Abstract
ObjectivesThe University of Minnesota (UMN) Health Sciences Libraries conducted a needs assessment of public health researchers as part of a multi-institutional study led by Ithaka S+R. The aims of the study were to capture the evolving needs, opportunities, and challenges of public health researchers in the current environment and provide actionable recommendations. This paper reports on the data collected at the UMN site.MethodsParticipants (n=24) were recruited through convenience sampling. One-on-one interviews, held November 2016 to January 2017, were audio-recorded. Qualitative analyses were conducted using NVivo 11 Pro and were based on the principles of grounded theory.ResultsThe data revealed that a broad range of skill levels among participants (e.g., literature searching) and areas of misunderstanding (e.g., current publishing landscape, open access options). Overall, data management was an afterthought. Few participants were fully aware of the breadth of librarian knowledge and skill sets, although many did express a desire for further skill development in information science.ConclusionsLibraries can engage more public health researchers by utilizing targeted and individualized marketing regarding services. We can promote open science by educating researchers on publication realities and enhancing our data visualization skills. Libraries might take an institution-wide leadership role on matters of data management and data policy compliance. Finally, as team science emerges as a research priority, we can offer our networking expertise. These support services may reduce the stresses that public health researchers feel in the current research environment.
Highlights
Scientific research is in a stage of transition
University of Minnesota (UMN)’s Institutional Review Board (IRB) determined that this project did not qualify as human subjects research and did not require IRB review
Partnerships were formed with researchers from their own divisions, the School of Public Health (SPH), departments across UMN, and other universities, in order of frequency
Summary
Scientific research is in a stage of transition. Popular media can be skeptical about the validity of scientific research results [1,2,3,4], skepticism that is coupled with rapidly changing technologies that both challenge and advance current scientific methods [5,6,7]. Economic resources for academic research are declining, with the National Science Foundation reporting that university research and development has experienced the longest multiyear decline in funding since 1972 [8]. These recent shifts have been documented as challenges to the field of public health [9,10,11,12]. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have called for innovation in data collection, integration, analysis, and dissemination and a reimagining of how public health information is communicated to various audiences [14]
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