The following are some of the entities that generate or collate data and/or statistics.
- Government agencies
Agencies within the U.S. government (eg, NASA, Census) produce a wealth of data and statistics that are free, available online, and available in many different formats. Access through Google, library website, and many other avenues.
- Local, National, and International Organizations
Organizations (eg, World Health Organization, American Psychological Association) also provide statistics and data in many formats. Much of it is free, but there may be fees depending on the organization. Access through Google, library databases, and many other avenues.
- Researchers
Researchers, including university faculty, may publish their data and statistics in articles, books, or deposit to a data repository. Access through library catalog, databases, Google Scholar, data repositories, personal request, and many other avenues.
- Corporations
Various companies take existing data from many sources and compile them in elaborate ways for users. These sources usually have a steep cost. Examples of databases the library subscribes to for you include market research databases (Mintel Reports) and company and industry databases (Thomson One).
- Data archives
There are resources that provide data and/or statistics on a broad range of topics from a broad range of sources. For example, the ODU Libraries provide access to ICPSR (Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research) for statistics in all the political and social sciences from government, academic and private organizations worldwide.
