Assessing a Patron-Driven, Library-Funded Data Purchase Program

Commercial data in academic business research: A study on use and access

“…Due to the lack of traditional collection development tools, librarians often purchase data in response to a patron request. Several Big Ten Academic Alliance (BTAA) libraries have worked to manage data purchase requests by establishing formal processes, including patron-driven data purchase and grant programs at University of Michigan and University of Illinois, and a pilot to establish internal workflows for purchasing data sets at Ohio State University (University of Michigan Library, 2019; Sheehan & Hogenboom, 2017;Foster et al, 2019).…”

“…Many data vendors may be unfamiliar with the needs and philosophies of academic libraries, and if they do serve the academic market, they are likely more accustomed to working with individual researchers and departments who are only looking for access for their own use rather than acquiring access for the entire institution as a library would. Because individuals and departments may purchase data in this decentralized manner, universities may end up duplicating data purchases across the university; with the library in the purchasing role, there is an opportunity to limit duplication while also equalizing access to data resources for students and faculty across the university (Foster et al, 2019;Sheehan & Hogenboom, 2017).…”

Piloting the Purchase of Research Data Sets as Collections: Navigating the Unknowns

“…Assessing the library-funded Data Purchase Program that the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign implemented in 2010, Beth Sheehan and Karen Hogenboom describe both the process for faculty and students to request the purchase of small data sets and report findings from interviews with some of the applicants. 8 The authors noted several challenges in acquiring data sets, especially the long wait from initial request to availability of the data set, if purchased. However, feedback from participants demonstrated appreciation for a program that addressed a gap in funding for researchers on campus.…”

“…Among the benefits, they highlighted providing a central location for data licenses and preventing duplicate purchases of data sets. 9 Anita Foster and Gene Springs detailed outcomes from a data purchase pilot program at The Ohio State University Libraries covering a single fiscal year, including modifications to acquisition workflows for data sets. Foster and Springs highlighted challenges in licensing these resources for the entire campus community.…”