May I obtain a Digital Object Identifier (DOI) for historical USGS data created before October 1, 2016, when the USGS public-access requirements went into effect? [125]

Yes, you may obtain a DOI for these data. However, two circumstances must be considered, depending on the nature of the data — (1) data that have been previously published and released on a Science Center website prior to October 1, 2016, or available in print or other media and (2) unpublished (not previously released) data. For previously published data, no additional FSP review and approval documentation in IPDS is required because those data are grandfathered and exempt from the current requirements that went into effect October 1, 2016, as part of the USGS Public Access requirements. If there is an existing DOI, that DOI should be used. If no DOI exists, a DOI must be obtained using the USGS DOI Creation Tool. A metadata record about the data and containing that DOI is submitted to the Science Data Catalog. These data need to be available digitally from a landing web page to which the DOI is assigned and accessible from a USGS trusted or acceptable repository. Conversely, for unpublished data, the review and approval requirements as described in SM 502.8 must be followed prior to the data being released.