Role of Libraries in Data Curation
Academic libraries are increasingly expected to play a role in data curation, supporting the requirements of both the university and its researchers. Since there is seldom additional funding for this additional activity, we are involved in a variety of projects to explore low-barrier, meaningful ways in which libraries can begin to manage research datasets.
Current Projects
- Building a data management program -- explicating basic provision of data curation services
- Funding strategies for data curation -- exploring strategies for sustaining data curation services
This work is enabled by the assistance of the various working groups listed below.
Outputs
- Building Blocks: Laying the Foundation for a Research Data Management Program
- If You Build It, Will They Fund? Making Research Data Management Sustainable
- Starting the Conversation: University-wide Research Data Management Policy
- Keeping Research Data Safe; Phase 1 [pdf] and Phase 2 [pdf]
- Managing Research Data—from Goals to Reality Webinar
- Economics of Data Integrity Paper Describes Data Curation Sustainability
Related Work
- Dissemination Information Packages (DIPS) for Information Reuse (DIPIR)
- E-Research and Data: Opportunities for Library Engagement
Data Curation Funding Working Group
This group is exploring strategies for sustaining data curation services. It is investigating sources of funding and differences in various national contexts. Members include:
- Rachel Bruce, JISC
- Lucie Burgess, University of Oxford
- Todd Chavez, University of South Florida
- Joy Davidson, University of Glasgow
- Tim DiLauro, Johns Hopkins University
- Cynthia Hudson-Vitale, Washington University in St. Louis
- Leo Konstantelos, University of Melbourne
- Sara Mannheimer, Montana State University
- Holly Mercer, University of Tennessee
- Amy Nurnberger, Columbia University
- Christie Peters, University of Houston
- Amanda Rinehart, The Ohio State University
- Sally Rumsey, University of Oxford
- Perry Willett, California Digital Library
- Fei Yu, University of Queensland
Data Curation Building Blocks Working Group
This group is explicating basic provision of data curation services. It intends to offer advice about ways to get started in supporting data curation and point to ways to scale up as more resources become available. Members include:
- Cunera Buys, Northwestern University
- Ricc Ferrante, Smithsonian Institution
- Donna Gibson, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
- Laurence Horton, London School of Economics
- Ryan Johnson, University of California, San Diego
- Amy Nurnberger, Columbia University
- Reid Otsuji, University of California, San Diego
- Amy Rushing, University of Texas, San Antonio
- Jenna Ryan, Boston University
- Stephanie Wright, University of Washington
Data Curation Policy Working Group:
The data curation policy working group identified campus stakeholders and topics for libraries to raise with the other stakeholders on campus (IT, Office of Research, Academic departments, and so on) about the advantages of a campus-wide policy. Members included:
- Dan Tsang, chair — University of California, Irvine
- Anna Clements — University of St. Andrews
- Joy Davidson — DCC, University of Glasgow
- Mike Furlough — Pennsylvania State University
- Amy Nurnberger — Columbia University
- Sally Rumsey — University of Oxford
- Anna Shadbolt — University of Melbourne
- Claire Stewart — Northwestern University
- Beth Warner — Ohio State University
- Perry Willett — California Digital Library
The broad range of experience and perspectives that these members contributed to was invaluable, and resulted in the report Starting the Conversation: University-wide Research Data Management Policy.