Resource procedures

Obtaining data

The Resource Management Agency of SADiLaR distributes both proprietary and open-source data. All data is subject to acceptance of licensing agreements. Available data can be obtained with the following procedure:

  1. Search through the available resources from the Language Resource Catalogue;
  2. Select a resource and review the metadata and license information for the resource;
  3. Complete the necessary documentation (e.g. accepting the license agreement); and
  4. Download the data by clicking on the resource item icon or the resource link.

Resources available at the RMA can be used for research projects, software development or educational purposes, depending on the licensing agreement that you use.

Submitting resources

SADiLaR also provides the facility for distributing both metadata and resources from third-party data providers. Resources can either be submitted to the Language Resource Index, where only metadata is provided for the resource(s), or to the Language Resource Catalogue, from where the data will be distributed. Both the Language Resource Index and Language Resource Catalogue require a minimum amount of metadata in order for the data to be integrated into the RMA’s repository. Currently only persons associated with established research or educational institutions, registered with eduGain (South Africa/International), are allowed to submit resources directly to the repository. If you want to deposit a resource, but are not associated with one of these institutions, please contact us to organise temporary access to the submission procedure.

Prior to distribution, all resources will firstly be evaluated to ensure the following conditions are met:

  • The resource is scientifically relevant to one of the communities served by SADiLaR;
  • Metadata is of sufficient quality to make the resource discoverable;
  • Proof of resource quality or evaluation procedure to ensure high quality resource; and
  • License information is available, and in line with SADiLaR policies;
  • Acceptance of the Resource Distribution Agreement.

If resources are rejected for inclusion in the Language Resource Catalogue, the item will still be listed in the Language Resource Index, with all relevant metadata.

Steps to submit resources:

  1. Navigate to the SADiLaR repository
  2. Click on the Login link in the top right hand corner.
  3. Log in using your academic credentials via your home institution. If your institution is not listed in the discovery service, please contact SADiLaR for alternative login options (support@sadilar.org)
  4. Click on the “Submissions” item in the left hand panel.
  5. Select “Start a new submission“.
  6. Select the “Language Resource Management Agency > Resource Index” Collection.
  7. Complete the metadata information as requested on the “Describe Item” page. A full description of all of the metadata fields is available here.
  8. index.php/guidelines-standards/metadata-guidelinesClick on the “Next” button.
  9. In the “Upload a File” page, select a file to upload to the repository if you want to submit the item to the Resource Catalogue for distribution. Please note that this should preferably be in one of the CLARIN or MPIPL recommended data types[1]. If data is in another format, the format should be documented explicitly and exhaustively as part of the submission.
  10. Click on the “Next” button.
  11. Verify that all the information is correct and correct any fields as required.
  12. Accept the distribution license. Items will only be added to the Repository once the license has been accepted.

Once these steps have been performed, the item will be reviewed and submitted to the Repository for distribution. 

If you experience any issues with the submission process, please contact us through the Contact Us section or by sending an email to support@sadilar.org

[1] Data that is another format will also be considered, but may cause a delay in the distribution process, as further checks and documentation may be required.