Data Curation/Management in Libraries and Possible Liaison Librarian Roles

This poster was peer-reviewed for inclusion at the Association of College and Research Libraries' 2013 Conference in Indianapolis. Date of presentation was April 11, 2013.This poster provides an example of a data preservation project at a public university. It includes examples of types of materials preserved as well as ways in which liaison librarians can become involved in this rapidly emerging area.

Data curation in avian ecology: a case study from both the scientist’s and librarian's viewpoints.

This case study of a data curation project, which is currently in progress, demonstrates how a team of scientists has worked, in partnership with librarians, to plan to preserve their scientific output in an institutional repository. In addition, this case study offers a unique perspective. The author worked as one of the scientists in this particular research group for 10 years and is currently a science librarian working on this data curation project. As a result, the author has been an “insider” in discussions in both the scientist and librarian camps and provides viewpoints from both the scientist and librarian lenses. The research group in this case study is the Ketterson/Nolan Research Group, a team of avian biologists in the Department of Biology Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana. This research team has focused on the ecology, behavior, and physiology of a songbird, the dark-eyed junco. The research output from this group’s long-term (thirty year) study on this single species of songbird has resulted in rich data sets of a variety of subjects (e.g. population demographics, behavioral observations, DNA records, and natural history). The research group and librarians are working toward more than just the preservation of data, but also the preservation of accompanying descriptive documents that place this large body of work into historical and educational contexts. Described within this case study are preliminary issues that the scientists and librarians have worked through as they have moved to preserve the research output in the library’s institutional repository

E-science and libraries (for non science librarians)

Information Technology is rapidly changing the world of scientific research. We have entered a new era of science. Some call it e-science, while others call it the 4th paradigm of science. Scientists, with the aid of technology, are continually amassing larger and more complex datasets. These data are accumulated are at an ever-accelerating rate. How will this information be organized? What, if any of it should be preserved for future use? How will it be preserved? If it is preserved, how will it be made publically accessible? The NSF and others describe the solving of problems such as these as some of the major challenges of this scientific generation. They also state that tackling these problems will take expertise from many fields, including library and information science. A recent movement of this new era of science is an increasing requirement for scientists to archive and make their research data public. For example, the National Science Foundation (as of January 18, 2011) is requiring scientists to articulate how they will accomplish these goals within data management plans that must be submitted with each grant proposal. What role can libraries play in this new realm of science? What role are libraries already playing? Several libraries have taken the lead in initiating efforts in assisting scientists with a variety of data management needs. This presentation will include a brief overview of the current trends as well as possible future directions in librarianship that this new era of science may lead

Integrating Chemical Information Skills in a Problem-Based Second Semester Organic Chemistry Laboratory toward the Synthesis of Adipic Acid

There is a continued need for laboratory experiments that integrally involve chemical information skills with designing and solving a laboratory research problem. Herein, we describe a learning experience where second semester organic chemistry laboratory students carry out their own research activities toward the synthesis of adipic acid. This lab was developed out of a strategic partnership between the University Library and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology. The primary objectives of this lab include integrating chemical information skills into a problem-based laboratory experiment, increasing scientific research ability for chemistry students by involving a research cycle, and bolstering student perceptions of research and laboratory work. The relevance, safety, cost, scalability, growth potential, and success of this learning experience are also discussed

Building more bonds and widening our reach: strategic expansion of chemical information skills instruction for undergraduates using the online environment

The Chemistry librarian at Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis worked closely with the Department of Chemistry over many years in developing a library educational curricular plan where chemical information skills instruction was inserted into strategic points of the chemistry undergraduate degree programs. This included library instruction in various courses (first-year intro course, cornerstone, lab courses, and capstone). Prior to COVID-19, this instruction, was almost entirely provided by the librarian face-to-face. In mid 2020, the pandemic forced the transition completely to the online environment. This presented numerous challenges but led to important opportunities as well. The librarian was not only able to successfully transfer the entire curricular plan to the online environment, but the transition allowed the librarian to increase instructional involvement in places that would not have been feasible in a face-to-face setting. Additionally, during the transition to online teaching, the librarian increased the quality of specific assignments by implementing the Transparency in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education (TILT) format. This resulted in learning experiences that were clearer in purpose to the students, and more equitable for students to achieve success. The end result was a more robust curricular approach to chemical information skills instruction

Assessment of Information Literacy Instruction Mapped to a STEM Degree Curriculum

The chemistry librarian at Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) collaborated with faculty from the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology in mapping information literacy and chemical information components into the curriculum for undergraduate degrees in Chemistry. The curriculum mapping involved scaffolding information skills instruction throughout the degree programs. Mixed assessment methods were used to determine whether or not the learning outcomes of the information literacy program were met. Assessment results were also used to identify gaps, identify student misconceptions, and revise future instructional sessions and learning activities in order to improve student learning

Web usability and library instruction in the sciences: using a web usability tool to assess the effectiveness of library instructional sessions

We investigated the use of Verify, a web usability tool, to assess the effectiveness of library instructional sessions in the sciences. First year undergraduate science students completed a pre and post usability test immediately before and after library instruction. The tool provided valuable insight into the ability of students to correctly navigate to items on the library website. Strengths and weaknesses of using the Verify Click Test as a library instructional assessment tool are discussed

Killing two birds with one stone: how to conduct UX research during library instruction

Several user experience (UX) studies that the authors conducted reveal that library instruction affects not only students’ web behavior, but also improves their digital user experience on the library website. Few studies have investigated this important connection. In 2014 and 2015 we incorporated a variety of UX study methods into library instructional sessions. For a portion of each instructional session, students were asked to complete a series of information seeking tasks while a usability tool tracked and recorded individual student behavior. As expected, the this provided valuable insight which directly influenced improvement of the website. Additionally, the usability tools served as an assessment tool of information literacy skills. This presentation introduces several possibilities of merging UX research with library instruction. Methods of two separate studies, tools used, brief results and possible applications are discussed including practical tips that can be applied to both conduct UX research and assess information literacy skills

Tools and workflows for building a collaborative, library-based data management service

As the research data management “grand challenge” continues to vex universities, academic libraries have emerged as a key player in data preservation and accessibility. Our university has taken a highly decentralized approach to addressing researchers’ data management needs, one that has required much ad hoc, inter-campus collaboration between regional campus libraries and departments. This presentation will describe the common technologies, workflows, and cross-campus partnerships we have leveraged in order to build a cohesive, library-based data management service that meets the needs of all researchers, regardless of digital curation experience