Dataset Search: An open source tool to support data discovery, reuse, and analytics

A number of recent projects focus on indexing research data repositories, using various strategies. Montana State University (MSU) Library aims to bring together the ideas of these existing projects, as well as some innovations, to encourage discovery and reuse of datasets from MSU researchers. MSU librarians gave a presentation at OR2018 in which we walked through an early prototype of the MSU Dataset Search tool. This presentation will update the Open Repositories community on the completed tool, launched in January 2020. The goals of the tool are: (1) promote discovery for datasets from MSU; (2) present MSU research data in one central index; (3) support discovery for restricted data; and (4) showcase research data as a legitimate research product that can be cited, reused, shared, and analyzed—including data dashboards that provide new transparency and visualizations of research data in our community. We will also present a technical discussion of how the software works and design decisions that we considered. We will finish the session by discussing lessons learned, Search Engine Optimization efforts, the potential for this tool to be implemented at other small and mid-sized institutions, and national data discovery initiatives.