Register My Data

This guide explains what Register My Data does, how it works, who it is for and how it can be accessed.

What does it do?

Register My Data enables the registration of research collections in the ANDS Collections Registry. It enables the harvesting of description information about collections and the activities, parties and services (for example, RSS feeds) which relate to collections. This information is exposed on the World Wide Web through Research Data Australia, a mesh of highly findable web pages. Research Data Australia is publicly available online at: http://services.ands.org.au/pages

Typical collections can include:

• datasets from observations, investigations, instruments, surveys, etc.

• recordings

• images

• video

• software

• text

ANDS registers the description of collections; ANDS does not store the collection itself. You retain control over access to items in the collection. Any special access considerations can be included in your collection description.

How does it work?

Register My Data is underpinned by the ANDS Collections Registry. The ANDS Collections Registry is a software application that holds and manages collection description information. The content of the Research Data Australia web pages comes from the ANDS Collections Registry. The ANDS Collections Registry will be federated with similar registries run by JISC in the UK and the NSF in the USA.

Generally, ANDS participants will set up an automated feed of collection description information from their repository or data store to the ANDS Collections Registry. This enables the description information to be kept current via updates from the originating source. The ANDS Collections Registry accepts automated feeds of collection descriptions in an XML format called Registry Interchange Format – Collections and Services (RIF-CS). Information about RIF-CS can be found online at: http://globalregistries.org/rifcs.html

RIF-CS is based on the ISO 2146:2010 Information and documentation -- Registry services for libraries and related organizations standard. This standard is intended to operate as a framework for building registry services for libraries and related organisations.

The ANDS Collections Registry uses the OAI-PMH protocol for metadata harvesting. ANDS consultants are available to advise and assist with the set-up of a RIF-CS feed to the ANDS Collections Registry.

The ANDS Collections Registry also supports the manual entry of collection descriptions.

ANDS participants who set up a feed to the ANDS Collections Registry will need to nominate an individual as a Data Source Owner who will have access to the registry in order to make any required changes to the feed. Access to the ANDS Collections Registry requires authentication via the Shibboleth service provided by the Australian Access Federation (the ‘AAF’). The AAF provides an infrastructure to facilitate trusted electronic communications between higher education and research institutions both locally and internationally. If an ANDS participant comes from an organisation that is not yet a member of the AAF, access can be arranged through the Australian Research Collaboration Service (ARCS). You can register for ARCS Services at https://idp.arcs.org.au/idp_reg/

Who is it for?

Register My Data is useful for anyone who creates, owns or curates research data collections. This will include staff from:

• Universities

• Publicly funded research organisations

• Government agencies

• Data centres

• Museums, galleries, libraries and archives.

How can I access Register My Data?

To arrange to speak to an ANDS consultant about using Register My Data, please email: services@ands.org.au

Where can I get more information?

ANDS Guides on other ANDS Products are available from: http://ands.org.au/guides/

The ISO 2146:2010 Information and documentation -- Registry services for libraries and related organizations standard is available from: http://www.iso.org/iso/catalogue_ detail.htm?csnumber=44936

Information on the OAI-PMH harvest protocol is available from: http://www.openarchives.org/pmh/

Information on the UK JISC Registry is available from: http://www.jisc.ac.uk/

Information on the US NSF Registry is available from: http://www.nsf.gov/

Information on the Australian Access Federation is available from: http://www.aaf.edu.au/

Information on the Australian Research Collaboration Service is available from: http://www.arcs.org.au/

If you have any questions or comments on ANDS Register My Data then please email: services@ands.org.au