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Library, Museums and Press Staff
November 11, 2026

UD Dataverse Offers an Option Amid Open Science Framework Changes

by Madison Vassalotti, research data management librarian, Research Data and Design Commons

Researchers who use the Open Science Framework (OSF) to share research data should begin planning for upcoming platform changes. The University of Delaware Library, Museums and Press offers a locally supported alternative through UD Dataverse, its institutional data repository.

What’s changing and when?

  • Nov. 16, 2026: OSF stops allowing users to create new projects or components.
  • Feb. 19, 2027: All existing OSF Projects, public and private, become read-only. Users will still be able to access existing files, links and digital object identifiers (DOIs), but will no longer be able to add or modify content.

These changes are particularly important for faculty, graduate students and research staff who use OSF to meet research data-sharing requirements established by funding agencies and scholarly journals.

Where can researchers share their data?

UD Dataverse provides a repository for sharing and preserving research data. Managed by the UD Library, Museums and Press, the platform offers hands-on support, with Library staff facilitating deposits on researchers’ behalf and a librarian reviewing every submission.

Not all OSF projects or materials are suitable for UD Dataverse, which is designed for data sharing and preservation rather than active research collaboration. Researchers who need help identifying the right repository or planning their next steps can consult with the Library’s Research Data and Design Commons (RDDC).

What should researchers do now?

Researchers with existing OSF projects should review their files and identify datasets that may need to be moved before the February deadline. Those planning new data-sharing activities should also explore repository options early.

OSF will continue supporting services such as preregistration, study planning, registries and preprints. Researchers can also link data stored in other repositories, including UD Dataverse, back to their OSF projects.

Need help? Contact Madison Vassalotti, research data management librarian in the Research Data and Design Commons, at mrv@udel.edu to discuss your research data needs and determine whether UD Dataverse or another repository is the right fit.

Explore UD Dataverse to learn more about the University’s institutional data repository.