The Expanding and Overlapping Roles of Institutional and Generalist Repositories: Building an Interoperable Data Repository Ecosystem Together

Institutional repositories and generalist repositories are evolving to meet new challenges in research data sharing. The NIH Generalist Repository Ecosystem Initiative (GREI) brings together seven leading generalist repositories to determine common data repository standards and enhance interoperability. Building on GREI's presentation at Open Repositories 2024, this presentation will explore how institutions are leveraging generalist repository infrastructure to support their data sharing needs. Through real-world examples, we will demonstrate how different institutions utilize generalist repository features and services to enhance their data sharing workflows. The presentation will highlight various implementation approaches, from hosted solutions to self-managed instances, and examine how these platforms accommodate different disciplinary requirements and administrative preferences. We will share user experiences with different deposit models, curation workflows, and strategies for ensuring FAIR data sharing while maintaining institutional identity. This session will benefit repository managers, librarians, research administrators, and others involved in institutional data sharing. Attendees will gain practical insights into how generalist repository infrastructure can support institutional needs, enhance research data discovery, and contribute to an interoperable repository ecosystem.