KomFor

The DFG (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft – German Research Foundation) was advancing the setting-up of an information infrastructure for research data. The DFG’s main committee had approved 27 projects which should improve access to research data. The TIB was participating in this "Centre of Expertise for Research Data from the Earth and Environment" project.

Description

The centre of expertise was intended to be the link between scientific institutions, publishers, libraries and an existing archive network for data from earth and environmental research. Its general aim was a long-term improvement in data availability and quality. Specifically, sustainable and reliable ways of publishing scientific data were to be created which are commensurate with the quality standards in scientific publishing. The intention was to create, from a user’s perspective, a single authority which will support scientific projects, institutes, research groups and also individual scientists in all questions of data management – from project planning, via data collection, quality assurance, registration and long-term/digital preservation to the publication of data. The technical core was a corresponding web-based, personalisable service platform which was to be constructed.

The TIB was primarily advancing the further development of the infrastructure created at DataCite (DOI registration, Metadata Store) and the services building on this. The stated objective was to position DataCite as the first contact partner for the registration of scientific data thereby establishing an appropriate counterpart to Crossref, the DOI registration agency for scientific publications.

The tasks included:

• Data catalogue services (cross-linking)
• Bibliometric services
• Development of data specific citations and citing aids
• Compilation of user statistics
• Evaluation and accreditation of new publication agents (data providers)

Cooperation

• Zentrum für Marine Umweltwissenschaften, Universität Bremen (Koordination)
• Deutsches Klimarechenzentrum GmbH, Hamburg
• Alfred-Wegener-Institut für Polar- und Meeresforschung, Bremerhaven
• Helmholtz-Zentrum Potsdam Deutsches GeoForschungsZentrum, Potsdam
• Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt, Oberpfaffenhofe