Open Data in Social Sciences: Repositories, Standards and Librarianship

Abstract:  Data is a crucial input for social scientists, governments, policymakers, etc., enabling a better understanding of social complexities and the development and implementation of empirically-based policies and interventions to address problems and enhance society. Many organizations and government agencies recognize data as a valuable resource and advocate for open data policies to increase transparency, making research more accessible to stakeholders and advancing knowledge in the information society. Open data, generated and published by various public and private organizations across all subject fields, including social sciences, is available for anyone to access and reuse in their research and other activities. However, numerous libraries are not actively engaged in open data-related activities and services due to various reasons. This paper seeks to explore open data and its significance, open data standards and repositories, the role of librari ans, and the challenges associated with managing open data.