The International Association for Social Science Information Service and Technology (or IASSIST) is an international organisation that provides professional development, communication and conferences for data librarians, archivists, and social science aligned information specialists. Each year, the IASSIST Fellow program sponsors members from developing nations to attend events and professional development to further the advancement of information management.
As an organisation, IASSIST seeks to promote access to research data and supports principles of good data management. Already in 2012, IASSIST members developed Quick Guide to Data Citation , which is used, among others, as a source for CESSDA’s Data Citation Guidelines. IASSIST has formally endorsed the TRUST Principles and has been an organisational member of the Research Data Alliance (RDA). The Data Rescue Project, volunteer community dedicated to access to public data for the public good, started in February 2025 as a coordinated effort of three data organisations, including members of IASSIST, RDAP Association, and the Data Curation Network.
Conferences IASSIST organizes an annual conference, typically held in May or June, focusing on data sharing and management, data access and repository tools, metadata for research data, best practices for data preservation, global information resources, new technologies, and professional development. The conference location usually rotates to a different region each year.
Year Country Host city Region Host organisation(s) Theme Start date End date2027Vancouver CanadaSimon Fraser University and University of British Columbia2027-05-252027-05-282026OnlineAllIASSISTChampioning Data: Data Professionals at the Nexus2026-6-022026-6-052025Bristol EuropeUniversity West of EnglandIASSIST at 50! Bridging oceans, harbouring data & anchoring the future2025-06-032025-06-062024Halifax CanadaIASSIST with representation from Dalhousie University, Mount Saint Vincent University, and Cape Breton UniversityNavigating the Future of Data2024-05-282024-05-312023 PhiladelphiaUnited StatesIASSISTDiversity in Research: Social Justice from Data2023-05-302023-06-022022 GothenburgEuropeSwedish National Data Service - SNDData by Design: Building a Sustainable Data Culture2022-06-72022-06-102021OnlineAllIASSISTIASSIST Global Virtual Conference 20212021-05-182021-5-222019SydneyAsia/PacificAustralian Data Archive, University of New South Wales, Aristotle Cloud Services AustraliaData Down Under: Exploring “Data Firsts”2019-05-272019-05-312018MontréalCanadaMcGill University, Concordia University, Université de MontréalOnce upon a data point: sustaining our data storytellers2018-05-292018-06-012017LawrenceUnited StatesUniversity of Kansas, Kansas University Libraries, Institute for Policy and Social Research, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas CityData in the middle: The common language of research2017-05-232017-05-262016BergenEuropeNSD - Norwegian Centre for Research DataEmbracing the 'Data Revolution': Opportunities and challenges for research2016-05-312016-06-032015MinneapolisUnited StatesUniversity of MinnesotaBridging the data divide: Data in the international context2015-06-022015-06-052014TorontoCanadaUniversity of Toronto, Ryerson University, York UniversityAligning data and research infrastructure2014-06-032014-06-062013CologneEuropeGESIS – Leibniz Institute for the Social SciencesData innovation: Increasing accessibility, visibility, and sustainability2013-05-282013-05-312012Washington D.C.United StatesNational Opinion Research Center (NORC)Data science for a connected world: Unlocking and harnessing the power of information2012-06-042012-06-082011VancouverCanadaSimon Fraser University, University of British ColumbiaData science professionals: A global community of sharing2011-05-312011-06-032010IthacaUnited StatesCornell Institute for Social and Economic Research (CISER), Cornell University LibrarySocial data and social networking: Connecting social science communities across the globe2010-06-012010-06-042009TampereEuropeFinnish Social Science Data Archive (fi), University of TampereMobile data and the life cycle2009-05-262009-05-292008Palo AltoUnited StatesStanford University Libraries and Academic Information ResourcesTechnology of data: Collection, communication, access and preservation2008-05-272008-05-302007MontréalCanadaMcGill UniversityBuilding global knowledge communities with open data2007-05-162007-05-182006Ann ArbourUnited StatesInter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR), University of Michigan School of Information Science, University of Michigan LibraryData in a world of networked knowledge2006-05-242006-05-262005EdinburghEuropeEDINA National Data Center, Edinburgh University Data LibraryEvidence and enlightenment2005-05-242005-05-272004MadisonUnited StatesData and Program Library Service, University of Wisconsin-MadisonData futures: Building on 30 years of advocacy2004-05-242004-05-282003OttawaCanadaUniversity of OttawaStrength in numbers2003-05-272003-05-302002StorrsUnited StatesRoper Center for Public Opinion Research, University of ConnecticutAccelerating access, collaboration