Atlantic Provinces Library Association 2021 Conference

Research Data Management (RDM) provides the mechanism for cross-pollination of data, cultivation of ideas, and change in the efficiency and effectiveness of research. Academic librarians are providing significant leadership in the movement to better, more effective use of research data. But are researchers in our community following the charge? In Canada, the Tri-Agencies have adopted a draft Research Data Management Policy for grant funding that include research data management plans and open-access sharing of research data from publicly funded research. This means grant-funded researchers must have a thorough grounding in RDM practices, and librarians who guide them need to identify gaps in practice and understanding in order to develop programming that bears fruit.

Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia and Memorial University in Newfoundland were among many universities across Canada which undertook a survey of their faculty, post-docs, and graduate students to understand how they manage and share their research data, how they might be better supported to follow recommended RDM practices, and what are differences in needs and practices across disciplines. This understanding can be used to address local circumstances and contribute to a national understanding of researcher practices, needs, and capabilities.