Managing research data at an academic library in a developing country. (March 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Renwick, Shamin; Winter, Marsha; Gill, Michelle
• Other Names: Witt Michael guest-editor.; Horstmann Wolfram guest-editor.
• Is Part Of: IFLA journal. Volume 43:Number 1(2017)
• Page Start: 51
• Page End: 64
• Publication Date: 2017-03
• Subjects: Academic libraries -- Caribbean -- data management -- research data management -- research data service -- University of the West Indies; Comparative librarianship -- Periodicals; International librarianship -- Periodicals; Library cooperation -- Periodicals; Library science -- Periodicals; 020.9
• DOI: 10.1177/0340035216688703
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0340-0352

Abstract

Managing research data has become an issue for many universities. In the Caribbean, the St Augustine Campus Libraries at the University of the West Indies are keenly aware of the need to support researchers in this regard. The objectives of this study were to identify current practices in managing research data on the campus and to determine a possible role for the Campus Libraries. A pilot study of 100 researchers on the campus was conducted. Analysis of the 65 valid responses revealed that while researchers owned data sets they had little knowledge or experience in managing such. This low level of awareness is instructive and validates a role for the Campus Libraries to play in supporting researchers on campus. The Campus Libraries need to sensitize researchers about what data planning and managing research data entail as well as provide technical assistance with actual data storage.