# Determine Researchers Status 

## Overview 

Databrary stores and shares data that are available to the public.
But most of the library's holdings are restricted to researchers who have secured authorization from their home institution or are affiliated with a researcher who has authorization.

This extra step ensures that sensitive and identifiable data are shared only with people who have formal authorization to access it, who have research ethics training, and who are affiliated with institutions that have agreed to monitor data use.

Authorized Investigators and Affiliates are responsible for ensuring that their use of Databrary complies with the terms of their Institutional Agreement and with the Databrary Terms of Use. Additionally, they mainly differ in the following ways:

- Authorized Investigators may request access to restricted data and may share data with Affiliates and Authorized Investigators.

- Affiliates may request access to restricted data but may not share data with other users.


## Determining status 

To determine what level of access you can request from Databrary, see the following.

I am eligible to become an **Authorized Investigator** if:

-   I can conduct independent research;

-   I can submit funding proposals as the lead investigator;

-   I have Principal Investigator (PI) status or a tenure-track faculty position at my Institution;

-   My Institution maintains or uses an ethics board to review and approve research involving human subjects (or animals where relevant); 

-   I have current training that addresses research ethics with human subject (e.g. [CITI](https://about.citiprogram.org/) training);

-   I would like to reuse or upload data to Databrary. I need to read and sign a Databrary Access agreement and its' Annexes (I, II, III) before I may be authorized.

-   I can sponsor lab staff/students that are working on my projects to see my data or others data on Databrary.

I am eligible to become an **Affiliate** if:

-   I conduct research under the supervision of a Principal Investigator an Authorized Investigator's sponsorship; 

-   I am a student, research staff, or post-doctoral researcher.

-   I have current training that addresses research ethics with human subject (e.g.[CITI](https://about.citiprogram.org/) training.


::: callout-important
If you are eligible for **Affiliate** status, your supervisor or research sponsor must register as an Authorized Investigator <u>BEFORE</u> you may request affiliate access from them.
Communicate with your sponsor about your request.
:::


