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2. DLI ORIENTATION PROGRAM
Data Liberation Initiative
INTRODUCTION
DLI ORIENTATION PROGRAM
EDMONTON, DECEMBER 5, 2001 1 3

3. DLI ORIENTATION PROGRAM
Data Liberation Initiative
DLI ORIENTATION PROGRAM
GOLDILOCKS
AND
THE THREE BEARS
EDMONTON, DECEMBER 5, 2001 1 3

4. Data Liberation Initiative
Chuck -
POPPA BEAR 1 3

5. Data Liberation Initiative
Elizabeth -
MOMMA BEAR 1 3

6. Data Liberation Initiative
Garth -
BABY BEAR 1 3

7. Data Liberation Initiative
Mike -
…!!!
EDMONTON, DECEMBER 5, 2001 1 3

8. Data Liberation Initiative
2001 1 3

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10. The Need to Liberate The Data
Data Liberation Initiative
The Need to Liberate The Data
EDMONTON, DECEMBER 5, 2001 1 3

11. Data Liberation Initiative
Why the heck do
we need a DLI? 1 3

12. The Need to Liberate The Data
Data Liberation Initiative
The Need to Liberate The Data
Historically Stats Canada made published data available to public through the DSP
These were regular paper publications and did not include electronic numeric files (ie. Public use micro data files)
Data files were available to researchers at marginal costs
Custom tables were another, more costly, method to access unpublished data 1 3

13. The Need to Liberate The Data
Data Liberation Initiative
The Need to Liberate The Data
In 1980’s federal budget cuts resulted in Stats Canada’s increased emphasis on cost recovery
In early 1990’s the cost of public use microdata files underwent a dramatic increase
This pushed most data files became out of reach for majority of academic researchers & students 1 3

14. The Need to Liberate The Data
Data Liberation Initiative
The Need to Liberate The Data
The cost of Stats Canada data in the late 80’s and early 90’s can be compared to the gas prices of just a few months ago. To many academic researchers and students these files cost... 1 3

15. The Need to Liberate The Data
Data Liberation Initiative
The Need to Liberate The Data
A consortium of universities had been created to gain access to 1986 Census data
This idea was well received by STC and led to a movement within academic community to Liberate the rest of STC’s electronic datafiles
A paper in 1991: “Liberating the Data: Proposal for a Proposal” led to a working group to further investigate this idea
Group made up of reps. from: universities, SSFC, CARL, CAPDU, as well as STC and DSP 1 3

16. The Need to Liberate The Data
Data Liberation Initiative
The Need to Liberate The Data
Champions within both the academic community and Statistics Canada came forth to push this idea
Informal approval was received in 1995
This was followed by the creation of:
An internal STC Steering Committee
A Project Team
An External Advisory Committee 1 3

17. The Need to Liberate The Data
Data Liberation Initiative
The Need to Liberate The Data
A Licence Agreement was drafted and approved
Author divisions were asked to provide there data to the Initiative
Institutions were invited to join the initiative
Other Gov’t agencies became involved and formal approval for 5-year pilot received from Treasury Board in early 1996 1 3

18. The Need to Liberate The Data
Data Liberation Initiative
The Need to Liberate The Data
Funding for initiative was to be mostly from participating institutions with CARL members paying $12,000 and CASUL members paying $3,000
One time funding from: TB, IC, MRCC
A 5 year funding commitment from: HC, HRDC, SSHRC, STC 1 3

19. The Need to Liberate The Data
Data Liberation Initiative
The Need to Liberate The Data
Use of Internet as a dissemination tool seen as a key component of initiative
Established mechanisms for communications, storage, finding and ordering data
Created an FTP Site at STC
DLILIST - a forum for questions and sharing of information
DLIORDER & WWW DLI ORDER DESK - for placing orders for products not on the FTP site
Began disseminating files in 1996 1 3

20. The Need to Liberate The Data
Data Liberation Initiative
The Need to Liberate The Data
Before DLI about 15 institutions offered a data service
Therefore co-operative training of members was seen as an extremely important aspect due to varying degrees of experience of members.
Established a training committee and began to develop a curriculum, identify trainers, establish budgets
Regional training workshops were begun in 1997 1 3

21. The Need to Liberate The Data
Data Liberation Initiative
The Need to Liberate The Data
Training workshops have been given in each region on an annual basis since then
Have just had a review of training and a report was presented to EAC last fall
One suggestion was to have another Orientation session for new members who missed the one in 1997
This workshop and this special Orientation session part of continuing co-operative training 1 3

