Library

The Data Centre acquires, manages, and preserves quantitative computer-readable data files from the various disciplines of the humanities and social sciences and provides data-related services as needed to support research and instruction at Carleton.  Specifically, Data Centre staff:

• Maintain a collection of computer-readable data files and their accompanying documentation (codebooks).
• Assist with the location and acquisition of data files not currently in the Data Centre's collection.
• Assist with both the identification of appropriate datasets and of variables within a dataset, and perform data extractions of selected variables to create custom datasets for research or instructional use.
• Provide technical assistance with the transfer of data across various hardware and software platforms.
• Provide help with the use of statistical software and social science research terminology.
• Assist with the cleaning, documentation, archiving, and dissemination of original data files deposited by researchers.
• Provide instruction on the management and use of computer-readable data files.

Available Data

For descriptions of the resources available at the Data Centre, see Find > Data.

Available Help

For help about the Data Centre, different datasets and statistical programs, please see our Online Help.

Data Access Restrictions

Data files are commonly subject to restricted use under the terms of the licensing agreements signed by the library. The following data files are limited to use by current Carleton University faculty, staff and students only:

• All DLI files
• All ICPSR files

Access to other data files must be cleared by the Data Librarian or designate.

Data Centre Staff

History and Background

The Data Centre at Carleton University, established in 1966, was originally part of the Social Sciences Data Archives, located in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology. Its function is to serve as a depository for data and to encourage use of the data by faculty and students.

Today, the Data Centre is a part of the Maps, Data and Government Information Centre (MADGIC).

We are staffed mainly by Social Science students from the university. The students at the Data Centre help users obtain documentation and access to data held here and with other institutions and individuals. We also consider individual requests for assistance with data analysis and the use of UNIX, SPSS and other software packages.

Currently, our Data Centre News Bytes is published once a year. It updates the reader on the latest happenings of the Data Centre, as well as the latest data sets we have acquired.

Partnerships

One of our ongoing partnerships is with the Data Liberation Initiative (DLI). We assist in the creation and analysis of the “2008 DLI Contacts and Designates Web Survey”. This includes the creation of the English Questionnaire and the French Questionnaire. There is also the Methodology Report to browse.

Web Database Developer for the Americas Project