The Opportunities and Challenges of Research Data and Software for Libraries and Institutional Repositories

Abstract

L ong-term availability of data and software generated by researchers is a massive challenge. For libraries, this challenge is also an opportunity to leverage relationships with researchers and utilize expertise in creating metadata and making content available over the long term. At Caltech, a strong research data repository was created by keeping the services simple and providing researchers an easy-to-use platform to share data and software (data.caltech.edu). In just two years of operation, CaltechDATA has received an impressive number of submis- sions from over 1% of campus researchers in a wide variety of disciplines. The repository has already powered a discipline-specific data resource, custom visualizations, and allowed for rapid development of many new features.