The collection of research data requires considerable resources, so it is important to preserve and, where possible, share research data with others. This reduces the need to collect similar data repeatedly and allows researchers to spend their time and financial investment on other phases of research. The new service also frees researchers' time from searching for storage sites.
− The need to develop long-term storage solutions for research data has come directly from researchers and research groups. So far, we have lacked a repository for research data that is no longer actively used, but which has not been decided to be archived in a long-term storage service such as the University of Helsinki Data archive, says Minna Niemi-Grundström, University Librarian at the Helsinki University Library.
The University of Helsinki's Databank service complements the University's range of services for research data management by providing a repository for research data from different disciplines for 5-15 years. The University of Helsinki Data Archive is also available to researchers for long-term storage of research data.
The new service has been developed in cooperation between the IT Centre, Helsinki University Library and University research services. The Databank will be further developed in the university's Data support based on user feedback.