Starting the data conversation: informing data services at an academic health sciences library

Abstract

This paper previews the imminent flood of scientific data expected from the next generation of experiments, simulations, sensors and satellites. In order to be exploited by search engines and data mining software tools, such experimental data needs to be annotated with relevant metadata giving information as to provenance, content, conditions and so on. The need to automate the process of going from raw data to information to knowledge is briefly discussed. The paper argues the case for creating new types of digital libraries for scientific data with the same sort of management services as conventional digital libraries in addition to other data-specific services. Some likely implications of both the Open Archives Initiative and e-Science data for the future role for university libraries are briefly mentioned. A substantial subset of this e-Science data needs to archived and curated for long-term preservation. Some of the issues involved in the digital preservation of both scientific data and of the programs needed to interpret the data are reviewed. Finally, the implications of this wealth of e-Science data for the Grid middleware infrastructure are highlighted.

Research Data Management Among Life Sciences Faculty: Implications for Library Service

“…In their study of faculty needs and attitudes at Cal Poly, Scaramozzino et al (2012) found that while researchers recognize their need for RDM guidance and are open to instruction, they "do not perceive libraries as a source of data management expertise or as the best place to store academic research data" (p 362). Following interviews with biomedical researchers, Read et al (2015) concluded that "the biggest challenge that libraries face in building data management services is the researchers' perception that librarians do not understand research data and have no role to play in data management" (p. 133). Atmospheric science and engineering faculty at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign evidenced a "disconnect between awareness of services and their actual use" (Wiley and Mischo 2016, sec.…”

Assessing the National Library of Medicine’s Informationist Awards

“…Librarians from the NYU Health Sciences Library, which has received four informationist awards, scheduled research data discussions with research teams that they had identified using the NIH RePORTER database (Williams and Rambo 2015), an approach that others might consider. Informationists should also take time to create a thorough project plan, which might include data interviews (Read et al 2015), evaluation benchmarks, and a communication plan. Finally, in order to address the desire of some PIs for more computer science skills, informationists might wish to investigate professional development options for programming or data science.…”

Establishing a Research Data Management Service on a Health Sciences Campus

“…The survey design was based on questions used by Buys and Shaw (2015), Read et al (2015), Whitmire (2015), and DICE (2012). The survey was created using Qualtrics software and consisted of 23 questions regarding the RDM practices, perceptions, and needs of researchers and research support staff from the Colleges of Medicine, Nursing, and Pharmacy (n=307).…”