Research data management and services: resources for novice data librarians

Research in many academic fields today generates large amounts of data. This data not only must be processed and analyzed by the researchers, but also managed throughout the data lifecycle. Recently, some academic libraries have begun to offer research data management (RDM) services to their communities. Often this service starts with helping faculty write Data Management Plans now required by the many federal granting agencies. Libraries with more developed services may work with researchers as they decide how to archive and share data once the grant work is complete. As RDM services become more common, academic librarians are often asked by their library administrators to start offering these services locally. Most librarians have no experience in managing research data at any point in the research lifecycle. They need ways to educate themselves on the job through targeted professional development programs and self-directed training. The purpose of this article is to point librarians to a variety of Internet resources, including training materials, courses, and social and online communities, to get up to speed on RDM