The HSC Fort Worth Data Repository is an open access research data repository for HSC-affiliated faculty, staff and students. The repository provides convenient tools for depositing, publishing and managing datasets (and other data products), including assignment of digital object identifiers (DOIs), customizable metadata fields for describing data and robust access and versioning functions to control how data is published and shared.  

The repository uses an open-source application called the Dataverse software, developed by Harvard University, and it is hosted by the Texas Digital Library and supported by librarians and staff at HSC’s Gibson D. Lewis Library. 

• Provides a simple process to share data
• Provides local support from staff at Gibson D. Lewis Library 
• Can satisfy grantor and funder mandates for data archiving and sharing (see Data Management Plans) 
• Ensures reliable, managed access for data 
• Increases scholarly impact through Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs) and citation information for data 
• Improves data discoverability through keywords and other simple description fields
• Accepts data in any file type and from any research discipline 
• Allows custom control and licensing options to govern data re-use.

In this five-minute video, a researcher requests a Dataset from a peer and learns that the Dataset is stored on a flash drive in a box, is lacking any meaningful descriptions that would assist in re-using it, and that the Dataset creator has moved and there is no way to contact them.