Data Deposit Policy

All data depositors are encouraged to consult with the Cornell Data Services in order to take advantage of their data curation services.

In addition to the general content policy requirements, datasets may be accessed and preserved in eCommons, subject to the following conditions:

  • The size of each individual file associated with a data set is within the limits of current eCommons Content Collection Policy. Cornell researchers, especially those with quantities of data that exceed the limits of current policy, are strongly encouraged to consult with the Cornell Data Services to determine whether eCommons is an appropriate repository for their data.
  • By default, material deposited in eCommons will be openly accessible worldwide over the Web.
  • The owner/author will make a reasonable effort to use recommended file formats to maximize likelihood of preservation.
  • It is strongly encouraged that datasets include supporting metadata to facilitate understanding and re-use. This can be in the form of a readme file, or other standardized format.
  • It is strongly encouraged that you explicitly state what others can and can’t do with your work by applying a license to it. Please refer to the Cornell Data Services’s Introduction to intellectual property rights in data management for more information.

Cornell researchers planning to use eCommons as a component of their data management plan (subject to the above conditions) may include the following language in the plan:

[Specify datasets] will be deposited in Cornell University Library's institutional repository, eCommons (https://ecommons.cornell.edu), for preservation and access. Datasets will be available via the world wide web without restriction. eCommons provides each item with a persistent identifier and is committed to preserving the binary form of the digital object.

Once a dataset has been deposited in eCommons, be sure to use the DOI (displayed on the item page, with the format https://doi.org/10.7298/NNNN-NNNN), or if you did not request a DOI, use the handle (also displayed on the item page, with the format https://hdl.handle.net/1813/NNNNN), to reference the dataset in data availability statements and publications. More information on persistent identifiers in eCommons.