# Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research > organization of research institutions **Wikidata**: [Q6044782](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6044782) **Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inter-university_Consortium_for_Political_and_Social_Research) **Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/inter-university-consortium-for-political-and-social-research ## Summary The Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR) is a research consortium founded in 1962 that supports data stewardship and social science research across institutions globally. Headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, ICPSR provides access to extensive datasets, tools, and training for researchers and students. Its mission centers on preserving and disseminating data for secondary analysis, promoting open science, and advancing methodological rigor in the social sciences. ## Key Facts - Founded in **1962** as a research consortium focused on political and social science data. - Based in **Ann Arbor, Michigan**, at the University of Michigan; headquarters located at 330 Packard St, 48104. - Operates under multiple organizational identities: **international organization**, **research institute**, and **research consortium**. - Member of several key organizations including **DDI Alliance**, **DataCite**, **NDSA**, and **APDU**. - DOI prefix: **10.3886**, used for persistent identification of datasets and publications. - Received the **National Medal for Museum and Library Service** in **2019**. - Maintains over **271 YouTube videos** with more than **1580 subscribers** as of December 2020. - Has **7,533 Twitter followers** as of January 2021. ## FAQs ### Q: What is the Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR)? A: ICPSR is a nonprofit research consortium established in 1962 that facilitates data sharing, preservation, and analysis in the social sciences. It offers access to thousands of datasets, supports training programs, and promotes best practices in data stewardship. ### Q: Where is ICPSR located? A: ICPSR is headquartered in **Ann Arbor, Michigan**, at the University of Michigan. The physical address is 330 Packard Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48104. ### Q: What services does ICPSR provide? A: ICPSR provides data archiving, educational resources, workshops, and tools for managing and analyzing social science data. It also develops standards like those from the DDI (Data Documentation Initiative) and contributes to metadata interoperability. ## Why It Matters ICPSR plays a pivotal role in shaping modern social science research infrastructure by enabling long-term preservation and broad access to quantitative data. By standardizing documentation formats and fostering collaboration among universities, governments, and international bodies, ICPSR has helped democratize empirical research and improve reproducibility. As one of the earliest pioneers in digital data curation, ICPSR continues to influence how scholarly communities manage, share, and reuse scientific information. Its work supports evidence-based policy-making, enhances transparency in research, and strengthens methodological training for future scholars. ## Notable For - Being among the **first organizations** dedicated to archiving and distributing machine-readable social science data for secondary use. - Hosting one of the **largest collections of publicly accessible social science datasets**, used by researchers worldwide. - Receiving the prestigious **National Medal for Museum and Library Service** in 2019, recognizing excellence in public service through digital archives. - Developing and maintaining the **ICPSR Thesaurus**, which serves as a controlled vocabulary for indexing social science topics and geographic regions. - Playing a leading role in implementing the **OAIS reference model** within the context of social science data repositories. ## Body ### History and Founding The Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research was founded in **1962** to support collaborative efforts in collecting, preserving, and sharing social science data. Initially focused on political behavior and public opinion studies, ICPSR expanded rapidly to encompass broader areas of social inquiry such as economics, education, health, and criminology. ### Organizational Structure and Affiliations ICPSR operates as both a **research institute** and an **international organization**, serving academic institutions, government agencies, NGOs, and individual researchers. It is affiliated with numerous professional groups including: - **DDI Alliance**: Promoting standardized metadata frameworks. - **DataCite**: Facilitating citation and discovery of research data. - **National Digital Stewardship Alliance (NDSA)**: Supporting digital preservation initiatives. - **Association of Public Data Users (APDU)**: Advocating for open access to federal statistical data. These affiliations underscore ICPSR’s commitment to interoperability, sustainability, and ethical data management. ### Headquarters and Contact Information Headquartered in **Ann Arbor, Michigan**, ICPSR occupies space in the Perry Building on the University of Michigan campus. The official mailing address is: ``` 330 Packard Street Ann Arbor, MI 48104 United States ``` Coordinates: Latitude **42.274545**, Longitude **-83.745292** Contact can be made via their official website or through various communication channels including email, phone, and social media platforms. ### Services and Contributions ICPSR offers a wide range of services aimed at supporting the entire lifecycle of social science data: - **Data Archive**: Thousands of curated datasets available for download after registration. - **Training Programs**: Workshops, summer institutes, and online courses covering data management, statistical software, and research ethics. - **Metadata Standards Development**: Active contributor to the **Data Documentation Initiative (DDI)** schema. - **Thesauri and Controlled Vocabularies**: Including the **ICPSR Thesaurus**, widely adopted for cataloging purposes. - **Digital Preservation Tools**: Implementation of the **Open Archival Information System (OAIS)** model tailored for social science contexts. In addition, ICPSR maintains strong outreach efforts through active engagement on platforms like Twitter (@icpsr), Facebook (TheICPSR), LinkedIn (icpsr), Instagram (theicpsr), and YouTube (channel ID: UC4__DY4PxAg4Fjspbubd-Pw). ### Recognition and Impact ICPSR received the **National Medal for Museum and Library Service** in **2019**, highlighting its contributions to public knowledge and cultural heritage. This recognition underscores its status not only as a repository but also as a vital institution in the advancement of open scholarship and civic engagement through data. Its legacy includes pioneering approaches to data dissemination, influencing generations of researchers, and setting benchmarks for responsible data governance in academia and beyond. ## References 1. [Source](https://www.isss.pku.edu.cn/sjgx/sjzy/1221851.htm) 2. BnF authorities 3. IdRef 4. Integrated Authority File 5. [Contact Us](https://www.icpsr.umich.edu/web/pages/about/contact.html) 6. Google Maps 7. Virtual International Authority File 8. CiNii Research 9. [Source](http://www.ddialliance.org/ddi-membership) 10. [Source](https://www.icpsr.umich.edu/web/about/cms/4884) 11. [Source](https://www.icpsr.umich.edu/web/pages/about/contact.html) 12. [Data Stewardship and Social Science Research Projects](https://www.icpsr.umich.edu/web/pages/about/research-projects.html) 13. [Virtual International Authority File](https://viaf.org/processed/RERO%7CA000088570) 14. [Source](https://snaccooperative.org/) 15. Aligned ISNI and Ringgold identifiers for institutions 16. [Source](https://www.google.com/maps?cid=13806399320010486254) 17. ROR release v1.0 18. National Library of Israel Names and Subjects Authority File 19. [ICPSR Accessibility and Security Center](https://www.icpsr.umich.edu/sites/icpsr/about/policies/accessibility-statement) 20. [Source](https://www.icpsr.umich.edu/sites/icpsr/home)