Starting the data conversation: informing data services at an academic health sciences library

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Informatics
• Library and Information Science

Background:

• Academic medical centers generate vast amounts of research data.
• Effective data management is crucial for research integrity and reproducibility.
• Libraries are increasingly expected to support researchers' data needs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To gather information for planning data-related products and services.
• To understand the data challenges faced by biomedical researchers.
• To inform the development of library services supporting research data.

Main Methods:

• Purposive sampling of biomedical researchers at an academic medical center.
• Open-ended interviews guided by a literature review.
• Interviews continued until data saturation was achieved.

Main Results:

• Interview responses highlighted key data issues encountered by researchers.
• Library planners gained insights into researchers' specific data management needs.
• Identified critical areas for library intervention and support.

Conclusions:

• The employed approach effectively informed the planning of data management products and services.
• This strategy enhanced library visibility and engagement with researchers in the data domain.
• Demonstrated the value of direct researcher engagement for service development.