Data is essential for making new discoveries. So, it's crucial to ensure that researchers—both faculty and student—can build on others' work by accessing clear, well-documented data. To help with that, UO Libraries is now a member of the Dryad Data Repository, thanks to ongoing support from the UO’s Office of the Provost. Dryad allows free, unlimited data deposits of up to 300 GB. Its deposits comply with data-sharing requirements from the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, and other major funders. All data shared via Dryad must be in the public domain. Read the Dryad research guide to learn more.
Dryad—a nonprofit data sharing repository—operates on an open-access model, allowing researchers and faculty from the University of Oregon to contribute and access data without financial barriers. The UO Libraries recently joined the Dryad consortium of universities, which enables our faculty members and students to contribute to and access the data repository. Data submitted is securely stored on distributed servers hosted at multiple institutions, so no information will be lost in the case of a natural disaster, ransomware attack, or other threat.
Research Data Management Librarian Erin Winter shared that, “This not only ensures the preservation of data for future reference but also emphasizes accountability, preservation, and continued access."
Head Librarian for Data Services Gabriele Hayden added that “Accountability here refers to the fact that by sharing their data, researchers demonstrate the integrity of their research process, and—depending on the data shared—may allow others to explore and sometimes reproduce their data analysis.”
With Dryad, UO researchers now have a free and accessible place to submit their data. This promotes and fosters a culture of open research and collaboration. Dryad has become a go-to resource for researchers, already hosting 100 datasets from UO authors. Dryad encourages UO researchers and faculty to contribute and access data for free.
Hayden shared one perk of using Dryad, “There are curators who work for Dryad to check all data sets to ensure there are no problems in them.”
Checking the metadata ensures that, for example, there are no empty cells in a spreadsheet and that all variables are clearly named.
Dryad is one of the databases that meets all the criteria of granting organizations for sharing it. To submit and access data for free, you’ll need an ORCiD, which is a unique number that you can set up on the Dryad website, and your Oregon Duck ID.
Hayden and Winter are actively engaged in establishing Dryad within the UO community and are available to help students and faculty manage their research data using this new tool. For help using Dryad or finding alternative repositories for human subjects, tribal, proprietary, or other sensitive data, please email Data Services at researchdatamgmt@uoregon.edu or make an appointment with one of our Data Services librarians.
—By Mona El-Haddar, an Advertising major with an Entrepreneurship minor (Class of 2024), is a communications assistant for UO Libraries