Access and Dissemination

According to OAIS, by definition,

an OAIS makes its AIPs visible and available to its Designated Communities. Multiple views of its holdings, supported by various search aids that may cut across collections of AIPs, may be provided. Some AIPs may only exist as the output of algorithms operating on other AIPs. They appear as DIPs that, upon dissemination, should include documentation on how they were derived from other AIPs. The expectations of OAIS Consumers regarding access services will vary widely among archives and over time as technology evolves. Pressures for more effective access must be balanced with the requirements for preservation under the available resource constraints. (OAIS Reference Model)

In recent years, there has been a growing movement to provide open access to data. The OECD Principles and Guidelines for Access to Research Data From Public Funding indicate that data should be shared as openly as possible.

ICPSR disseminates data to researchers, students, policymakers, and journalists around the world through this site. Users with a MyData account and an authorized IP address from a member institution may download data directly from ICPSR. To determine whether you are at an ICPSR member school, please consult our list of members.

Many datasets are also freely available to the public through the thematic collections.

Users download datasets and analyze them on their own computers. Also, many datasets can be analyzed online.

Access to data is sometimes restricted and users are expected to adhere to norms for responsible use. These are the policies governing dissemination of data.

Responsible Use of Data

Those downloading data or analyzing them online are expected to comply with standards of responsible use. Before gaining access to data, users are asked to read a Responsible Use Statement that says the following:

• The datasets are to be used solely for statistical analysis and reporting aggregated information.
• The confidentiality of research participants is to be guarded in all ways.
• Anything that can potentially breach participants' confidentiality is to be reported promptly to ICPSR.
• The data are not to be redistributed or sold to others without the written agreement of ICPSR.
• The user will inform ICPSR of the use of the data in books, articles, and other forms of publication.

Redistributing Data

Users who wish to redistribute data or include them in a new data product or service must receive permission from ICPSR. These are the criteria that ICPSR considers when reviewing redistribution proposals:

• Will the product benefit the research community?
• Does the proposed product offer functionality not available from ICPSR?
• Does it benefit the ICPSR membership?
• Will the proposed license agreement be acceptable to the ICPSR membership?
• Will the proposed remuneration to ICPSR be satisfactory?

Delayed Dissemination

All data archived at ICPSR must eventually become available to interested parties. Usually this happens as soon as the process of depositing and archiving is completed. However, the dissemination of data can be delayed in some circumstances, as described in the following paragraphs.

• Protection of Human Subjects. Investigators and ICPSR may delay dissemination when there is a significant risk that research subjects can be identified. This risk may persist even when direct and indirect identifiers have been removed. Often a subset of such datasets can be released with restricted-use and Data Enclave protections.

• Self-Dissemination. Researchers may choose to disseminate datasets themselves, especially while funding is available to support this activity.

• Embargoes. Researchers sometimes ask to embargo data until a book or article is published or a report is written and submitted to a funder. Embargoes will typically last no longer than one year from the time ICPSR receives the study. During the embargo, ICPSR will process the data in the usual manner, but not release the data to the public. When the embargo is lifted, data would be ready for immediate dissemination.

• Handling of Delayed Data. ICPSR will agree to delay dissemination of data for a good reason. It will insist that the data depositor agree to a release date. Then, ICPSR will archive a "preservation-only" copy of the data for general safekeeping and to learn how to work with it while knowledgeable staff are available and accessible.

Data Distribution Statistics

ICPSR has maintained usage figures since its early days of data distribution via punched cards and magnetic tape. ICPSR provides usage statistics to members, funding agencies, and principal investigators.