Making Research Data Publicly Accessible: Estimates of Institutional & Researcher Expenses

Earlier this year, the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) released an important report titled “Making Research Data Publicly Accessible: Estimates of Institutional & Researcher Expenses.” Stemming from the NSF-funded Realities of Academic Data Sharing (RADS) project, the report illuminates the financial commitments that institutions have undertaken to align with public access and data-sharing mandates. The full report can be accessed here. In this webinar, Cynthia Hudson Vitale, Shawna Taylor, and Jonathan Petters explored the report’s insights on institutional expenses. They shed light on costs shouldered not only by central campus offices—including libraries, IT departments, and research administrations—but also by researchers themselves as they engage in a variety of data-sharing activities. It was an informative session that explored both the challenges and investments associated with making research data widely available.