and adhere to consistent standards. This teaching session will focus on best practices for creation, implementation, and exploitation of metadata that complies with FGDC-endorsed standards. It will include practical tools, techniques, and strategies for both creating and searching metadata.