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What is a Data Library?

Data Library: A hosted folder that CartoScope uses as a dataset catalog source. It contains a datasets.parquet metadata index alongside the actual processed datasets, which CartoScope reads to populate the Datasets browse view.

What data library options do CartoScope support?

CartoScope lets you load and switch between multiple libraries:

  • Default Library (CartoStore): Out of the box, CartoScope is connected to CartoStore — the official public data repository maintained by the CartoScope team. CartoStore contains ready-to-use high-resolution spatial datasets across diverse species, tissues, and technologies.
  • Custom Libraries: You can register additional libraries to browse and manage your own datasets from the same interface. A custom library is typically a folder you control, hosted on AWS S3 or any HTTPS-accessible server.

Why use custom libraries?

  • Unified Discovery: Browse your private datasets alongside public ones in the same table interface.
  • Quick Toggling: Switch active libraries in one click via the dropdown in the dataset browser.
  • Project Organization: Add multiple libraries to keep datasets organized by project, lab, or institution.

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