=Paper=
{{Paper
|id=None
|storemode=property
|title=Data-Intelligence Training for Library Staff
|pdfUrl=https://ceur-ws.org/Vol-1016/paper13.pdf
|volume=Vol-1016
|dblpUrl=https://dblp.org/rec/conf/digcurv/VerbakelSMP13
}}
==Data-Intelligence Training for Library Staff==
https://ceur-ws.org/Vol-1016/paper13.pdf
Data-Intelligence Training for Library Staff
Ellen Verbakel (Author) Madeleine de Smaele (Author)
3TU.Datacentrum 3TU.Datacentrum
TU Delft Library TU Delft Library
Delft, The Netherlands Delft, The Netherlands
p.m.verbakel@tudelft.nl
Nicole Potters
Marina Noordegraaf TU Delft Library,
www.verbeeldingskr8.nl Delft, The Netherlands
Abstract - The course Data Intelligence 4 Librarians was This paper demonstrates the choices made during the design
developed by 3TU.Datacentrum at the end of 2011 to provide process. Finally, future plans are discussed. They include
online resources and training for digital preservation expanding the course to make the materials also suitable to
practitioners, specifically for library staff. The course is intended researchers and other data repositories in cooperation with
to overcome the insecurity and perceived lack of knowledge organisations from The Netherlands.
about data management which prevents library staff from
proactively providing support to research staff with the Keywords:- DataIntelligence; 3TU.Datacentrum; Verbeeldingskr8
management, storage and sharing of their research data. The
course objectives are: 1) to transfer and exchange knowledge I. INTRODUCTION
about data management, and 2) to provide participants with the Attention for research data management (RDM) from
skills required to advise researchers or research groups on funders, high level management of universities and research
efficient and effective ways of adding value to their data. The
course is an additional service provided by 3TU.Datacentrum44 a
institutes as well as some data producers is increasing. To
digital repository for research data set up by the research bridge the gaps and support eager researchers with RDM,
libraries of the three Dutch Universities of Technology (3TU): well-trained support staff are urgently required.
Delft University of Technology, Eindhoven University of
In literature, emphasis lies on training researchers
Technology, and the University of Twente. The paper describes
the process of creating the course, the methodology, and the
themselves in RDM (Lyon, 2007; Grim, Van der Heijden, De
results of the two courses in 2012. There were three phases to Smaele & Verbakel, 2011). To our knowledge, Data
creating the course: 1) an investigation of the training needs, 2) Intelligence 4 Librarians is the first course to specifically
the design of the course and 3) the development of the training focus on support staff, particularly librarians. The mission of
materials. The training needs could be divided into hard skills the course was formulated as follows: Data Intelligence 4
(such as data management basics, data citation and knowledge of Librarians wants to contribute to the professionalization and
the data browser interface) and soft skills (such as acquisition positioning of support staff as a trusted partner in the support
skills, advisory skills and a reflective attitude towards their of data-intensive science.
profession). This has led to a course with a competency-based
modular design, consisting of four modules. II. PROCESS
The project team consisted of 3TU.Datacentrum staff. The team
designed a blended learning course, composed of a didactical mix There were three phases to designing and delivering the
of group meetings, online study and homework assignments, course Data Intelligence 4 Librarians: 1) an investigation of the
including the website Data Intelligence45 that provides online training needs, 2) the design of the course, and 3) the
reference material. By using a modern collaboration environment development of the training materials.
and social media, the course meets the needs of the modern
scientific community. The training methodology proved effective A. Investigation of the training needs
in creating a solid base for digital preservation and a network of
The course Data Intelligence 4 Librarians was primarily
starting data librarians.
In the first half of 2012, 14 librarians participated in the pilot
intended for library staff from the three Universities of
course and provided feedback. The feedback has been used to Technology in The Netherlands (3TU): Delft University of
improve the next cycle of the course, which started in September Technology, Eindhoven University of Technology, and the
2012. In February 2013 the third cycle starts. University of Twente. A recent white paper stressed the
urgency of the development of RDM trainings for support staff
and researchers (Grim, Van der Heijden, De Smaele &
44
3TU.Datacentrum: http://datacentrum.3tu.nl
Verbakel, 2011).. The white paper describes the results of a
45
Data intelligence: http://dataintelligence.3tu.nl
literature search on curation education and no examples existed
which could be transferred to the current situation in The Table Head Table Column Head
Netherlands. • Supports researchers in setting up a data
Sessions were organised with the information specialists or management plan (DMP).
• Can hold a so-called data interview and is aware of
reference librarians of the 3TU universities. During break-out the possible use of data curation profiles (DCP) as a
sessions training needs were identified. A Twitter account possible interview instrument.
