The research data repository, SANDY (Stewarding Nebraska Data), is a service offered to NU researchers--faculty, staff, and students--by the UNL Libraries. It provides researchers with the opportunity to preserve, share, and discover finalized research datasets that can be shared publicly. This guide provides information for those considering using the repository, explains the difference between registering and depositing data, and provides guidance to better manage datasets.
See the Data Management Guide for general information about research data management or visit the Canvas Commons for access to Essentials of Data Management and Creating Your Plan.
SANDY offers two avenues for researchers wishing to make their data more discoverable by others: depositing and registering.
When depositing a dataset, you provide a copy of the data to be preserved and shared, along with descriptive information (documentation and metadata). Data curators with the UNL Libraries will review the data collection. The dataset will receive a unique identifier (DOI), which can be used to cite or refer to the dataset (for instance, in publications). The data are searchable and accessible at the SANDY website, as well as through the UNL Libraries' catalog.
Registering a dataset is useful if the data are already publicly accessible (e.g., in another repository). You provide descriptive information (metadata), along with the current location of the dataset, but do not deposit the actual data in SANDY. This metadata record is given a DOI if one has not been assigned. The record of the dataset is searchable in SANDY and the UNL Libraries' catalog, making it more discoverable.
SANDY meets all of the Desirable Characteristics of Data Repositories for Federally Funded Research. Though depositing with SANDY has advantages for NU researchers, it may not be the best choice for your dataset. There are both disciplinary and generalist data repositories that may be better or alternative choices.
re3data is a curated registry of data repositories, where you can browse and search repositories by subject area and other criteria. re3data includes detailed information about each repository, including who is responsible for maintaining the repository (which can inform potential for longevity), whether or not data deposit and access are open or restricted and in what ways, and what types of data are accepted.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) provide a searchable list of NIH-supported scientific data repositories.
Please contact the UNL Libraries Research Data team (datamanagement@unl.edu) for assistance in selecting a repository.
