ESDS Annual Report, 2008-2009

The Economic and Social Data Service
The Economic and Social Data Service (ESDS) is a distributed national data service established in 2003 by the Economic
and Social Research Council (ESRC) and Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC). ESDS was set up to provide enhanced
access and support for an extensive range of key economic and social data, both quantitative and qualitative, spanning many
disciplines and themes. ESDS is based on a successful partnership between the Universities of Essex and Manchester, and
comprises six distinct yet inter-related services.
ESDS aims and objectives
The overall aim of ESDS is to promote wider and more
informed use of data for research and teaching in the social
sciences and to ensure that these data continue to be
available over time.
To achieve this aim ESDS will:
> develop a clear, co-ordinated acquisitions strategy in
conjunction with the ESRC and JISC;
> develop and promote common standards and agreed
strategies for data preparation, processing, documentation
and preservation;
> integrate data services through the development of a
universal single point of access and simple registration
procedures and common conditions of use;
2 E C O N O M I C A N D S O C I A L DATA S E RV I C E A N N UA L R E P O RT AU G U S T 2 0 0 8 – J U LY 2 0 0 9
> enhance underlying data sources through the
development of value-added services around key datasets
and series;
> promote increased use of datasets through both general
and specialist user support activities;
> develop interface and analysis tools appropriate to
differing levels of expertise amongst end users;
> respond to key technical developments in the broader
information environment;
> engage on a regular basis with a wide range of
stakeholders, including data suppliers, data funders
and end users.