Connecting with Data Megan Sapp Nelson, Associate Professor of Library Sciences, Purdue University Libraries [email protected].

Connecting with Data

Megan Sapp Nelson, Associate Professor of Library Sciences, Purdue University [email protected]

“Interviewer: Is there a need for education in data management or curation for graduatestudents…?

Faculty: Absolutely, God yes… I mean we’re…We have the ability to accumulate hugedatasets now especially with the new tools that we have…

Interviewer: So, what would that education program look like, what would it consist of?What kind of things would be taught?

Faculty: Um, I would say, um, and I don’t really know actually, just how to do youmanage data? I mean, where do you put it? Um, how secret does it need to be? Or youknow, confidentiality things, ethics, probably um…I’m just throwing things out becauseI hadn’t really thought that out very well.” (Soil Scientist)

Carlson et al. 2011. Determining data information literacy needs: A study of students and research faculty. Portal: Libraries and the Academy 11(2). 629-657.

Is there a need…

For education in data management and curation for librarians?

What would that education program look like?

Independent learningPeer mentoringUniversity of Illinois Summer Data Curation InstituteConferences

What would it consist of?

Literature of data management and curationNeeds awareness of faculty membersDiscipline specific resources – standards, repositories, best practices, etc. Funding agency specific resources – Data management plan expectations, required repository deposit, etc. Data management skills

“…The way we [teach these skills], is generally speaking, we just say, ‘Well, go learn it and [the graduate students] just figure it out. And the problem with just figuring it out is every grad student is going to do it a little differently. You know, there’s no standard so interoperability or even just trying to preserve it long term or even knowing how to hand it off… It’s difficult to do that once the student expert that made those programs in that data has left.” (Electrical Engineer)

Carlson et al. 2011. Determining data information literacy needs: A study of students and research faculty. Portal: Libraries and the Academy 11(2). 629-657.

Thinking Out Loud

Distance learning courses in data management and curation for librarians already in liaison positions with deliverables that are applied at the department level.

Taught by practicing data managers with assistance from library school faculty in data management programs.