The Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition (SPARC) has released a new community resource for research funders, titled 'Implementing an Open Data Policy'. This primer addresses key issues that these organisations encounter when considering the adoption and implementation of an open data policy. The guide covers big-picture topics such as how to decide on the range of activities an open data policy should cover. It also delves into areas of very specific concern, such as options for where data can be deposited, and how privacy and other concerns can be managed.
The guide is seen to complement recent work that SPARC has collaborated on with research funders. Earlier this year, SPARC worked closely with a key group of biomedical research funders, led by the Health Research Alliance, to develop a public access policy initiative. Research funders are seen to play a crucial role in advancing the dissemination of scholarly research and the building blocks supporting it. SPARC looks forward to continuing to work closely with this community.
SPARC is an international alliance of academic and research libraries working to correct imbalances in the scholarly publishing system. It has worked with funding organisations on a number of fronts recently, as interest in open access and open data has continued to grow.
