A Reflection on Repositories

With the announced changes to OSF (Open Science Framework) has come increased attention to the nature of data repositories. Many researchers are currently deliberating over where they ought to move their data, and there is no shortage of repositories to choose between. What makes a repository good or bad is, ultimately, a personal decision contingent on the particulars of the researcher(s) and their work. However, there are some conditions and offerings that are generally attractive in a repository, and now seems an appropriate moment to spend some time reflecting on what repositories are supposed to do both for the researcher and for the health and stability of the academic enterprise as a whole. In this short report, I briefly detail the announced changes to OSF and the known motivating factors before arguing that repository choice is not a neutral, logistical choice between interchangeable infrastructures. I will pay particular attention to the differences between domain-specific and generic repositories. Finally, I will introduce 4TU.ResearchData as a concrete example of why domain-specific repositories with strong institutional relationships and consortium governance structures offer unique benefits to researchers, particularly in the context of OSF’s announced changes.