Research data storage and management: library staff participation in showcasing research data at the University of Adelaide

Abstract

Moving into a digital world, libraries need to identify new ways in which library services and expertise can be delivered to a more diverse community of users. The Research Data Storage and Management Project, conducted by the University of Adelaide in 2011–2012, took library services out of the library and into the faculties, placing library staff in direct contact with members of the research community. The project's objectives were to identify collections of research data that could be described through Research Data Australia, and elicit researchers' requirements for a University of Adelaide research data repository and metadata store. Over a period of eight months, the project team prepared and conducted a total of 91 interviews with 100 researchers. The findings from these interviews highlighted the need to provide a solution for the University of Adelaide's research community in developing a research data repository and metadata store. The project involved people with a mix of library skills and qualifications, working in different areas of the library. This paper illustrates the involvement of library technicians in the Showcasing Research Data Project and their contribution to the overall success of the interviewing process.