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In recent years, the value of data as a primary research output has begun to be increasingly recognised. New technology has made it possible to create, store and reuse datasets, either for new analysis or for combination with other data in order to answer different questions. In the UK, academic researchers, funders and institutions have responded to these possibilities by supporting a number of data centres – organisations with responsibility for supplying research data to the academic community, and in some cases for collecting, storing and curating such data as well. Although researchers may choose to store and share data in a number of ways, data centres often appear to offer the best way of ensuring that data are preserved and presented in a high-quality way, and made available to the largest number of people. As dedicated, central locations for datasets, data centres are able to ensure deposited collections are highly visible; in many cases, they also help ensure that data are ready for reuse by helping researchers prepare them for deposit. Data centres enable the benefits mentioned above to be realised. Data centres provide services and support which are highly valued by researchers, including: user support, both online and in person; access to otherwise-unavailable datasets via reciprocal sharing arrangements; and curation, preservation and long-term access for datasets, both for their own research and for datasets created by others. These features are important precursors of the research efficiency, quality and novelty outcomes, and for the most part are a result of the data centre’s status as a central and sizeable hub within its field.
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