The following are the Avian Knowledge Network’s Data Sharing Levels. These are applicable to each and every record in the network individually, so that different records may have different sharing levels. Data published under one of the five Data Sharing Levels below are stored in the AKN’s primary data warehouses. The warehouses serve as the primary archives of all AKN data. No applications (tools) connect directly to the warehouses, but data from a warehouse are ported to separate data views created specifically to optimize the performance of the individual tool (i.e. Data Catalog, Data Downloader, Phenology Tool, Observations Map and node-specific mapping tools, or the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s Information for Planning and Consultation (IPaC) tool) that uses it. Data owners can specify how their data can be used in the data views, with the option that their data are fully hidden/restricted (not exposed at all). To learn about how to assign data access levels to a record, see the video tutorial and help document.
AKN Data Sharing Levels
RAW – Data initially input into the AKN that has not been reviewed for accuracy. This data cannot be used in any analysis and is not available in the AKN Data Warehouse for download or the Data Catalog. Data are waiting either Biologist or Project Leader approval to be elevated to CLEAN. Only the contributing institution has access to data at this level.
CLEAN – Data input into the AKN was reviewed for accuracy and accepted as valid. The data will be copied into the AKN Data Warehouse for download by those affiliated with the project via the Data Downloader. The data are also available for use by the AKN Analyst Tool. The data are waiting Project Leader approval for elevation to higher sharing levels. Only project members have access to data at this level.
APPROVED – Data are available for use by the contributing institution (those associated with a project at the Analyst, Biologist, and Project Leader roles). Data are copied into the AKN Data Warehouse for download by those affiliated with the project.
RESTRICTED – Information about the project associated with the records is made available in the Data Catalog. However, information about restricted records is not shared with the Data Catalog or any other AKN tools. Only the contributing institution has access to data at this level.
LEVEL 1 – Metadata about Level 1 records are made available in the Data Catalog, including contact information, locations, survey methods, species surveyed. However, records are not used in any other AKN tools. Only project members have access to data at this level.
LEVELS 2-4 – Metadata are made available in the Data Catalog, including contact information, locations, survey methods, species surveyed. Data are used in online publicly available tools (Observations Map and node-specific mapping tools, Phenology Tool, and IPaC). IWMM protocol data at Level 2 and higher are available for download and use in research efforts by the IWMM Steering Committee without permission.
LEVEL 5 – Full public accessibility. Metadata are made available in the Data Catalog, including contact information, locations, survey methods, species surveyed. Data are used in online publicly available tools (Observations Map and node-specific mapping tools, Phenology Tool, and IPaC). Common data fields from all observation types and protocols are available for download via the AKN Data Downloader without permission. Data at this level can be acquired without restriction by researchers requiring data to perform analyses.