Swimming Upstream: Assessing the Library’s Role in

Managing the River of Data on Campus

Christie Peters | Science & Engineering Librarian

Anita R. Dryden | Digital & Web Projects Fellow

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Forthcoming Article…

Peters, Christie, and Anita Riley Dryden. “Assessing the academic library’s role in campus-wide research data management: A first step at the University of Houston.” Science & Technology Libraries 30(4): ?-?.

Question 1

Has your library formally assessed data management needs on your campus?– Yes, we have completed an assessment– Yes, we are currently conducting an assessment– No, but we would like to conduct an assessment– No, we have no plans to assess

Poll: Has your library formall assessed data m...

Lack of Administrative Support

DATA: A Four-Letter Word???

Lack of Infrastructure

Lack of Qualified Personnel

Campus Relationships

Faculty Relationships

Question 2

What is the biggest barrier for your library in providing data management support for your campus? – Lack of administrative support– Lack of qualified personnel – Lack of infrastructure– Faculty Relationships– Relationships with other campus units

Poll: What would be the biggest barrier for yo...

Overcoming DATA fear

1.Impending NSF Data Management Plan (DMP) requirements – Jan. 18, 2011

2.Call for Tier One Project proposals within Liaison Services – Summer, 2010– UH Plan for National Recognition

How we did it at UH Libraries

Question 3

Is there a unit on your campus other than the library that is handling data management needs?– Yes, and it is collaborating with the library – Yes, but there is no collaboration with the library– No, the library is handling all data management

support on campus– No, there is no effort on campus to address data

management needs at this time

Poll: Is there a unit on your campus, other th...

Working with the Division of Research

DOR was overworked and understaffed!

DOR was concerned about being prepared to provide DMP expertise for researchers

DOR was eager to work with the library!!!

How did the DOR help?

The DOR provided the project team with a list of all NSF and NIH grant-funded projects

for fiscal year 2010.

What were we looking for?• Large grants• Both individual & group projects• A wide cross-section of disciplines

Campus-wide Data Management Assessment A Pilot Study

Who did we interview?

– Targeted: PIs of 9 NSF & 5 NIH funded projects– Completed Interviews: PIs of 7 NSF & 3 NIH projects – Additional Interviews: 1 Co-PI, 1 Post-Doc, 1 RA

Data Assessment Interview Table

Question 4What type of data support services does your library offer now?

a) Data storage & preservationb) Assistance selecting data for preservationc) Assistance meeting funding agency requirementsd) Information about data management best practicese) Assistance finding data management resourcesf) Tools for sharing research data

Poll: What kind of data services does your lib...

UH – A Decentralized Campus

An opportunity?

• There is general confusion about what data support services are available on campus

• The library is taking a leading role in assessing data management needs on campus

Question 5Are you familiar with any of the following toolkits?– Purdue Data Curation Profile• http://www4.lib.purdue.edu/dcp

– DCC/JISC Data Asset Framework• http://www.data-audit.eu/

– Digital Repository Audit Method Based on Risk Assessment (DRAMBORA)• http://www.repositoryaudit.eu/

– Assessing Institutional Digital Assets (AIDA)• http://aida.jiscinvolve.org/wp/about-2/

Poll: Are you familiar with any of the followi...

Data Assessment Instrument

• Instrument adapted from GA Tech– GA Tech instrument was adapted from JISC/DDC

Data Asset Framework, version 1.8– Minor tweaks for UH environment– 30 total questions

Interview Procedures

Face-to-face interviews– Met with subject in location of their choosing– Provided paper copy of the instrument– Guides subject through questions & recorded

responses• Subject encouraged to respond on their paper copy

– Advised subjects to be candid in their responses– Avoided offering specific services or solutions – Compiled responses & team member notes

Question 6

What information do you feel is essential to understanding data needs?– General project information– Project and data lifecycles– Type and volume of data generated– Who manages the data – How data is organized– Whether/how data is shared

Poll: What information do you feel is essentia...

UH Instrument - Overview

• Project Information• Data Lifecycle/Workflow• Data Characteristics• Data Management• Data Organization• Data Use

Project Information

• Project – Title– Description– Status

• Team members– Institutional affiliation– Departmental affiliation– Role

Data Lifecycle / Workflow

• Describe any pre-collection data planning

• Describe major project milestones / stages

Data Characteristics

• What file formats does the project generate?

• What is the expected approximate size of project data?

• Describe the associations between particular formats and milestones / stages of project

Data Management

• Who is responsible?

• Where is the data stored?

• What are your backup practices?

• What is your storage duration?

• Do you have a formal DMP in place?

Data Organization

• How is the project data organized?

• Do you use any specific metadata conventions?

• Do you consider your methods of data organization sufficient for others in your field?

Data Use

• Who has access to project data?

• Who could potentially have access to this data?

• How is project data shared?

• If data is not shared, why?

Question 7

What type of data support services do you envision your library offering in the future?

a) Data storage & preservationb) Assistance selecting data for preservationc) Assistance meeting funding agency requirementsd) Information about data management best practicese) Assistance finding data management resourcesf) Tools for sharing research data

Poll: What type(s) of data support services wo...

Support for Data Management

Questions

Preliminary Findings

• UH Campus Researchers are not currently looking for server space or data storage

• What they do need…– Assistance with funding agency DMP requirements– Grant proposal process– Finding data-related services on campus– Publication Support– Targeted research assistance attendant to data

management

Project Expansion• Establish a data working group within the library• Host a luncheon for campus facilities providing

data services• Expand assessment• Science & Engineering• Regardless of funding agency

• Social Sciences & Humanities• Involvement of SS & H Librarians• Data management information literacy