The Texas Data Repository is a platform for publishing and sharing datasets (and other data products) created by faculty, staff, and students at higher education institutions. The repository (https://dataverse.tdl.org/) is built in an open-source application called the Dataverse software, developed and used by Harvard University.
The repository is hosted by the Texas Digital Library, a consortium of academic libraries in Texas with a proven history of providing shared technology services that support secure, reliable access to digital collections of research and scholarship.
Benefits of a Texas Data Repository
- Compliance with funding requirements. The Texas Data Repository helps researchers comply with funder mandates for data archiving and sharing, and supports research grant-seekers by having infrastructure available at the time of proposal.
- Reliable, managed access for data. The Texas Data Repository provides a convenient and reliable place to collect and share data. And by depositing data there, researchers benefit from the Texas Digital Library’s focus on long-term access and preservation of scholarly content.
- Increase scholarly impact. By publishing their data in the Texas Data Repository, researchers give their data credibility through a unique, citable, and persistent online identifier (i.e., a Digital Object Identifier), which makes it easy for others to cite reliably.
- Collaboration with research teams. Some situations may necessitate restricting access to data, at least for a period of time. The Texas Data Repository allows researchers to share their data with a select group of colleagues, version the data, and publish it when they’re ready.
- Access to local support through their institution’s library. Along with robust technical support from the TDL, users of the Texas Data Repository can rely on trained librarians at theri home institution to assist with multiple phases of the research cycle, including data management planning preparation for data publishing, and long-term curation.
- Efficient use of resources. By pooling resources across multiple institutions, the Texas Data Repository realizes cost savings through a shared infrastructure while showcasing local contributions through university-branded data collections and local library services. Each institution can focus its resources on unique services that meet local research community needs.
How the Texas Data Repository Works
The Texas Data Repository is designed for regular to mid-sized data sets (individual file sizes up to 2 GB), which comprises the majority of research data. These data can include:
- Data from any scholarly discipline and in any file type
- Materials such as codebooks and other supplementary documentation
- Data that does NOT contain confidential or sensitive information (like social security numbers or other identifiers)
Researchers affiliated with participating TDL member institutions will be able to:
- Store and organize data sets and upload files
- Maintain multiple versions data sets
- Share data sets online with trusted colleagues OR release data for public access online
- Get recognition and proper academic credit for scholarly work through a data citation with a persistent identifier (i.e., a DOI, or digital object identifier)
Library faculty or staff at each of TDL’s participating member institutions will provide local assistance to researchers at their institution as they prepare and deposit their data.
- Each participating university will have its own branded Dataverse collection within the overall repository, which it can use to showcase its researcher contributions and Dataverse sub-collections.
Participate in the Texas Data Repository
Institutions interested in participating in the Texas Data Repository must be an institution of higher learning and a member of the Texas Digital Library. To find out more about membership opportunities, please see the Membership section of our website.
If your TDL member institution decides to participate, all faculty, staff, and students at your institution will be able to deposit their datasets. Anyone may view or download datasets in the Texas Data Repository, but only individuals from a participating TDL member institution may deposit datasets.
TDL members should contact the TDL (info@tdl.org) to begin utilizing this new service. The process includes:
- Sign a Memorandum of Understanding
- Establish authentication systems on your campus (e.g., Shibboleth or Two Factor)
- Identify a Texas Data Repository liaison on your campus
