DataCite Turns One

Recently I attended the General Assembly of DataCite, the international organization devoted to providing a reliable means of citing research data. The organization has made remarkable progress in a year and is well on the way to providing this critical service that can give data the attention it deserves as being central to more and more research areas. As we have worked with this organization, one of the striking differences between the U.S. and other countries is how it is supported. In other countries it is a national priority with the involvement of national libraries and technical institutes, whereas in the U.S. it is the universities (namely Purdue and UC) that have taken the lead. At the meeting, we approved the membership of the U.S. Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI) as the first government participant. They have a clear need for this service since they are committed to reporting on results from research they fund. CDL, Purdue and OSTI are working together to ensure that use of the service is easy for researchers and that we have clear roles and responsibilities. It is an excellent example of how research universities, funders and government agencies are finding new means of collaborating in support of research. CDL is combining the DataCite service with a broader service called EZID. We are currently exploring a sustainable business model for the service, a fascinating exercise in itself. DataCite is taking us into new territory not only for the service itself but also for learning new collaboration and business approaches, areas that directly align with CDL’s goals.