@datalibrarians 46 was set up to proactively look out for the • Can connect to a researcher’s perception on data
latest developments in the field. To get in touch with relevant management and data sharing.
• Asks for feedback on his/her advisory skills and
parties in The Netherlands the Onderzoeksdataforum [Research adjusts his/her behaviour accordingly.
Data Forum], now the Special Interest Group Research Data 47 Develops • Investigates how collaborating with other
was visited, and in June 2011 a visit was paid to the ICE- collaboration employees, institutions, data centers and researchers
forum48. Our pragmatic approach received confirmation: get skills may lead to a better provision of services.
• Acknowledges the need for a forum of data
the course running as soon as possible and let participants professionals who may join forces in important data
evaluate its content to improve it. Open Educational Resources issues like copyright and (inter)national information
on the subject were not yet available at that time. infrastructure.
• Takes responsibility for his/her role in partnerships.
B. Design of the course Develops • Develops RDM training materials for end users.
training • Is able to translate the knowledge and skills
During the investigation of the training needs, librarians materials acquired in the Data Intelligence 4 Librarians training
expressed a great need for more knowledge and ICT-skills into RDM training material for different target
before they would feel capable of establishing data services. audiences.
Our course is designed and built as a competence-based
modular course, combining online and face-to-face tuition Using these competencies, a modular course was designed
(blended learning). From the inventory of learning goals, seven which consists of the following modules:
core competencies were defined for a data librarian:
1. Current topics
Table Head Table Column Head 2. Data management
• Uses the available Information Technology in an 3. Technical skills
Skilfully effective and efficient way. 4. Advisory skills
handles ICT • Can use the 3TU.Databrowser to upload a dataset
and make it available for (re)use
For the Current topics module, the homework assignment
Has specific • Knows how to acquire specific knowledge about
library metadata standards. requires the students to use relevant (online) tools and sources
knowledge • Can explain how minting a DOI (Digital Object for about a month to form an opinion on the current state of
Identifier) and UUID (Universally Unique Identifier) affairs in the field of data curation (services). In a short
enhances the visibility (citability) of a dataset. elevator pitch they then share their findings with their fellow
Develops • Is committed to improve data services in response to
entrepreneur- changing needs in the field. students.
ship • Keeps an eye on trends in the profession, knows
where new knowledge may be found (networks) and
The premise of the course is that supporting researchers in
spreads relevant information to key persons in the data curation is teamwork. Therefore strong emphasis is
organisation. placed on enabling networking within the student group.
• Investigates needs in the field by means of
questionnaires, interviews and so-called focus groups.
• Actively contributes to developments in the field by
visiting conferences and enrolling in courses and
training.
Develops a • Acknowledges that data are just one part of the
systemic view scientific research cycle and is aware of the
significance of data within that cycle.
• Sees the library and its data and information
services as part of a larger decision-making system.
Develops • Can advise researchers on RDM topics, like
advisory skills sustainable data formats, data models, intellectual
property and the demands of research funders.
• Knows when certain aspects of RDM do not fit
his/her expertise and is able to refer questions to
corresponding knowledge experts.
46
3TU.Datacentrum on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/datalibrarians
47
Special Interest Group Research Data: https://www.surfspace.nl/sig/28-
research-data/29-over-de-sig/
48
International Curation Education Forum:
http://www.jisc.ac.uk/whatwedo/programmes/preservation/iceforum.aspx
experts and rewritten. The experts agreed on the final text on
the course website and on the homework assignments. The
whole process of developing the training material for all four
modules took no more than three months. Even though the
course was initially designed for Dutch participants, the course
website was translated into English, in order to provide a
possible source of inspiration for universities or other
institutions abroad. The course material was illustrated with
images.
Two coaches were selected for their didactical skills,
following the belief that being an inspiring coach requires
different skills than being a knowledge expert. The design of
the course places much emphasis on learning by trying things
yourself, without putting too much trust in an expert.
Everyone is an expert in a certain area and data curation is
teamwork where everyone should be valued for their specific
contribution.
The coaches were provided with a global scenario for each
training day, homework assignments, and some PowerPoint
presentations not included in the course website.
III. FINDINGS
Some important issues put forward by participants and
coaches were:
Figure 1. A graphic overview of the course: a data
Participants enjoyed and appreciated their discussions
librarian juggling four balls. Retrieved from:
resulting from the homework assignments, seen as the
http://dataintelligence.3tu.nl/ most valuable element of the course.
In the second module, students learn about research data Four days of face-to-face tuition were seen as a
management in general, such as formats, metadata, copyright, considerable time investment, but useful because of the
policy etc. relevant discussions and networking possibilities.
