WOLFVILLE, APRIL 2004 D L I UPDATE 2003 - 2004. DLI NATIONAL TRAINING DAY In May 2003 a National Training Day was held in Ottawa in conjunction with CAPDU

WOLFVILLE, APRIL 2004

D L I UPDATE

2003 - 2004

DLI NATIONAL TRAINING DAY

In May 2003 a National Training Day was held in Ottawa in conjunction with CAPDU and IASSIST

DLI provided financial assistance to help members from DLI institutions to attend

About 50% of DLI institutions sent at least one person – some sent more

All regions were represented


Sessions were held in English and French

From feedback received this national workshop can be considered as a great success

We intend to do this again the next time IASSIST meets in Canada - 2007


Some important aspects of this workshop include:

Members from different regions were able to meet and mix with members from other regions

They were able to see that somewhere someone else was at the same level of data/statistical literacy with the same problems as them

As well, a number of DLI members stayed on to attend IASSIST – some for the first time

DLI FINANCIAL SITUATION

We began our new invoicing procedures whereby all members receive their invoice during April – May

This change over went very smoothly with very few concerns expressed

This will help us better monitor our financial situation

DLI FINANCIAL SITUATION We did a comprehensive financial review

for the October EAC meeting and another one in March at the end of our Fiscal Year.

The Program is in a better financial situation that was suspected 18 – 20 months ago

Unless something drastic occurs there should no need to start to consider an increase in revenues (i.e. member fees) for at least another 24 months

DLI COLLECTION

We have continued to add files to our Collection and we now have over 20,000 files in the Collection – includes data and metadata

There are over 250 different titles in the Collection

Over the past year we have added numerous Census files

DLI COLLECTION

We add the Census files as soon as we get them, however this is not always as fast as some of our members would like

We have to wait our turn for Census to produce our files via special runs

Some of the tables we are supposed to receive are quite large and take a long time to produce

DLI COLLECTION

In 2003 there were over 55,000 FTP downloads

Since 1995 there have been well over 251,000 FTP downloads

This is not an complete picture of downloads due as a number of institutions using a common service (IDLS, SHERLOCK, etc) where a file is downloaded once from DLI and placed on a central server

DLI COLLECTION

We are attempting to decrease the number of hardcopy products (CDs & paper metadata) that we disseminate

If we can place a CD product on the FTP we will , especially if the author division provides us with just one copy

We are also in the process of scanning in all of our paper products (metadata) and making them available on the site as PDF files

DLI COLLECTION

We have just completed scanning in all the documentation for the Survey of Consumer Finance

This is cheaper than photocopying or burning hardcopy versions of CDs and then mailing them to our members.

This will save us money in the long run

If members still want us to replicate and mail a hardcopy version we will

ADDITIONS TO DLI COLLECTION

We have just received a replacement for CTUMS which had been locked for a number of months

Other recent additions include:Synthethic file for NLSCY Cycle 4International Travel Survey 2003LMAS – acsii files for 1986 – 1990 Household Internet Use Survey 2003

UPCOMING ADDITIONS

Updated data from Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics

Census 2001 PUMF (do not know when) Synthethic files from Youth in Transition Small Area Retail Trade Estimates (SARTRE) PALS – late spring 2004 SLID – late spring 2004 GSS 17 – summer 2004 CCHS 1.2 - fall 2004

DLI MEMBERSHIP

During 2003 we received notice that two members had decided to withdraw:Université du Québec en Abitibi-

Témiscamingue Red Deer College

Discussion with these two institutions were held by the EAC member in the respective regions to determine if they could be convinced to remain in the program

DLI MEMBERSHIP

Unfortunately the Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue did not change their mind BUT Red Deer College did

Recently a new institution joined the DLI - École Polytechnique de Montréal

Therefore the number of members remains at 66

DLI MEMBERSHIP

When a member leaves the program there are a number of consequences & actions that must be taken:

