University of Wisconsin-Madison LabArchives ELN Policy for Research Use

Effective Date: August, 6 2025

1. Purpose

This policy clarifies the eligibility and appropriate use of the LabArchives Electronic Laboratory Notebook (ELN) for University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW-Madison) faculty, staff, and researchers. This policy emphasizes the primary intent of our current contract with LabArchives LLC, which is to support research activities and documentation.

2. Scope

This policy applies to all UW–Madison faculty, staff, researchers, and students who use the LabArchives ELN under the University’s research license with LabArchives LLC.

Use is limited to research activities. Students may use ELN when conducting research under faculty or staff supervision. Teaching faculty may use ELN for their own research but not for classroom or instructional purposes (see Section 5).

3. Eligibility for LabArchives ELN Accounts

LabArchives ELN accounts are provided to UW-Madison faculty, staff, and students primarily for the purpose of documenting and managing research projects and data.

4. Permitted Use

The LabArchives ELN platform is specifically intended for:

• Documentation of Research Projects: Recording experimental procedures, observations, results, and analyses. The service aligns with the University of Wisconsin-Madison Graduate School's Policy on Research Data Stewardship, Access, and Retention, as outlined in our Service Level Agreement with LabArchives LLC.
• Data Management: Storing and organizing research-related files, including raw data, processed data, images, and other digital assets.
• Intellectual Property Protection: Maintaining a verifiable and auditable record of research activities to support patent applications, publications, and other intellectual property needs.
• Collaboration on Research: Facilitating secure and auditable collaboration among research teams on shared projects.
• Compliance: Assisting researchers in meeting regulatory and funder requirements for data management and record-keeping.

To support appropriate use, the ELN Team may request user attestation during notebook setup, provide templates with research context prompts, and conduct periodic reviews to ensure alignment with this policy. These measures are supportive in nature and intended to uphold licensing terms and research integrity.

5. Non-Permitted Use (Classroom/Educational Emphasis)

While LabArchives offers various editions, the current UW-Madison contract does not include the full Classroom Edition or licenses specifically designated for general educational or instructional use.

• Classroom use, including assigning or collecting student work, instructional lab management, or general teaching purposes, is not permitted under the UW–Madison license.
• Faculty are welcome to explore the Classroom Edition on their own, but any use involving student-created notebooks will incur additional licensing costs.
• Faculty and instructors interested in educational use must coordinate directly with LabArchives to obtain appropriate access and pricing.

Note: The UW–Madison ELN team does not advise or support Classroom Edition use.

6. Research Projects in a Classroom Context

We recognize that some advanced courses or capstone projects may involve students conducting authentic research. In such cases:

• LabArchives ELN use is permissible only when the activity constitutes a genuine research project with the clear intent of generating new knowledge, and the student is functioning as a researcher under faculty supervision.
• Genuine research refers to a structured investigation aimed at contributing new knowledge, typically involving data collection, analysis, and oversight by a faculty mentor. Instructional or simulated activities conducted solely for learning purposes do not qualify
• The primary purpose of using the ELN in these instances must be for the documentation of research methodology and results, adhering to the principles outlined in Section 4.
• Instructors are encouraged to consult with the ELN Team to ensure planned use aligns with this policy and the terms of our institutional license.

Note: Use of ELN in course contexts will not be actively screened. Instructors are expected to assess whether student work qualifies as research and should contact the ELN team if unsure.

7. Data Management, Ownership, and Security

 All research data and entries created within LabArchives ELN are considered University data and are subject to UW–Madison data governance and retention policies. Users are responsible for ensuring their use aligns with applicable data stewardship requirements, including appropriate handling of sensitive data as defined in university policy.

8. Support

LabArchives LLC provides direct support to UW-Madison End Users via their Support Center, Monday-Friday, 6 AM - 5 PM PST. You can reach them at Phone: 760-579-0342 or E-mail: support@labarchives.com.

For questions regarding the appropriate use of LabArchives ELN for research, or to discuss specific needs for research projects that may involve students, please contact the ELN team.

For emergencies, including service outages, LabArchives LLC IT staff are on call 24/7.

9. Cost Awareness and Licensing Limits

Please be aware of the following:

• The LabArchives ELN is provided at no cost to UW–Madison researchers under our institutional license, for the purpose of core research documentation only.
• Any instructional or classroom use involving students—such as creating notebooks or completing coursework—requires separate licensing through LabArchives.
• LabArchives Inventory, Scheduler, Classroom Edition, and instructional modules are not included in the UW–Madison license. While the ELN Team does not actively support or configure these features, we may review usage patterns in collaboration with LabArchives to understand demand and inform future licensing decisions. Users who independently purchase access to these modules are responsible for their own support and compliance with vendor terms.
• If you are interested in these features, please contact LabArchives directly at support@labarchives.com or 760-579-0342