22. The Need to Liberate The Data
Data Liberation Initiative
The Need to Liberate The Data
In 1996 there were 50 post secondary members
In 1998 there were 61
Today there are 66 members
There are over 13,000 files in the DLI collection including data files, documentation, CD’s etc.
Can now access the collection via DLI Web Site as well as FTP 1 3

23. The Need to Liberate The Data
Data Liberation Initiative
The Need to Liberate The Data
The DLI is now a permanent program at Stats Canada located within the Library and Information Centre
Today’s graduates have had the opportunity to use Canadian data throughout their studies
The DLI has been described as one of the most important developments in the social sciences in Canada for the past 50 years! 1 3

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25. What is The Data Liberation Initiative?
EDMONTON, DECEMBER , 2001 1 3

26. Data Liberation Initiative
The Products
The Licence
The Service
The Community 1 3

27. Data Liberation Initiative
THE PRODUCTS
DLI provides access to Stats Canada data produced as standard electronic products available to the public
These data are digitally encoded and stored in a file structure
These include:
Micro data Files
Geography Files
Databases
Aggregate data in table format 1 3

28. Data Liberation Initiative
THE PRODUCTS
Main focus of DLI Collection on Socio-Economic data:
Health
Education, Literacy
Labour Market, Income
Travel
Justice
Census, Demographic
Etc. 1 3

29. Data Liberation Initiative
THE PRODUCTS
Few products related to Business data in DLI Collection
Not usually produced as a standard electronic product for public dissemination
DLI includes some business products such as:
Trade data
Financial Performance Indicators CD
Inter-Corporate Ownership
Fleet Report
Survey of Manufacturing 1 3

30. Data Liberation Initiative
THE PRODUCTS
Standard Electronic Product
An “off the shelf ” electronic product available to the public
Not included are standard publications available in electronic form as these are usually part of DSP
Registered in STC Catalogue of Products and Services and has a Product Number 1 3

31. Data Liberation Initiative
THE PRODUCTS
82F0077XIE Report on smoking prevalence in Canada
XPB Attitudes toward smoking
First 2 characters = Major Subject Group
Third character = Product Class (e.g. F = Fixed, M = Microdata product, C = Custom product, etc)
Fourth - seventh character = unique product number 1 3

32. Data Liberation Initiative
THE PRODUCTS
82F0077XIE Report on smoking prevalence in Canada
XPB Attitudes toward smoking
Eighth character = variable descriptor (e.g.. P = Preliminary, U = Update, X = Not Applicable, G = Guide, etc)
Ninth character = medium (e.g.. T = tape, D = diskette, I = Internet, C = CD, etc)
Tenth Character = Language 1 3

33. Data Liberation Initiative
THE PRODUCTS
XPE Youth smoking in Canada This article was published in Canadian social trends, catalogue number XPE, Winter no.43
82M0011XDB Youth Smoking Survey, 1994
82M0011GPE Youth Smoking Survey, Microdata user's guide
82C0014 Youth Smoking Survey, Custom tabulations 1 3

34. Data Liberation Initiative
THE PRODUCTS
Metadata available in both Official Languages whenever available
New data products continually being added to Collection
Includes:
Updated data from regular on-going surveys
Data from ad-hoc special surveys -one time only
Data from new surveys in STC program 1 3

35. Data Liberation Initiative
THE PRODUCTS
Updates may be provided in different format than earlier version:
For example PUMF Beyond 20/20
As new versions are received have to decide to either replace data or add to Collection
Over 13,000 files in Collection including:
Data files
Metadata & Readme files
Census & Geography
CD’s 1 3

36. Data Liberation Initiative
THE PRODUCTS
Not all products in DLI Collection are standard electronic products
Have some “special” products just for DLI which contain non-public data:
KLEMS database
An experimental database of productivity data
Justice Statistics
Complete set of Beyond 20/20 tables normally only available to members of CCJS Initiative 1 3

37. Data Liberation Initiative
THE PRODUCTS
No longer included in the DLI Collection are:
E-STAT
Received CD once per year
E-STAT now free on-line to subscribing institutions
CANSIM
received a CD of CANSIM once a year
With introduction of CANSIM II this no longer happens
CANSIM data included on E-STAT 1 3

38. Data Liberation Initiative
THE LICENCE
DLI is open to all accredited Post Secondary Institutions in Canada
Data made available on a subscription basis
All member institutions must sign a Licence Agreement
Data made available to Educators, Students and Other Staff while they have such status at the Institution
E.g.. A student who goes to USA to do Masters no longer has access to data 1 3

