The utility of digital geospatial data ultimately depends on how easily the data can be shared among multiple people and organizations. Standard metadata practices enable all producers and users of geospatial data to easily communicate in the same “language,” thereby facilitating easy publishing and searching of data. This hands-on presentation will provide step-by-step instruction for creating and searching FGDC-endorsed metadata standards, which are the de facto standard within the US at this time. For the research community, adherence to robust metadata standards results in a time and cost savings to all, and exponentially increases the usability of geospatial data. In addition, recipients of federal grant monies are now required to redistribute their geospatial data with FGDC-compliant metadata. Because metadata implementation is a collective effort, true data empowerment can only be realized when all users and producers opt in. 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, and be presented through hands-on training exercises.