When metadata records are formatted to a common standard, it facilitates the location and readability of the metadata by both humans and machines. The Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata (CSDGM) was widely-used, but it is no longer the current standard defining the information content for a set of digital geospatial data required by the US Federal Government. CSDGM was sponsored by the US Federal Geographic Data Committee. However, in September 2010 the FGDC endorsed ISO 19115 and began encouraging federal agencies to transition to ISO metadata.
