Librarians in the Lab: Toward Radically Re-Engineering Data Curation Services at the Research Coalface

Abstract

ABSTRACTThis article presents a case study where students aspiring to professional library roles who need to understand diverse disciplinary research data practices are placed in a laboratory with domain researchers during an immersive module within graduate MLIS programs at the School of Information Sciences (iSchool), University of Pittsburgh. A qualitative analysis of evaluation commentary from faculty researchers and MLIS students demonstrates their positive bilateral learning experiences. The potential extension of the immersive model for the delivery of research data services directly to researchers at their point of need is explored and a connection made with the established concept of an informationist, as a medical library specialist working in a clinical setting. The re-engineering challenges for academic libraries in operationalizing the immersive model for research data services are articulated, together with the challenges for iSchools in building workforce capacity and capability for immersive team science.