All use of data and files obtained through the program must stop

All data and files must be returned or destroyed or new licences must be obtained

DLI MEMBERSHIP

New licences could also involve additional costs

They also lose access to level 2 data on the Census web site

If they return within 5 years they must pay for missed years

DLI MEMBERSHIP

We have had some enquires from other institutions about joining the DLI Program

Our normal response is to request that these institutions first check out our web site to learn about our licence and our collection

We also ask that they check out E-STAT to see if this will suit their data needs

CHANGES TO EAC

According to our Governance guidelines three positions on the External Advisory Committee were up for renewal in 2003

A request for nominations was sent out during the summer via DLILIST - - The response was overwhelming!

As a result the three sitting members have been asked and agreed to continue for an additional term:

CHANGES TO EAC

Another change to the EAC was that Gaetan Drolet of Université Laval announced his retirement

This meant that there would be 100% turnover of EAC member for the Quebec Region

It was agreed to change structure of EAC so that each region would be represented by two members with only one regional position up for renewal at any one time

CHANGES TO EAC

At the next EAC meeting (spring 2004) the length of the terms will be reviewed

As well we still retain the two other academic positions of: a representative from the research

community (currently Chad Gadfiled from University of Ottawa)

and one from the library director community (currently Mark Legott from University of Winnipeg)

CHANGES TO EAC

Current Academic EAC members are:

Atlantic Region:Elizabeth Hamiliton - UNBMary MacLeod – Acadia

Quebec Region:Richard Boily - Université du Québec à Rimouski

2nd person named has since changed jobs

CHANGES TO EAC

Ontario RegionWendy Watkins – Carleton UniversityBarbara Znamirowski – Trent University

West RegionChuck Humphrey – University of Alberta

Walter Piovesan – Simon Fraser University

TRAINING CO-ORDINATOR CHANGES

Another critical retirement was from the group of Regional Training Co-ordinators

Jerry Bull from Universitè de Montrèal also retired last December . He along with Gaetan were the Quebec RTCs

They were replaced by Richard Boily (Université du Québec à Rimouski) and Philippe.Feredj (U. Sherbrooke)

TRAIN THE TRAINERS

As part of our training renewal program a Train The Trainers workshop was held in Montreal from March 8 to 10

Each region sent 2 -3 people to this workshop who will be called upon to act as trainers at future regional training workshops

Some have already been put to use in Kingston and Wolfville

DLI ORIENTATION TRAINING

A DLI Orientation session was held prior to the April 2004 Ontario Training workshop

Open to all new DLI Contact and/or alternates . It was well attended and well received

DLI provided funding to cover the cost of travel

This was considered as “special training” and will not impact on any other available training funding

DLI ORIENTATION TRAINING

Next one will be in Montreal at end of April

We are looking at holding these sessions more frequently

Atlantic Region may have one next year

We will discuss the frequency of this type of session at the next EAC meeting

DLI & RDC:A CONTINUUM RELATIONSHIP

The DLI and the RDCs are two different points along the continuum of data access

There are some commonalities and overlaps within both Programs

Gustave Goldman, Director of the RDC program, was invited to the October EAC meeting to discuss how we could best work together

DLI & RDC:A CONTINUUM RELATIONSHIP

To help strengthen the bridges between the two programs we have decided to have representatives sit on each others committees

Raymond Currie has been named as the RDC representative on our External Advisory Committee

Wendy Watkins will sit as the DLI rep on the RDC National Co-ordinating Committee

DLI & RDC: METRICS

One area that we have in common, and where we could benefit from working together, is in the area of METRICS

It is recognized that officially measuring and documenting data access and use is essential in order to demonstrate and maintain the viability of both programs

DLI & RDC: METRICS

For RDCs metrics is closely linked to continued funding for the program

In the case of DLI metrics, i.e. feedback to producing divisions, is linked to their continued willingness to provide DLI with data files

DLI & RDC: METRICS

We have agreed to work together to see if we can develop and implement procedures and techniques that will gather the information required by both programs

