Academic librarians and research data services: preparation and attitudes

Purpose This study aims to investigate the perceptions of academic librarians regarding research data services (RDS) in academic library environments. This study also examines a range of challenges in RDS from the perspectives of academic librarians. Design/methodology/approach A nationwide online survey was administered to academic librarians engaged in data services at research universities around the USA. The collected survey responses were analyzed quantitatively using descriptive statistics, hierarchical clustering and multidimensional scaling. Findings Academic librarians perceived that consultation services would be more valuable to users than technical services in offering RDS. Accordingly, skills associated with consultation services such as instructional skills and data management planning were perceived by participants to be more important. The results revealed that academic libraries would need to seek collaboration opportunities with other units on campus to develop and offer RDS, especially technical services. Originality/value This study contributes to the existing body of research on the topic of data services in research universities. The study investigated various types of specific professional competencies and used clustering analysis to identify closely associated groups of service types. In addition, this study comprehensively examined both relevant resources for and barriers to RDS.

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Building professional development opportunities in data services for academic librarians

IFLA Journal ◽

10.1177/0340035216678237 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 43 (1) ◽

pp. 65-80 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Suzanna Conrad ◽

Yasmeen Shorish ◽

Amanda L. Whitmire ◽

Patricia Hswe

Keyword(s):

Professional Development ◽

Data Management ◽

Management Practices ◽

Research Data ◽

Academic Librarians ◽

Data Services ◽

Research Libraries ◽

Research Data Management ◽

Needs Assessment Survey ◽

Insight Into

Research data management represents a significant professional development area for academic librarians – significant for its growing importance to the profession, since researchers are increasingly expected to comply with research data management requirements, and for the extent of competence needed by librarians to support researchers in research data management practices and plans. This article recounts how the Association of College and Research Libraries is fostering professional development opportunities in research data management. The authors describe two key endeavors: (1) the development and deployment of a needs assessment survey, which allowed insight into the types of librarians expressing the most need; and (2) planning and implementation of a pre-conference workshop for ACRL 2015, intended to prototype a future professional development offering. The article concludes by discussing additional assessment that was done following the workshop and how the pre-conference laid the foundation for proposing a “roadshow” for research data management, similar to what the Association of College and Research Libraries sponsors for scholarly communication.

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Research Data Services in US Higher Education: A Web-Based Inventory

10.18665/sr.314397 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Jane Radecki ◽

Rebecca Springer

Keyword(s):

Higher Education ◽

Research Data ◽

Web Based ◽

Data Services

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A survey of the state of research data services in 35 U.S. academic libraries, or "Wow, what a sweeping question"

Research Ideas and Outcomes ◽

10.3897/rio.5.e48809 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 5 ◽

Author(s):

Matthew Murray ◽

Megan O'Donnell ◽

Mark Laufersweiler ◽

John Novak ◽

Betty Rozum ◽

...

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Academic Libraries ◽

The United States ◽

Research Data ◽

The State ◽

Executive Summary ◽

Data Repositories ◽

Data Services ◽

Survey Questions ◽

State Of Research

This report shares the results of a Spring 2018 survey of 35 academic libraries in the United States in regard to the research data services (RDS) they offer. An executive summary presents key findings while the results section provides detailed information on the answers to specific survey questions related to data repositories, metadata, workshops, and polices.

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Wharton Research Data Services (WRDS)

The Charleston Advisor ◽

10.5260/chara.22.3.46 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 22 (3) ◽

pp. 46-51

Author(s):

Breezy Silver

Keyword(s):

Graduate Students ◽

Research Data ◽

Complex Data ◽

Limited Data ◽

Data Resource ◽

Data Services ◽

Related Data ◽

Subject Areas ◽

Data Coverage ◽

Using Data

Wharton Research Data Services (WRDS) is a unique, complex data resource popular with academia but also utilized in government agencies, nonprofits, and corporations. It contains financial and accounting related data and tools but also includes limited data from some other subject areas like healthcare and marketing. WRDS provides the interface to access datasets with limited datasets included and then individual datasets may also be purchased. WRDS makes accessing and using data easier for users, but it also depends on users having enough experience in the field to be familiar with the various vendors and data coverage. Within academia, faculty and graduate students may have an easier time even though undergraduates are permitted access. While it is complicated, it does ease some of the burdens of working with data. Because it is focused on data, it allows users to find and use data with less limitations that users may encounter with regular business databases.

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Research Data Management Services in Tertiary Institutions in Zimbabwe

Advances in Library and Information Science - Handbook of Research on Knowledge and Organization Systems in Library and Information Science ◽

10.4018/978-1-7998-7258-0.ch022 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 419-437

Author(s):

Josiline Phiri Chigwada

Keyword(s):

Data Management ◽

Research Data ◽

Management Policy ◽

Online Questionnaire ◽

Tertiary Institutions ◽

Data Services ◽

Security Issues ◽

Research Data Management ◽

Survey Monkey ◽

Management Services

The chapter seeks to analyze how librarians in Zimbabwe are responding to increasing librarian roles in the provision of research data services. The study sought to ascertain librarians' awareness and preparedness to offer research data management services at their institutions and determine support required by librarians to effectively deliver research data services. Participants were invited to respond to the survey, and survey monkey was used to administer the online questionnaire. The collected data was analyzed using content analysis, and it was thematically presented. Findings revealed that librarians in Zimbabwe are aware of their role in research data management, but the majority are not prepared to offer research data management services due to a lack of the required skills and resources. Challenges that were noted include lack of research data management policy at institutional levels and information technology issues such as obsolescence and security issues.

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In the News

College & Research Libraries News ◽

10.5860/crln.81.6.265 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 81 (6) ◽

pp. 265

Author(s):

David Free

Keyword(s):

Machine Learning ◽

Social Justice ◽

Open Access ◽

Learning Analytics ◽

Streaming Media ◽

Research Data ◽

Review Committee ◽

Data Services ◽

Systems Learning ◽

Digital Pedagogy

Welcome to the June 2020 issue of C&RL News. Every two years, ACRL’s Research Planning and Review Committee produces their “Top trends in academic libraries.” The 2020 edition discusses change management; evolving integrated library systems; learning analytics; machine learning and AI; the state of open access and research data services; social justice, critical librarianship, and critical digital pedagogy; streaming media; and student wellbeing. Many thanks to the committee for pulling together this important survey of the current landscape of academic and research librarianship.

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