DLI Orientation, Queens University April, 2004 Data Liberation in 2004: How Did We Get Here? Ernie Boyko, Statistics Canada Wendy Watkins, Carleton University Ernie Boyko Wendy Watkins

DLI Orientation, Queens University April, 2004 Overview A sketch of the major events that shaped the data world in Canada from the early 80s until today.

DLI Orientation, Queens University April, 2004 Background: The Environment of the 1980's uGrowing expenditure deficits uStatistics Canada undergoing managerial transitions uPaper publications uTechnology: mainframes, minis, tapes, datapac uCANSIM and flat ASCII files on tape uPublic Use Microdata Files

DLI Orientation, Queens University April, !!! Brave New World uNew government in September 1984 uMajor program review uBudget and program cuts u1986 Census cut uCensus users informed uReinstatement of Census in return for $100M

DLI Orientation, Queens University April, 2004 Fall Out From Expensive Data u One-sided research v well-funded think tanks could afford data v alternative views not heard u Data use dropped v graduate students most affected u Grant money spent on data, not research u US data used in place of Canadian

DLI Orientation, Queens University April, 2004 Birth of CAPDU (Canadian Association of Public Data Users) u $tatistics Canada data out of reach u CAPDU born in Washington, 1988 u Began as lobby group, but … v no lobbying experience v only 8 members u Required another approach

DLI Orientation, Queens University April, 2004 Advent of Consortia u Led by Laine Ruus, a CAPDU founder u Sponsored by research libraries v acquired all 1986 public census data v undertook documentation of all files dissemination to university community v expanded to cover other Statistics Canada data v about 28 universities in group

DLI Orientation, Queens University April, 2004 Consortium as a 4-letter Word u Difficult to organize multiple consortia u Many universities unable to deal with output v data shipped on tapes v tapes languished in computing centres u Only most popular data available u Need a long-term solution

DLI Orientation, Queens University April, 2004 In the Meantime... uErnie wanted university data-person at Statistics Canada uWendy was persuaded v two-year sabbatical at Statistics Canada v frustration over under-analyzed data v paper: Liberating the Data argued for co-operative arrangement based on cost, not price

DLI Orientation, Queens University April, 2004 Data Liberation: Making it Fly u Working group led by SSFC v members from: research community Statistics Canada CAPDU research libraries Depository Services Programme

DLI Orientation, Queens University April, 2004 Data Liberation: Making it Fly u Activities: v lobbying politicians v presentations to the bureaucracy v co-option of Treasury Board u After two years, a pilot project

DLI Orientation, Queens University April, 2004 Data Liberation: Making it Work uDLI Team at Statistics Canada uUniversity libraries took the lead uLicense with each university uDLI Contact at each university uListservs, FTP and Web sites uExternal Advisory Committee

DLI Orientation, Queens University April, 2004 From Past to Present u Beginnings of a Data Culture in Canada v9 Data Centres grow to be 66 uNational and Regional Training Plans vAnnual Regional Training Sessions vNational Training Session with IASSIST vTrain the Trainers, 1996 and 2004 uEvolution from a Dissemination Project to a Data Service in the StatCan Library

DLI Orientation, Queens University April, 2004 Keys to Success: Reflections uInvolvement of SFFC -- Political Support uLogical Structure vUtilized existing CARL/CASUL definitions uUsing technology to reduce costs uLibraries as Service Centres uOn-going Training Programme uSupport from Dedicated DLI Unit uPartnership Model