SGER: Planning Information Infrastructure Through a New Library-Research Partnership [final report]

Abstract

The purpose of this Small Grant for Exploratory Research was to explore the issues surrounding a new type of collaboration between scientists and research libraries to support the preservation, discovery, and sharing of primary research data. With recent advances in computing and telecommunications technology, the stage is set for a major shift in the way science is conducted. Researchers and funding agencies are recognizing that data can be valuable for purposes beyond the studies in which they were originally collected, and some agencies are requiring data sharing plans as prerequisites for funding support. There is, however, a lack of established infrastructure to support the services necessary for handling research data. This grant investigated the premise that research libraries might serve as natural partners in addressing the data management needs of the communities they serve.