HERITAGE ALLIANCE · DATA & KNOWLEDGE
Understand access conditions and prepare an enquiry. Heritage receives enquiries through its existing contact form; access depends on the data owner’s decision and any required agreements.
The source describes three broad access models. Actual requirements are determined per dataset; examples are illustrative and are not a grant of access.
Aggregate statistics, reference resources or teaching material may be openly available under stated terms.
More detailed aggregate resources may require approved research use.
Sensitive or individual-level resources require specific owner approval.
The source’s five-stage model is guidance. Begin with the local contact form; the owner will confirm the applicable process.
Review catalogue metadata and identify the resources needed to answer your research question.
Provide the dataset title, institution, purpose, methods and justification through the Heritage contact form.
The responsible owner confirms ethical approvals, legal requirements and any committee review.
Complete any required data-use agreement, security conditions and attribution commitments.
The owner communicates the decision and, where approved, the appropriate access method. No access is granted by submitting an enquiry.
Use data only for the purpose authorised by the owner.
Do not attempt to identify people from anonymised or pseudonymised records.
Follow disclosure and publication-review conditions before release.
Acknowledge the data owner, source, contributors, licence and documented funding.
Do not share resources with third parties without the required permission.
Use the approved environment and report concerns through the responsible institution.
An enquiry is the first step, not an approval. Do not include patient records or sensitive clinical details in the contact form.