Electronic lab notebook (ELN) toolkit
This toolkit is intended to assist in the use of an electronic lab notebook at IU School of Medicine.
Data Services Librarian
About this guide
This toolkit is intended to guide research labs interested in transitioning to use of an electronic lab notebook. This resource includes information about:
- Getting started - information about how to set up your LabArchives account using your IU username/password as well as links to standing training sessions.
- About LabArchives - the electronic lab notebook (ELN) system supported by the IU School of Medicine and freely available to IUSM affiliates for research purposes.
- Organizing a notebook - best practices and strategies for managing information and data in and outside of the notebook.
- Managing data in a notebook - related to data management, records retention, and identifying support at IUSM.
Frequently asked questions
- Can I count on IUSM providing free access to LabArchives?Yes, access to LabArchives is currently funded by IUSM Research Affairs. The IU School of Medicine is committed to providing ELN access to researchers. In the future, if there is a need to change platforms and move to another ELN system, current users will be contacted and guided through the transition process.
- What if I want to use another ELN?The IU School of Medicine does not support free access to another ELN at this time. If you are using or would like to use another ELN system, please refer to the Sharing Institutional Data with Third Parties guidance.
- Does LabArchives work differently on a Mac or PC?LabArchives is cloud-based and accessible via the internet so there's no difference in functionality on a Mac or PC. There are preferred browsers - specifically Firefox, Chrome, and Safari. Microsoft Edge is fully functional as well, but there may be some display issues.