and dissemination2002-06-102002-06-142001AmsterdamEuropeUniversity of AmsterdamA data odyssey: collaborative working in the social science cyber space2001-05-152001-05-172000ChicagoUnited StatesNorthwestern UniversityData in the digital library: charting the future for social, spatial and government data2000-06-072000-06-101999TorontoCanadaRyerson Polytechnic University Library, University of Toronto Data Library ServiceBuilding bridges, breaking barriers: the future of data in the global network1999-05-171999-05-211998New HavenUnited StatesYale UniversityGlobal access, local support: social science computing in the age of the World Wide Web1998-05-191998-05-221997OdenseEuropeDanish Data ArchivesData frontiers in the infoscape1997-05-061997-05-091996MinneapolisUnited StatesUniversity of Minnesota Electronic Research CenterWeaving the web of social science research, data and support1996-05-151996-05-171995Québec CityCanadaUniversité LavalPartners for access: working together in a changing data environment/L'access aux données dans un environnement en pleine mutation: un partenariat à developer1995-05-091995-05-121994San FranciscoUnited StatesUniversity of CaliforniaBuilding bridges: resources, technology and global issues1994-05-031994-05-061993EdinburghEuropeUniversity of Edinburgh Data LibraryOpenness, diversity and standards: sharing data resources1993-05-001993-05-001992MadisonUnited StatesUniversity of Wisconsin, Madison Data and Program Library ServiceData, networks, and cooperation: linking resources in a distributed world1992-05-261992-05-291991EdmontonCanadaUniversity of Alberta Data LibraryData in the global village: stewardship of an expanding resource1991-05-141991-05-171990PoughkeepsieUnited Statesn/aNumbers, pictures, words and sounds: priorities for the 1990s1990-05-301990-06-031989JerusalemEuropeHebrew University Social Sciences Data ArchiveValue of research data for government and business1989-05-151989-05-181988Washington D.C.United StatesU.S. National Archives and Records AdministrationPublic data: use it or lose it1988-05-261988-05-291987VancouverCanadaSimon Fraser University Research Data Centre, University of British Columbia Data Libraryn/a1987-05-191987-05-221986Marina Del ReyUnited Statesn/aAmidst technological turmoil: innovation and progress1986-05-221986-05-251985AmsterdamEuropeSteinmetzarchiefPublic access to public data1985-05-201985-05-241984OttawaCanadaPublic Archives of CanadaComing of age in the brave new world1984-05-141984-05-181983PhiladelphiaUnited Statesn/an/a1983-05-191983-05-221982San DiegoUnited Statesn/aImpact for the 80's: the integration of data services, processing, and utilization1982-05-271982-05-301981GrenobleEuropen/aThe impact of computerisation on social science research: data services and technological developments1981-09-141981-09-181980Washington D.C.United StatesU.S. National Archives and Records AdministrationInternational perspectives on statistical data for the social sciences: policy, technology, and management1980-05-021980-05-041979OttawaCanadaPublic Archives of CanadaData archiving: models for international cooperation1979-05-071979-05-101978UppsalaEuropen/an/a1978-08-141978-08-201978ItascaUnited Statesn/aState of the art: perspectives1978-02-081978-02-111977CopenhagenEuropeDanish Data ArchivesWestern European Conference1977-06-001977-06-001977TorontoCanadaOntario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE)Canada conference1977-05-001977-05-001977Cocoa BeachUnited Statesn/a1st Joint Canada/U.S. IASSIST conference1977-02-161977-02-20
History IASSIST was formed in 1974. It emerged to manage and increase access to the growing amount of machine-readable social science data. The first IASSIST conference was held in 1977 in Cocoa Beach, Florida with 29 representatives from Canada and the United States. Robbin, Alice. (1977). "Report on the First IASSIST North American Conference, February 16-20, 1977." IASSIST Quarterly, 1(2), 6.Heim, Kathleen M. "Social Scientific Information Needs for Numeric Data: The Evolution of the International Data Archive Infrastructure." Collection Management 9 (Spring 1987): 1-53.
Africa Chapter The IASSIST Africa Chapter is currently the only Regional Chapter of IASSIST. Regional chapters of IASSIST support the expedient and efficient management of IASSIST affairs and activities within their regions. The Africa Chapter was officially launched in 2021 during the first IASSIST Africa Regional Workshop held in Kampala, Uganda. It has members from several African countries and holds an annual regional workshop where members come together to discuss and share emerging trends and issues in IT, research and data services.
IASSIST Quarterly (IQ) The IASSIST Quarterly (ISSN: 2331-4141 Online, 0739–1137 Print) is a peer-reviewed, indexed, open access quarterly journal of articles dealing with social science information and data services. IQ represents an international cooperative effort on the part of individuals managing, operating, or using machine-readable data archives, data libraries, and data services. The IQ is published by the IASSIST and hosted by the University of Alberta Libraries.
References