One of Many Paths into a Repository - UNM's Research Data Services Support Model for Identifying an Appropriate Repository

Abstract:

Institutional Research Data Services (RDS) programs within libraries and other organizations have emerged as a key point of support for researchers seeking an appropriate repository for their research products, including data. The selection of an appropriate repository for a specific research product lies at the intersection of multiple factors including: sponsor and publisher requirements, disciplinary norms, institutional capacity, relevant licensing and other agreements, and ultimately the characteristics of the research products themselves. Add into the mix the particular repositories that are "supported" by the institution, and the decision-making process is often most efficiently accomplished through a conversation between the researcher and RDS staff. This presentation will walk through a typical researcher-RDS discussion that ultimately results in a recommended repository (locally hosted or off-campus, public or dark, disciplinary or general) for integration into a data management plan, for inclusion in a project budget, that should be targeted as a repository to meet public access requirements, or may provide additional data that would complement or contribute to the research project being discussed. Through sharing this model of information exchange and repository selection we hope that both researchers and the RDS support teams that they work with will approach their interactions with a better understanding of the types of information that will help the discussion be more productive and ultimately yield the greatest potential impact of a research product.