Abstract
The technologies to build virtual data libraries, in which large amounts of statistical data are made easily available to broad and diverse groups of users, are now at hand. NESSTAR (Networked Social Science Tools and Resources), a joint development project between the Norwegian Social Science Data Services, UK Data Archive, and the Danish Data Archive, is an example of how these emerging technologies can be used. The project aims to develop a common interface on the Internet with the data holdings of a large number of providers and disseminators of statistical information worldwide. By means of NESSTAR, users are able to (a) locate multiple data sources across national boundaries, (b) browse detailed metadata describing these data, (c) analyze and visualize data online, and (d) download the appropriate subsets of data in one of a number of formats for local use. The system includes advanced user authentication procedures to prevent unauthorized use of data.
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