Generalist Repository Comparison Chart

The General Repository Comparison Chart and FAIRsharing Collection (https://fairsharing.org/collection/GeneralRepositoryComparison) is an outcome of the NIH Workshop on the Role of Generalist Repositories to Enhance Data Discoverability and Reuse held 11-12 February 2020 (workshop summary).  Following the workshop, representatives of the participating generalist repositories collaborated to develop a tool researchers could use to make decisions about selecting a general repository. We intend for the content to be dynamically updated through our partnership with FAIRsharing.  As we work towards that goal, we currently have a static version of the comparison.  

It is important to state that researchers should first determine if an appropriate domain repository exists for their research data.  Tools such as FAIRsharing.org and re3data.org can help with this determination. If using a domain repository is not possible, then a researcher should review both the general repository chart and consider their own institutional repository as a possible location to store their data.  Researchers need to comply with the requirements of their community, funder, country, publisher, and possibly others to ensure the best repository is selected. 

For those interested in continuing the discussion on the role of generalist repositories to enhance data discoverability and reuse, please consider joining the Research Data Alliance (RDA) and particularly the joint RDA/Force11 FAIRsharing WG (https://www.rd-alliance.org/group/fairsharing-registry-connecting-data-policies-standards-databases.html).  There is now an RDA Community to support conversation and a mailing list you join (https://www.rd-alliance.org/groups/generalist-repository-comparison-chart-management-group).  Watch for relevant sessions in the upcoming plenaries.