The third module is technical in nature. It explains what Participants were interested to hear from researchers
digital objects are, how data are to be cited, how research data themselves how they deal with data management
are transformed to different formats during different phases in issues, and about differences between disciplines.
its lifecycle, how to search for data (depending on the data Participants missed the opportunity to practice writing an
model used) and how to enhance publications. Students actual Data Management Plan.
practice with searching for existing datasets and describing
Participants urgently needed practical information about
and uploading a dataset.
setting up a front office for data management services.
For the fourth module, students write an acquisition plan. The participants appreciated the images included in the
They present their plan to fellow students and give feedback course material on the website, which they thought
on each other’s’ plans, they try their advisory skills in role were a memorable way to clarify concepts.
plays and, finally, put their acquisition plan into practice by
actually carrying out the first steps described in their own In view of the evaluation results a collaboration with
plans. In this final module theory, skills and attitude come DANS (Data Archiving and Networked Services - archive of
together. humanities, archaeology, geospatial sciences and behavioural
and social sciences in The Netherlands) was set up. The course
C. Development of training material expanded to include information about non-technical
Once the training design was finished, the actual disciplines as well as services provided by DANS. DANS also
development of the course started. For each module a team of provided one of the coaches for the second cycle of the course,
three to four experts on the topic came together for two to four making it a truly joint undertaking. The course website is now
iterating sessions of one or two hours. The content was written providing reference materials from 3TU.Datacentrum as well
in between sessions. The design was fine-tuned with the as from DANS.
feedback of the knowledge experts, texts were reviewed by the
The first course was a pilot with mainly participants from courses on this topic existed abroad. But the need to get such a
the 3 technical universities. They know each other from course running was obvious.
various meetings, projects, seminars and so on. They still work
together in 3TU.Datacentrum. The networking component of IV. FUTURE PLANS
the course was less apparent than intended. The second cycle A project just started for the design of a new, flexible and
of the course took place between September and December dynamic learning environment to make the course even more
2012 with 16 participants from universities and research interactive and make collaboration easier. Simultaneously, an
organisations throughout The Netherlands. In the evaluation RDM training for researchers will be developed, initially for
Google+/Drive was more appreciated than in the first round. use at the three Universities of Technology in The Netherlands
The networking component was highly ranked, all students (3TU). The Data intelligence website will than cover the
came from different institutions, they learned from each other. reference materials for the training for Support staff and the
The DigCurv game CURATE: The Digital Curator Game was training for researchers.
played and provoked discussions. Most of the students went
home with lots of plans to work on data management in their ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
institutions. The technical module was too shallow for some The authors thank Jeroen Rombouts and Alenka Prinčič for
students, too detailed for others. Their opinion is related to their contributions to this paper. And all the people working
their prior knowledge and expectations about the course. on research data management for their efforts to design this
As information about the course Data Intelligence 4 course.
Librarians has spread within and even outside The REFERENCES
Netherlands, several parties have asked to share our
[1] [report] R. Grim, M. Van der Heijden, M De Smaele and E.
experience and knowledge in other projects like RDMRose49 Verbakel, (2011). Witboek dataprofessionals in Nederland [White
and in exchanging experience and work with UK partners like Paper Data Professionals in The Netherlands]. Retrieved from
DCC and JISC. Our course has also served as an inspiring http://www.surf.nl/nl/publicaties/pages/witboekdataprofessionals.a
spx
example to developing the Liaison Librarian Training by [2] [report] L. Lyon (2007). Dealing with Data: Roles, Rights,
EDINA & Data Library, University of Edinburgh (Macdonald, Responsibilities and Relationships: UKOLN. Retrieved from:
S., Donnelly, A., & Rice, R., 2012). http://www.jisc.ac.uk/media/documents/programmes/digitalreposit
ories/dealing_with_data_report-final.pdf
[3] [slideshow] S. Macdonald, A. Donnelly and R. Rice (2012). JISC
Managing Research Data: Liaison Librarian Training. Retrieved
from: http://www.slideshare.net/ edinadocumentationofficer/jisc-
managing-research-data-liaison-librarian-training
Figure 2. One of the illustrations used on the course website.
Retrieved from http://dataintelligence.3tu.nl/
Participants in the course have expressed appreciation for
the visual content on the course website, and adding more
audio-visual content will greatly enhance the learning
experience.
The development of the course Data Intelligence 4
Librarians was a leap into the unknown. No courses on this
topic existed in The Netherlands and no easily reusable
49
The University of Sheffield Information School:
http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/is/research/projects