CARL at 50: Building National Research Data Management Capacity Through Portage
November 5, 2026 – As research practices evolved in the digital age, Canadian research libraries recognized the need for coordinated national support for managing, preserving, and sharing research data. In response, CARL launched the Portage Network in 2015 – a community-driven initiative that brought together library expertise, services, and infrastructure to advance research data management (RDM) across Canada.
The origins of Portage can be traced back to conversations within the research library community, including discussions at a CARL conference in 2013 about the need for a national approach to RDM. Following a successful community pilot project in 2014, CARL established Portage as a national network of experts working collaboratively to build RDM capacity and support researchers.
Led by a dedicated team and supported by experts from institutions across the country, Portage developed a range of resources, training materials, and services to support the research community. Its work contributed to the development of key national RDM infrastructure and tools, including the DMP Assistant, the Federated Research Data Repository (FRDR), and the national data discovery platform Lunaris. Portage also helped strengthen collaboration among regional data repositories, contributing to the development of the Borealis Dataverse Repository.
On April 1, 2021, Portage became fully integrated into the operations of the New Digital Research Infrastructure Organization (NDRIO), now known as The Digital Research Alliance of Canada (DRAC), where its work continues as part of DRAC’s Research Data Management team.
This transition marked a significant milestone for both Portage and CARL. What began as a library-led initiative had grown into a nationally recognized network supporting researchers across Canada, with more than 140 experts from 60 institutions contributing to the advancement of RDM practices, services, and infrastructure.
Portage remains a powerful example of what can be achieved through collaboration. By bringing together expertise from across the research library community, CARL helped lay the foundation for sustainable national research data management support that continues to benefit researchers today.
