Announcing the Journal of the Medical Library Association's data sharing policy

Area of Science:

• Library and Information Science
• Scholarly Communication
• Open Science

Background:

• Librarianship journals have historically lagged in adopting robust data sharing policies.
• The Journal of the Medical Library Association (JMLA) is implementing a new data sharing policy effective October 1, 2019.
• This initiative addresses the need for increased research rigor and reproducibility in the field.

Discussion:

• The JMLA's data sharing policy mandates the sharing of research data to support transparency.
• The policy integrates seamlessly into the journal's existing manuscript submission and review workflow.
• Guidance is provided to authors on preparing and submitting their data for sharing.

Key Insights:

• Adoption of data sharing policies is crucial for advancing open science in librarianship.
• Clear policies and workflows facilitate compliance and encourage data reuse.
• The JMLA's proactive stance sets a precedent for other journals in the discipline.

Outlook:

• Expect increased adoption of data sharing policies across librarianship journals.
• Enhanced data sharing will foster greater collaboration and innovation in library research.
• The long-term impact includes improved research integrity and accelerated scientific discovery.