The machine readable data center: A model approach to data services in academic research libraries

The University of Minnesota Libraries have established a full‐service information center to facilitate end‐user access to machine‐readable datafiles, particularly U.S. government datafiles such as the Census. The Machine Readable Data Center (MRDC), funded through a three‐year, $240,000 grant from the College Library Technology and Cooperation Grants Program (HEA Title II‐D), presents an alternative, library‐centered model for providing students, faculty, and independent researchers with direct access to machine‐readable data.