UCL Library Services and Research
Data Management – a case study
Martin Moyle
UCL Library Services
ODE Workshop, LIBER Conference, 27 June 2012
Overview
1. UCL Research Data Service
2. Library strengths
3. UCL Library Services’ role in supporting
Research Data management at UCL
UCL Research IT Services (RITS)
• Designed to assist UCL researchers throughout
the research lifecycle. Three units:
• Research Computing
• Research Applications
• Research Data
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Petascale storage
Coordinated workflows
Protection, preservation, re-use
Compliance
UK Funders’ Data Policies
DCC Overview of UK Funders’ Data Policies. See:
http://www.dcc.ac.uk/resources/policy-and-legal/overview-funders-data-policies
Relevant Library strengths
• Strong links with academic departments
• Successful preparation and communication of
Publications Policy (includes OA mandate) and
IPR Policy
• Digital curation experience and platforms
• Expertise in
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Access management
Licensing and copyright
Metadata
Publishing, citation, publications management
Digital preservation policy and practice
• Library’s role...
UCL Research Data Policy
• Authored by the Library
• A framework to help UCL researchers manage their
data
• Policy explains basic steps associated with
collecting, managing and storing data
• Researchers are responsible for managing own data
• Data management plans will often be required
• Recommends Open data licensing, wherever
funding arrangements permit
Communication and support
• Research Data Policy has a Communication Plan,
developed by Library and Research Data team
• Library staff will:
– Advertise and explain the Data Policy to researchers
– Provide guidance and support for researchers,
especially in:
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Engaging with the UCL Research Data Service
Best practice and preparation of Data Management Plans
Metadata assignment
Open data and IPR
Library-managed data curation services
• Smaller datasets, typically from Arts and Humanities and
Social Sciences disciplines, are ineligible for the central
UCL Research Data Service
• UCL Library Services
is willing to curate
small data sets as part
of its ‘Digital
Collections’ service
• Example...
Audio-visual material for language sciences
Data citation
• DOIs will help the re-use and verification of UCL
data, and increase its impact
• Library will administer data DOIs, and give advice
on data registration, re-use and citation
– Library has interest/expertise in citation
– Library has a culture of responsible stewardship
– Library already plans to supply CrossRef DOIs for
overlay journal articles, so this is an obvious extension
Summary: UCL Library Services’ role
supporting UCL Research Data Service
1. Help to formulate the UCL Research Data Policy
2. Support the communication of the Policy
3. Assist researchers with data management plans,
where required by funders, and other aspects of
data management (licensing, metadata, etc)
4. Provide data curation services for small data sets
5. Administer and support dataset registration and
citation
Thank you
• m.moyle@ucl.ac.uk