Data Support Services Needs in the DIY Era

On March 17th, from 12:45 – 1:45 PM, Dylan Ruediger will moderate a panel on “Data Support Services in the DYI Era” at the RDAP Summit. For more information about the Summit, please see the RDAP website.

Abstract
This panel will highlight findings from a recent national study of the research practices of fresearchers working with big data. Our findings suggest that many researchers prefer to learn new skills and tools using internet resources and tutorials rather than the more structured, often in-person, workshops and trainings offered by university libraries. The reasons for these preferences vary: some researchers expressed concerns that library workshops were not advanced enough to meet their needs, while others valued the convenience of internet searches and external, web-based resources, which are seen as offering immediate answers to specific questions that arise during the research process. In an era when high-quality online materials and communities to support self-learning are readily available, what research support services can libraries offer to complement these offerings and respond to unmet needs? This roundtable brings together librarians from four research-intensive universities to discuss the emerging support needs of data-intensive researchers and consider how university libraries and other university units can most effectively meet them.