39. Data Liberation Initiative
THE LICENCE
Data is made available for:
Academic Research and Publishing
Teaching
Planning of academic/educational services
Use of data in textbooks falls under a different set of STC licences and permissions
Data not to be used in any commercial or private activities (even if no $$ involved)
DLI Contact responsible to ensure eligible use of data 1 3

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41. Data Liberation Initiative
THE LICENCE
Other questions to help determine if use falls under definition of academic research
If publishing - is use strictly for publishing in academic or scholarly journal?
Is use under a contract with outside agency/organization? - Any $$ involved?
Do $$ come thru institution’s “grants dept”?
Even if no $$ involved did contract come thru regular institutional channels?
Is data expected to be shared with outside agency/organization? 1 3

42. Data Liberation Initiative
THE LICENCE
Other important elements of the Licence Agreement:
Data & products offered “as is “
STC remains owner of intellectual property - only access to data is provided
Users must not link data or otherwise try to identify individual respondents
DLI Contact to implement data security measures
May have users sign before allowing access 1 3

43. Data Liberation Initiative
THE LICENCE
Plans to create document on Web to address more common data use elegibility questions
Have gathered all questions since 1996
This to be done as soon as time and resources permit
Until then if unsure send message to Team for consideration
All questions reviewed by DLI Manager & Director as well as Co-Chairs of EAC 1 3

44. Data Liberation Initiative
THE LICENCE
In process of finalizing new Licence Agreement to reflect move from pilot to permanency
This to be sent to Library Directors soon
Until then will continue to operate under original Licence Agreement 1 3

45. Data Liberation Initiative
THE SERVICES
DLI was conceived to be a Internet based means of dissemination - internet the main mode of data transfer and communications
DLI Team offers both an FTP and a Web based service for access to Collection
DLILIST - forum for making enquires, sharing of information and general communication between and among members
DLIORDER & WWW DLI ORDER DESK - processes to order hard copy versions of products not available electronically 1 3

46. Data Liberation Initiative
THE SERVICES
The DLI Team
DLI activities at STC are performed by a small Team situated in the Library and Information Center - currently there are 6 members on the Team
Have just lost one Team member who was responsible for Liaison/Communications and whose duties included:
Responding to enquires in DLILIST
Liaison with author divisions
Producing DLI Update 1 3

47. Data Liberation Initiative
THE SERVICES
Other Team members include:
André Blondin
Responsible for:
Quality Control of data and metadata
Maintenance of FTP site directories
Loading of files on FTP site
Overseeing creation of SPSS 1 3

48. Data Liberation Initiative
THE SERVICES
André Blondin 1 3

49. Data Liberation Initiative
THE SERVICES
Other Team members include:
Christiane Rousseau
Responsible for:
Assistant Liaison/Communication
DLIORDER/WWW DLI ORDER DESK and hardcopy products
Maintaining library of CD’s and print documentation 1 3

50. Data Liberation Initiative
THE SERVICES
Christiane Rousseau 1 3

51. Data Liberation Initiative
THE SERVICES
Other Team members include:
Roger Arsenault
Responsible for:
Creation and validation of SPSS 1 3

52. Data Liberation Initiative
THE SERVICES
Roger Arsenault 1 3

53. Data Liberation Initiative
THE SERVICES
Other Team members include:
Marie Josée Bourgeois
Responsible for:
Web page creation and development
Web links to data and metadata 1 3

54. Data Liberation Initiative
THE SERVICES
Marie Josée Bourgeois 1 3

55. Data Liberation Initiative
THE SERVICES
Other Team members include:
Jackie Godfrey
Responsible for:
Project on-line infrastructure
Data security i.e.. Passwords, IP validation, etc
FTP & Web
listservs 1 3

56. Data Liberation Initiative
THE SERVICES 1 3

57. Data Liberation Initiative
THE SERVICES
Others who are connected to Team
Anne Chartrand - Administrative Assistant
Carole Paradis - Cataloguing of DLI Collection
Ernie Boyko - Director of Library 1 3

58. Data Liberation Initiative1 3

59. Data Liberation Initiative
THE SERVICES
Although the Licence states “as is “ this is not really the case
When a product is received by Team a number of steps are performed before it is placed in the Collection:
First of all check to ensure that all files - data, metadata (French & English) have been received
Open each file to ensure it is what it says it is (e.g if a .DOC then file is a WORD file, etc) 1 3

60. Data Liberation Initiative
THE SERVICES
Run program against data file to verify:
Number of records
Record length
Overall size of file
Compare results against codebook and/or record layout
If SAS and/or SPSS received run against file
If no SPSS - create it
Rename all files to conform to DLI standards 1 3