Another reason to work together on this is that collecting this information could take more resources than is available from each program individually

DLI & RDC: METRICS

A new DLI initiative involving METRICS will be announced soon

This will be a “Paper Series” where DLI members can publish their findings in this area

Mary, Elizabeth and others will be directly involved in this

DLI & RDC: TRAINING

We have also agreed that TRAINING is another area where DLI & RDCs may be able to work together

It is felt that DLI members could benefit from learning what happens at the RDCs esp. with regard to confidentiality rules and guidelines

DLI & RDC: TRAINING

As well RDCs reps could benefit from the type of training that we provide to our DLI Contacts

As a result, whenever feasible, someone from the local RDC will be invited to participate in Regional Training Workshops

DATA DOCUMENTATION INITIATIVE

Both the DLI and the RDC’s are looking at using the DDI (Data Documentation Initiative) for the metadata files

The Data Documentation Initiative is an international effort to establish a standard for technical documentation describing social science data , which is written in XML.


The DLI and the RDC programs have jointly purchased the NESSTAR system

NESSTAR is an infrastructure for data dissemination via the Internet that provides an end user interface for searching, analysing and downloading data and documentation.


We are going to start to put the DLI metadata collection into this system to make it DDI compliant

If the RDCs also adopt this system they can influence author divisions to use it for their master file documentation

This will also make the metadata searchable at the variable level


We organized a training session in March and invited representatives from some author divisions as well as the division responsible for our corporate database of survey information

These divisions have expressed interest in this system

Our plan is to make the NESSTAR system available on an internal network so they can start to explore its functionality more deeply


A number if DLI institutions are also interested in DDI & NESSTAR

At the basis of the DDI is the identification of a set of ‘tags’ to be used when marking-up the metadata and there are a large number of these tags or elements – not all of which may be necessary

A group called CANDDI has been established to identify a core set of tags from the Canadian perspective


A discussion list has been started and a number of interested DLI members have joined

Also some members of the group were in Montreal for Train The Trainers workshop and met afterwards

This was also discussed at the recent Ontario Training workshop in Kingston

CHANGES TO DLI AT STC

Christiane Rousseau retired as of the end of October 2003

Her duties have been assumed by Anne Chartrand

Marie-Josée Bourgeois has joined the Section to work full time on the web pages


Last fall we finally released our “new look” web pages and we have received favourable comments on the changes

We will be looking at all pages and making minor adjustments where required

If anyone has any suggestions as to content changes please let us know


In March 2004 we hired Gaetan Drolet to work on such special projects as: Assisting training & transition in

Quebec, Create Citation Guide for DLIMetrics

Another MAJOR change that is about to take place is the retirement of Ernie Boyko

OTHER NEW DEVELOPMENTS

Stats Canada’a home page has had some minor changes

For example the sidebar has had some wording changes

Of interest to DLI members will be the: Definitions, Data Sources and Methods link The Studies link

OTHER NEW DEVELOPMENTS A number of cash prizes and awards from

Stats Canada, often in conjunction with other agencies, are listed in the Learning Resources pages under Postsecondary

Prizes for Students in Education$500 prize for the best curriculum

project$2,000 each for up to 5 educational

research proposals using STC data $500 for best foundations paper by a

pre-service education student

OTHER NEW DEVELOPMENTS

Prize for Students in Geography/Native Studies$700 to a graduate student in

geography or native studies for the best Master's or PhD thesis on an aboriginal topic.

OTHER NEW DEVELOPMENTS Prize for Students in Geography/

Environmental Studies $750 to an undergraduate student in

geography and/or environmental studies for the best paper examining impacts of human activity on Canada's environment

Students in Statistical Survey Methods $200 for best paper in survey

methods

Documents

WOLFVILLE, APRIL 2004 D L I UPDATE 2003 - 2004. DLI NATIONAL TRAINING DAY In May 2003 a National Training Day was held in Ottawa in conjunction with CAPDU