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Cambridge University Library

 

How the ‘second life’ of datasets is impacting the research world. Researchers share their stories.

“Research data is the evidence that underpins all research findings. It’s important across disciplines: arts, humanities, social sciences, and STEMM. Preserving and sharing datasets, through Apollo, advances knowledge across research, not only in Cambridge, but across the world – furthering Cambridge’s mission for society and our mission as a national research library.”

Dr Jessica Gardner, University Librarian & Director of Library Services

The research data produced and collected during research takes many different forms: numerical data, digital images, sound recordings, films, interview transcripts, survey data, artworks, texts, musical scores, maps, and fieldwork observations. Apollo collects them all.  

Apollo is the University of Cambridge repository for research datasets. Managed by the Research Data team at Cambridge University Library, Apollo stores and preserves the University’s research outputs.  

The Research Data team guides researchers through all aspects of research data management – how to plan, create, organise, curate and share research materials, whatever form they take – and assists researchers in meeting funders’ expectations and good research practice.

“Sharing data propels research forward. It recognises the importance of the original datasets in their own right, and the researchers who worked on them. Many of the research funders, supporting work at the University of Cambridge, require that research data is made openly available with as few restrictions as possible. Our researchers are fully supported to do this with Apollo and the Research Data team. I’m really excited that Apollo has reached the 5000 dataset milestone.”

Professor Sir John Aston, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research at the University of Cambridge

In this blog post, upon reaching our 5000 datasets milestone, we share researcher stories about the impact their datasets have had, and continue to have, across research – and explain how researchers at the University can benefit from depositing their datasets on Apollo.

Read the full article on our Unlocking Research blog.