SPEC Kit 334: Research Data Management Services · 103
We see the key library role as collaborating with researchers earlier in the research process, to provide guidance in
data collection and documentation that will best facilitate future accessibility of datasets, including, but not limited to,
deposit at domain-specific or institutional repositories.
We see the library as playing a central role in supporting research data management, particularly in the organizational
aspect.
We’ve always supported access and preservation. The fact that it’s now bytes instead of books shouldn’t change the
service levels we offer.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
67. Please enter any additional information that may assist the authors’ understanding of your
library’s research data management services. N=21
Although we have ten members on our Data Management Committee, only two of us have data management
responsibilities formally in our job descriptions. It is difficult to make progress this way.
Critical for us is to avoid recreating the mistake we collectively made with institutional repositories, i.e., every institution
setting up its own little silo. Data management needs to happen at much higher levels, at least regional if not national/
international. Our intent is not to build an empty castle in our own yard.
In the last two and half years, the university has hired a new president, provost, vice president of research, and dean of
arts and sciences. As a result of the changes in senior level management of the university, it has been difficult to gain
traction for the support of research data management services. Moreover, the libraries believe the only way to move
forward with RDM services is in partnership with the OVPR, which has a strong focus on a number of other issues due
to administrative level changes. Consequently, it has been difficult to push forward with a strong RDM agenda by the
libraries.
Library is relatively new to research data services most services currently under development.
Our data management services are new and will evolve once the Data Librarian starts in July.
Our library is currently doing some strategic planning around digital content. We hope to leverage our work to
demonstrate that the Data Working Group needs additional resources to maintain and expand the level of services that
we currently provide.
Ours is a fairly decentralized RDM and will need to be a collaborative venture between the library, Office of Research,
individual faculties, provost office and (possibly) central IT.
The library collaborates with the Office of Research Services to aid researchers.
The Libraries’ Head of Curation and Preservation Services, and Director of Research Head/Scientist, Program for
Information Science are both very involved in national and international research projects related to digital curation and
preservation, and research data management services.
The library’s RDM services are in the planning stages and the development of RDM services and broader e-science
initiatives are included in the library’s five-year strategic plan. As you can see in our survey responses, some elements of
RDM support are currently being offered through existing data expertise in the library.
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