Librarian’s perception on data librarianship core concepts: a survey of motivational factors, challenges, skills and appropriate trainings platforms

Abstract

Purpose Data librarianship, or data-driven librarianship, is the combination of information science, data science and e-science fields and is gaining gradual importance in the library and information science (LIS) profession. Hence, this study investigates the data librarianship core concepts (motivational factors, challenges, skills and appropriate training platforms) to learn and successfully launch data librarianship services.Design/methodology/approach A survey method was used and the data were collected through online questionnaire. Purposive sampling method was applied and 132 responses were received with 76 respondents from the public and 56 from the private sector universities of Pakistan. The statistical package for social sciences (SPSS version 25) was used, and descriptive and inferential statistics were applied to analyzed the data.Findings LIS professionals understand the importance of data-driven library services and perceive that such services are helpful in evolving the image of the library, helping with the establishment of institutional data repositories/data banks, developing data resources and services for library patrons and especially researchers, and receiving appreciation and acknowledgment from the higher authorities. The major challenges that emerged from the data were: missing data policies, limited training opportunities for data librarianship roles, no additional financial benefits, lack of infrastructure and systems, lack of organizational support for the initiation of data-driven services, and lack of skills, knowledge and expertise. Data librarianship is in its early stages in Pakistan, and consequently, the LIS professionals are lacking basic, advanced and technical data-driven skills.Research limitations/implications The policy, theoretical and practical implications describe an immediate need for framing data policies. Such policies will help the libraries or any other relevant entities to store the data and assign metadata and documentation in such a way that it is easy to retrieve and reusable for others.Originality/value This is the first study in Pakistan to investigate the perceptions of LIS professionals about data librarianship core concepts: motivational factors, challenges, skills and appropriate training platforms to grasp data-driven skills and successfully launch library services.

Hong Kong academic librarians' attitudes toward robotic process automation

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Equip public managers with data analytics skills: a proposal for the new generation of MPA/MPP programs with data science track

“…Network of schools of public policy, affairs, and administration (NASPAA), an international accreditation association for graduate-level public administration programs, also called for a discussion of their roles in developing a new curriculum model for Master of Public Administration (MPA) and Master of Public Policy (MPP) for incorporating data science into the curriculum in 2019 (McFarland et al, 2019). Inspired by the call from NASPAA and similar recent trends in Library and Information Science (Ashiq and Warraich, 2022;Yew et al, 2022;Lo et al, 2017b;Chiu and Ho, 2022a, b), we present this work to address it by conducting research using a multifaceted approach to develop an MPA/MPP curriculum with a data science track by identifying the core areas and elective areas needed.…”

“…, 2019). Inspired by the call from NASPAA and similar recent trends in Library and Information Science (Ashiq and Warraich, 2022; Yew et al. , 2022; Lo et al.…”