Over the past few months, researchers across disciplines have faced growing challenges related to the collection, accessibility and preservation of government data.
Executive Order 14222, which aims to “reduce overall Federal spending” and “reallocate spending to promote efficiency,” has triggered significant shifts in the government data landscape since February.
These changes in priorities, funding and public-facing platforms have led to altered or removed datasets, changes in indexing, interruptions in updates and, in some cases, the redirection of long-standing government information collections programs.
These developments have significant implications for research, potentially disrupting longitudinal studies, policy analysis and evidence-based work. Information resources sponsored by the Census Bureau, Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Education, Health and Human Services, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, among many others have already been affected.
WVU Libraries urges researchers to exercise caution when using long-established government data sources and scrutinize them carefully, even if you have used them previously. Indexing and inclusion criteria, as well as the collection practices themselves, are changing — potentially affecting the quality, completeness and availability of data. Researchers should critically assess sources, seek alternative repositories curated by academic institutions and professional organizations, and stay informed about evolving changes, particularly in your field.
These changes are ongoing and the Libraries does not yet know the full extent of how resources will be affected. While exact replacements for some datasets may not exist, our librarians are ready to help you investigate alternatives and understand developments as they evolve.