Professional ethics within the archaeological community require that access to primary data should be free at the point of use. The ADS therefore imposes a charge for depositing data based on the ADS Depositor Charging Policy. The Depositor Charging Policy explains the charging methods and rates explicitly and openly so that those preparing project applications or tenders for work are able to understand and justify appropriate costs to cover digital archiving.

The central tenets of the ADS Depositor Charging Policy are:

1. ADS online resources will be freely accessible.
2. A one-off payment collected at the time of deposit will be used to safeguard the long-term future of the digital data.
3. Archiving should be seen as part of the project publication process and planned from outset and recovered from the funding body.

The ADS Depositor Charging Policy is based on five elements of work:

• Management and Administration
• Ingest
• Curation
• Dissemination
• Storage and refreshment

Charges are made on a ‘per file’ basis with charges varying depending on the complexity of the file. The first 150 images (e.g., jpg, tif) of ADS-easy submissions are included in the ‘Start Up’ fee. Typically, submissions through ADS-easy are disseminated using a ‘Standard’ interface with a cost included in the ‘Start Up’ fee. The ADS costing calculator can be used to calculate the approximate cost for depositing datasets through ADS-easy. For larger projects or those wishing to deposit data outside of these services contact us to obtain a full quotation. Those requiring custom interfaces or those submitting grant applicants are encouraged to contact us so that appropriate costing information can be provided.

Full Policy

Version	Status	Created Date	Last Updated	Review	Availability
7.0	CURRENT	30 September 2009	01 April 2023	April 2024	Download
6.0	PREVIOUS	30 September 2009	09 August 2021	July 2022	Download
5.0	PREVIOUS	30 September 2009	23 March 2020	31 March 2021	Download