The Electronic Data Service (EDS) is operated jointly by the Columbia University Libraries and Columbia University Information Technology (CUIT) to support instruction and research that involve numeric and geo-spatial data resources. EDS maintains a library of data and documentation that covers a wide range of topics, both national and international, including socio-demographic topics, public opinion polls, politics, health, and economics. Support services for the data library include the following: help in identifying and obtaining data, assistance with data preparation, and the operation of a lab facility with the necessary software for data extraction. EDS provides this help in-house, on its web site, and via electronic mail.
The outline below details our collections and services. A briefer form of this outline is also available in a brochure format.
Services
EDS provides services in the following major areas:
- Data Library
- Data Consulting
- Data Access
- Instructional Support
- Data Acquisition
- ICPSR: The Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research is a cooperative of colleges and universities around the country. It provides data focused on social and political processes. EDS maintains Columbia's ICPSR membership and is the repository for the data and documentation obtained from them.
- National Center for Health Statistics: EDS, in conjunction with the School of Public Health, is a participant in the NCHS data dissemination program. The program gives researchers in Public Health, broadly interpreted, free access to several large datasets. There are several, ongoing projects which use data obtained through this program.
- Depository Library Program: The federal government's Depository Library program brings many major datasets produced by the federal government on CD-ROM.
- New York State Data Center: This state program is the repository for
economic and demographic data and operates using a network of lead and
affiliate agencies. Columbia is a Data Center affiliate.
- Roper Center Archive: Located at the University of Connecticut, the Roper Center is the largest library of public opinion data in the world. The Center's mission focuses on data preservation and access, education and research.
EDS's core function is maintaining a large library of numeric and spatial data files, including relevant documentation. The collection is for use in study and teaching that involves quantitative research, specifically using the data in either statistical or mapping software. In addition to acquiring these materials EDS arranges for their storage, and access and assists users working them. The current inventory includes data files from thousand studies. Much of the data is online and accessible through the web but there are some studies which are designed for use on a PC, have restrictive distribution licenses, or for some other reason cannot be distribute over the Columbia network.
EDS advises users on the extraction of data and on the use of computer programs for analysis, in particular, SAS, SPSS, Stata, and GIS software. Our assistance covers the work needed to get data into the format required by the software a person is using to to their analysis. Advice can range from helping a student extract a few numbers from a CD-ROM for a paper, through advising a doctoral candidate on how to organize their data, to helping a researcher understand how best to work with the several million records in the Census Public Use files. Refer to the Consulting Guidelines at EDS for a detailed description of these services.
To assist users in identifying and, for those studies distributed online, downloading the studies in our collection, EDS mainatains the CU Numeric Data Catalog (DataGate) and the CU Spatial Data Catalog. Studies that are online can be accessed from anywhere by those affiliated with Columbia. For studies that for any reason cannot be distributed online, users can come to the EDS computer lab in 215 Lehamn Library. This lab is set up to handle the off-line items in the EDS collection and to serve as the place where users can work with the EDS data consultants.
EDS helps instructors find and extract appropriate data for their classes. EDS staff conducts guided introductions to EDS and how to use its services both in EDS and in class meetings. To assist with the promotion of using GIS as a tool for quantitative research, EDS hosts a series of introductory GIS workshops and distributes the registration codes of the online ESRI Virual Campus courses.
Acquiring new data underlies the operation's continuing usefulness to the academic community. EDS participates in data dissemination programs from which it fills most requests for data.
We also purchase data from New York City Planning Department, international organizations like the World Bank and the United Nations, and from commercial data providers like Community Cartography and Sociometrics which maintains an archive of health and social science data.
Acquisitions of spatial data are based on availability and interests expressed by our users. We acquire spatial data from commercial, government, and public sources and collect in a variety of formats that can be supported with standard GIS applications.
Individual requests for data from other sources will be considered on an ad hoc basis.
Memberships: EDS also represents Columbia University in two major organizations of data users which provide a useful network of contacts and assistance. These are The Association of Public Data Users (APDU) and the International Association for Social Science Information Service and Technology, (IASSIST), an international organization of providers of social science data services.
EDS is part of the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) working group along with GSAPP, ISERP, CIESIN, CUIT, and CCNMTL, which is working to improve GIS infrastructure at Columbia.
How to Contact EDS
To contact EDS electronically, visit our web site or send us electronic mail.
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You may also visit EDS or contact EDS via telephone or regular mail.
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School of International Affairs Building |
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215 IAB, MC 3301 New York, NY 10027 |
Hours of Operation
For the most accurate information about EDS hours, see our annual schedule.
Fall and Spring Semesters: Monday through Thursday 11-5, Friday 1-5.
Intersessions and Summer: Monday through Friday, 1-5.
