FAQs
Depositing & Updating
What makes DataLumos deposits different from other ICPSR deposit options?
DataLumos is an open data repository at ICPSR specifically designated for government data in the social sciences for which there is concern about its long-term availability or discoverability.
ICPSR may, at its discretion, provide professional curation for data submitted to DataLumos. In these cases ICPSR will conduct a professional staff review, curate and distribute the data in multiple formats (e.g., SAS, SPSS, Stata, R, delimited). Preservation copies are made to better ensure long-term access whether or not the data are professionally curated.
What kinds of files can I deposit?
DataLumos deposits should include all data and documentation files available for that collection. We do not limit the file types or formats.
What is the file size limit for DataLumos?
Data over 2GB will take considerable time to upload; please plan accordingly. For deposits exceeding 50 gigabytes, please contact us for another method of transfer.
Can a member of my research team upload content or deposit data?
Yes. However, openICPSR depositors should never share their login information with others. If a member of your research team needs to post content, they should request a separate MyData account, and depositors can share projects with one another as necessary.
Can I update files and metadata after publishing a project? What if I made an error during the publish step?
Yes. DataLumos allows depositors to update files and metadata at any time. An updated project will get a new version and a new DOI, so that citations can indicate clearly which version of the data collection was used in analysis. Furthermore, users still can download earlier versions of the file, unless the depositor chooses to un-publish them (generally not recommended).
If you feel you should have chosen a different option during the publish step (e.g., questions on data confidentiality or disclosure risk and such), simply "unpublish" the study and "publish" it again. You will be presented with the same questions and can edit them as you see fit.
Can I take the data down if there is a problem with a file?
Prior to publishing, depositors have the option to delete any file. After publishing, depositors have the option to "unpublish" any file. The unpublish option is not recommended because public data with persistent identifiers are widely expected to remain available. In the rare event that data must be unpublished, DataLumos will continue to list the data/metadata, but the file no longer will be downloadable. Furthermore, ICPSR will keep an archived copy of the file.
Can openICPSR staff modify or remove my project?
Yes. Per our deposit terms and conditions agreement, the depositor gives ICPSR the right "to enhance, transform, rearrange, or restrict data and metadata," which includes the right to remove access or delete inappropriate content posted to the site.
What should I do if the website does not appear to be displaying correctly?
First, make sure you are using a supported Web browser (Google Chrome, Apple Safari, Mozilla Firefox). This website is not optimized for Internet Explorer. Second, make sure Javascript is allowed within your browser. This website requires Javascript to be allowed. Third, try turning off browser add-ons (e.g., Privacy Badger), which may block the website from loading. Finally, if none of these suggestions resolve the issue, please contact us.
Discovery & Access
How will people find DalaLumos submissions?
DataLumos deposits are searchable on the ICPSR website within 24 hours of publication. ICPSR has an immediate distribution network of over 760 research and educational institutions and powerful search tools and data catalog indexed by major search engines.
Will ICPSR create SAS, SPSS, Stata, and R versions of DataLumos submissions?
ICPSR may, at its discretion, provide professional curation for data submitted to DataLumos. In these cases, data will be provided in multiple formats such as SAS, SPSS, Stata, and R.
Licenses
Can people use the data for commercial purposes?
The federal Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) memo "Increasing Access to the Results of Federally Funded Scientific Research" (February 22, 2013) indicates that federally funded research must be available for commercial use.
Can I apply a different license to DataLumos submissions?
No. DataLumos is designed to meet federal open-access requirements. As such, we must use the Creative Commons license that meets those needs.
Preservation
What happens to data deposits?
Data published in DataLumos will receive bit-level preservation and public access for the long term.
ICPSR may, at its discretion, provide professional curation for data projects submitted to DataLumos.
Are data on DataLumos backed up and replicated?
DataLumos files are archived in ICPSR's standard archival storage, which replicates holdings through multiple and varied methods and locations. All files uploaded to DataLumos are encrypted using server-side encryption.
Pricing
How much does the DataLumos service cost? When/how do I pay?
There are no costs for submitting data to DataLumos.
Sensitive Data
How will DataLumos accept and disseminate restricted-use data?
As part the terms and conditions presented when publishing a project, depositors must answer two questions pertaining to disclosure risk. The answers to those questions determine whether the data collection will be published as restricted data or made available for public download.
Users are required to apply for access to restricted data. Additionally, data users will be charged an administration fee to access restricted-use data.
How will ICPSR handle contracts for users outside the United States?
International users use the same system as users within the United States, and have the same application requirements.
Will ICPSR do a disclosure review of my files?
Disclosure analysis is not available for data deposited to DataLumos, however, should ICPSR curate a DataLumos project, a disclosure review will be conducted at that time.