If you need to store your research data and no suitable repository in your field is available, the National Repository Platform is the solution you are searching for. The NRP offers technical and methodological support for building new domain-specific repositories, thus helping research communities that do not yet have an adequate infrastructure for data management and sharing.
What Do We Offer?
- Technical support for the development and operation of repositories
- Expert consultation and methodological guidance
- Guidance through the entire process of establishing a repository
- A clear explanation of the responsibilities of future repository administrators
TIP: Planning a project?
Don’t hesitate to contact us before submitting your project application.
1. Familiarize Yourself with the Key Documents
Before you begin creating your repository, it is important to understand the basic requirements and rules for managing repositories within the National Repository Platform (NRP). The list of documents below will help you navigate the NRP ecosystem and the process of creating a repository, as well as prepare you for your role as a repository administrator with the necessary confidence:
- Conditions for Creating New and Modifying Existing Thematic Repositories in the Open Science II Project
The document defines important terms and describes the three basic use cases of NRP; furthermore, each of the use cases defines what is provided by the infrastructure as a service and what is the responsibility of the repository administrator.
- Recommendations for Creating Repositories in the NRP Environment
The document helps you orient in the entire process of establishing and operating a repository and prevents you from overlooking any crucial aspects.
2. Be Clear About the Goals of the Repository and Your Options
Before developing a repository, we recommend that you evaluate the reasons for creating a new repository. Think about whether you have specific requirements that go beyond the standard services provided by the NRP and consider whether you have the necessary financial and staff capacity to implement them. A clear baseline will help you choose an effective and sustainable solution.
Examples of issues to clarify in advance:
- The purpose of the repository: What problem is the repository intended to solve?
- Types and volume of data: What data will be stored and how much storage will be needed?
- Target community: Who will be using the repository?
- Access rights: Who will have permission to add and modify data?
- Existing alternatives: Are there already repositories that could meet your needs?
- Technical requirements: What features are required of the repository?
All questions can be found in the attached template. Write down your answers (they will be useful for the subsequent consultation with the repository system specialists as well as for the development of the repository itself). We suggest using the provided form for writing down the answers.
Form: Purpose and Basic Features of the Proposed Repository
This is the form with questions we suggest should be answered prior to your first consultation with the repository system specialists.
3. Contact the Repository System Specialists
Once you have decided to set up a repository, contact the NRP repository system specialists. They will help you specify your requirements and, together with you, select and implement the most appropriate repository system. To make the consultation as effective as possible, send the repository system specialists the completed form from the previous step.