Research data services in veterinary medicine libraries

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Objective: The study investigated veterinary medicine librarians’ experience with and perceptions of research data services. Many academic libraries have begun to offer research data services in response to researchers’ increased need for data management support. To date, such services have typically been generic, rather than discipline-specific, to appeal to a wide variety of researchers. Methods: An online survey was deployed to identify trends regarding research data services in veterinary medicine libraries. Participants were identified from a list of contacts from the MLA Veterinary Medical Libraries Section. Results: Although many respondents indicated that they have a professional interest in research data services, the majority of veterinary medicine librarians only rarely or occasionally provide data management support as part of their regular job responsibilities. There was little consensus as to whether research data services should be core to a library’s mission despite their perceived importance to the advancement of veterinary research. Furthermore, most respondents stated that research data services are just as or somewhat less important than the other services that they provide and feel only slightly or somewhat prepared to offer such services. Conclusions: Lacking a standard definition of “research data” and a common understanding of precisely what research data services encompass, it is difficult for veterinary medicine librarians and libraries to define and understand their roles in research data services. Nonetheless, they appear to have an interest in learning more about and providing research data services.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)305-308
Number of pages4
JournalJournal of the Medical Library Association
Volume104
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 2016

Keywords

  • Data collection
  • Data curation
  • Librarians
  • Library science
  • Library services
  • Veterinary medicine

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Health Informatics
  • Library and Information Sciences

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