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by Ilona Einowski, Data Archivist
State Department Program

University of California, Berkeley

Like the traditional library, the

data archive performs many different
functions to meet the needs of users.

These functions include data acquisi-
tion and cleaning, development of
conventions and standards for descrip-
tion of the data, data processing and

analysis, dessimination of information
about the data, storage and maintain-
ance of data tapes, development of an

inventory system and inventory con-
trols as well as a data retrieval sys-
tem, diffusion of the data, training
for archive users and program develop-
ment.

Data Acquisition

Obtaining new materials for archive
holdings from some continuing sources
of supply requires establishment of
both formal and informal arrangements
with institutions, departments or

bureaus that produce data on a regular
basis in order to obtain some or all

of their productions. It is also
necessary to establish priorities for
the kind of data to be acquired.
Since the cost of processing and main-
taining a data set is often greater
than the cost of acquisition, selection
must be made with great care. Ephemeral
or frequently replicated data sets
should be acquired only when there
is a concrete need for them since
there is a high probability of being
able to obtain popular data sets else-
where if a local need develops. The
cost of acquiring, cleaning, indexing,
and maintaining a data set should be

considered in relation to:

(a) the likelihood of there being
multiple users;

(b) the possibility of acquiring at a

later date if the need should
arise;

(c) its availability at a reasonable
cost and with little delay from
some other source;

(d) the amount of overlap with the
existing collection;

(e) the intrinsic significance of the
data.

The form in which data arrives varies
from supplier to supplier and from study
to study. This can result in a great
amount of time being spent figuring out
just what it is you have received. The
ultimate answer is to have funding
sources or institutions conducting the
survey require that arrangements for
archiving be made prior to the actual
funding or conducting of the research.
This way, the archive can be involved
from the beginning and provide guide-
lines and standards for researchers.
A formal way to handle this would be

the development of an institutional
policy on minimal standards for data
to be turned over to the archive. A

policy statement of this type would
insure that the datasets turned over
to the archive meet the criterion of

methodological adequacy. It has been
the case that an archive decided to

pass up a study of great substantive
interest which appears to have been
done in such a poor manner, utilizing
such sloppy and shoddy techniques of

data gathering or documentation that,

despite the interest of the subject
matter, the data set is not worth ac-

quiring. General archive operating
policy should include a list of cri-
teria which studies should meet if the

data set is to be considered accept-
able. At very minimum the following

documentation should be available for

each study:

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(a) complete and accurate codebook or

description of the data structure;

(b) description of the data format;

(c) illustrations of structure and
format;

(d) total size of data set;

(e) complete and accurate description
of the organization of the files

for the medium in which the data
is stored;

(f) precise definition for each data

element;

(g) complete explanation of all codes
used;

(h) sample of documents used in data
gathering;

(i) description of sampling procedures
employed, with intended and resul-
tant sample size;

(j) summary of training provided field-

workers and coders;
(k) description of data collection pro-

cedures;

(1) name and current address of study
director.

Data Cleaning

In its most simplified form, data

cleaning involves processes aimed at

placing data into a format that is

easily handled by computers. These
processes include identifying and

correcting possible discrepancies be-

tween the actual format of the data
and the descriptions of that format.

Many archives employ specialized staff
members who do this type of data clean-

ing.

Development of Conventions & Standards

In order to facilitate the process
of utilizing data initially prepared by

others it is necessary to establish con-

ventions for coding and standards for
describing the data themselves in order

to:

(a) permit combining information from
different collections in some rea-

sonable way;
(b) combine samples from different

studies in order to increase

the number of cases;
(c) make comparisons among data sets;
(d) facilitate later analysis.

Data Processing and Analysis

The data processing and analysis
function of the archive provides for

the manipulation of data for the user's
purpose. This may entail the refor-
matting of data for use at the user's
local facility or providing specially
prepared subset of cases or variables
rather than a simple copy. Some users
may need a frequency distribution for
the variables (if not provided in the
codebook) or simple cross-tabulations.
Other users may need more detailed
statistical analyses.

Dissemination of Documentation

The most important documentation pro-

duced by the archive is the codebook
describing the dataset. Archive staff
also prepare abstracts of data sets for
inclusion in a catalog and for adver-
tising purposes. Production of some
type of archive catalog is almost man-
datory since it provides not only an

in-house listing of current holdings
but is also the best way for a user to

browse the contents of the archive.
Advertising the availability of the

data can take many forms. Some
archives prepare and distribute their
own newsletter announcing new acquisi-
tions while others include a special

data announcement section in an exist-
ing institution newsletter. Archives
should also strive to maintain a col-

lection of published material related
to the data sets in order to provide
examples of how the data have been

analyzed already and clarify ambiguities
in the interpretation of the data.

Storeage and Maintenance

Internal procedures must be esta-

blished to identify the current
storage location of all materials.
Magnetic tapes must be stored in a

controlled temperature environment
and protected from magnetic flux and



Iphysical shock. They must be recopied
on a periodic basis in order to assure

their continued utlity and, where usage

is heavy, to protect against deterior-

ation due to machine-induced wear.

(See Patricia Reslcok's article for a

detailed discussion of tapes.)

Inventory

As with any collection, it is nec-

essary that the archive maintain a

catalog or index of holdings. The

archivist might consider maintaining

a "public" catalog and an annotated
"private" catalog with additional infor-

mation. The "private" catalog would
include abstracts of studies added to

the collection since the last published

catalog update. It is also necessary
to develop an internal inventory system

to keep track of the current status of

all studies in the archive including

studies "on order" or being processed.
Other internal inventory materials would
include a catalog of tapes by tape or

storage number and a catalog of studies

by study number.

Retrieval

Requests from users for access to

data relating to their particular topic

of interest often requires the archive

to search not only its own holdings but

those of other archives as well and

where necessary, to obtain from other
archives those materials required to

serve the needs of the user. For this

reason it is advisable for the archive

to maintain a collection of catalogs
from other archives and to become fami-

liar.with the general class of holdings
at other archives. Most archivists
find it helpful to maintain personal

contact with other archivists through
the network established by professional

associations (like lASSIST) in order to

facilitate the exchange of information

about data holdings and to keep abreast
of technological developments in this

field.

Diffusion

The data archive specializes in copy-

ing its own collection and making it

available to the user at his convenience,

in the form most suitable to his pur-

poses. However, the archive must still

maintain control over access to their

materials in accordance with any wishes

of the original donor. For this pur-

pose the archivist usually develops a

form letter which the user signs agree-

ing to archive terms. Once the data

have been copied, the archivist fills

out a standard form to send along with

the data tape which describes the files

on the tape. ..number of files, logical

record length, blocksize, number of

records... as well as general tape char-

acteristics. . .tracks, density, format,

character set, and internal labeling.

Shipping data on magnetic tape requires

that the tape be adequately packaged to

prevent damage in transit and labeled

on the outside of the package as being

a MAGNETIC TAPE with a warning to keep

the package away from magnets and

electric motors which could destroy
the data set stored on the tape. Tapes

sent through the mails are often insured

for the cost of recopying the data and

have a return receipt included with

mailing.

Training

Archives can perform a training func-

tion by teaching users how to make a

query; where to make a query so that the

appropriate data can be obtained; how to

utilize the data once it is obtained;

the devices available for processing;

the strategies to be employed for analy-

sis; and the kinds of interpretations

that can be made from such analysis.

The archivist may wish to prepare a

user manual for distribution to potential

users documenting how their archive is

organized and including information on

archive services and locally available
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