Data Journals – Bridging the worlds of data and research

In less than one decade the open-access data journal Earth System Science Data (ESSD, a member of the Copernicus Open Access Publisher family) grew from a start-up venture into one of the highest-rated journals in global environmental science. Stimulated by data needs of the International Polar Year 2007-2008, ESSD now serves a very broad community of data providers and users, ensuring that users get free and easy access to quality data products and that providers gain full scientific credit for preparing, describing and sharing those products via a peer-reviewed data description article. Adopting technology and practices from research journals, ESSD moved data publication from an abstract concept to a working enterprise, bridging the worlds of data and research; several publishers now support data-sharing journals. ESSD serves as a prominent voice for, and useful example of, emphatic fully-free fully-open global data access. ESSD publishes comprehensive data descriptions, certifying quality and ensuring accessibility of the described data or database and allowing users to pursue subsequent analysis and interpretation with confidence. As ESSD works with data providers and data repositories to confront challenges and barriers, increasing submission numbers indicate that the concept of sharing data through formal publication meets a strong community need.