61. Data Liberation Initiative
THE SERVICES
Create FTP path & directories
Create Readme file
Load all files into appropriate place
Update all related Web pages ( Site Additions, List of Products, Product Release Table and Web Site page, etc.)
Announce addition on DLILIST 1 3

62. Data Liberation Initiative
THE SERVICES
To help users keep track of receipt of product we have Product Release Table on Web
When data availability announced in Daily we add product to table
Must first ensure that a DLI product (e.g. PUMF) will be produced
Contact division to determine date of release of PUMF
Monitor and update Product Release Table on ongoing basis 1 3

63. Data Liberation Initiative1 3

64. Data Liberation Initiative
THE SERVICES
The Daily is the official release vehicle of STC
All data must first be announced in Daily before being disseminated to public
Data announced in Daily does not mean that a public file is available
Could just be an announcement of data availability - i.e. for custom requests
Look at DLI Update of Fall 2000 for a detailed description of how STC released in the Daily 1 3

65. Data Liberation Initiative1 3

66. Data Liberation Initiative
THE SERVICES
DLI Update
A newsletter designed as a means to inform, teach and share information containing articles written by various DLI Contacts and Team members
Produced by Liaison/Communications Officer
Originally intended to be produced on a semi - regular basis (there were 3 in 1997, 2 in 98, 1 in 99 and 2 in 2000)
Due to lack of resource have not produced a new issue since fall 2000 1 3

67. Data Liberation Initiative
THE SERVICES
SPSS
Many files have not come with SPSS descriptions - these are created by DLI Team
Often older files do not have French versions of documentation so extremely difficult to create French SPSS
Creation of these SPSS labels can take some time after receipt of documentation, depending on workload, size of file, and if any documentation in electronic format 1 3

68. Data Liberation Initiative
THE SERVICES
SPSS
Starting to receive some kind of SPSS descriptors from author divisions
If and when SPSS supplied by author division they can require major editing to fit with “DLI Users” requirements (e.g. length of variable and value labels)
The preparation of SPSS is a major undertaking and the DLI Team expends 1+ FTE on this activity 1 3

69. Data Liberation Initiative
THE SERVICES
Training
DLI project subsidises annual Regional Training Workshops
DLI Web page will provide links to various training materials
Team members assist in training workshops if and when required 1 3

70. Data Liberation Initiative
THE SERVICES
CA*NET3 - new service being offered by DLI
A separate internet line connecting individual universities, federal & provincial government labs and research institutes through provincially based Regional Advanced Networks (RAN)
Developed by CANARIE and private industry and is the world’s first national optical internet
DLI pays annual fee to be connected to this line
Has increased download efficiencies for DLI Contacts 1 3

71. Data Liberation Initiative
THE COMMUNITY
The DLI is a partnership between Statistics Canada and the participating post secondary institutions
There are currently 66 member institutions (BCIT left but Red Deer College joined)
Have received enquiries from some CEGEP’s
We are thinking about foreign institutions with Canadian Studies programs 1 3

72. Data Liberation Initiative
THE COMMUNITY
Major activities and direction of project guided by members themselves through the External Advisory Committee (EAC)
EAC meets twice a year to review and discuss major issues
Co-Chairs are in frequent contact with DLI Manager and Director at STC
New governance document on EAC to be on Web soon 1 3

73. Data Liberation Initiative
THE COMMUNITY
EAC made up of following academic members:
Elizabeth Hamilton - UNB
Mary MacLeod - Acadia
Gaetan Drolet - Laval
Barbara Znamirowski - Trent
Wendy Watkins - Carleton (Co-Chair)
Mark Leggott - U of Winnipeg
Chuck Humphrey - U of Alberta (Co-Chair)
Walter Piovesan - Simon Fraser 1 3

74. Data Liberation Initiative
THE COMMUNITY
Other voting members:
Bruno Gnassi - DSP
Jeffery Smith - Asst Director Special Surveys
Ernie Boyko - STC
Mike Sivyer - STC
Other participants include:
Rest of DLI Team
Often invite members of different STC divisions to make presentations to EAC on their products, etc. 1 3

75. Data Liberation Initiative
THE COMMUNITY
There are a number of advantages to belonging to DLI:
The DLI provides academic community with “one stop shopping” for SCT products at affordable prices
Provide a forum for sharing information and obtaining advice
Value added to basic STC products (e.g. SPSS)
Participation in training workshops also a great “community builder” 1 3

76. Data Liberation Initiative1 3

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