Designing and Using a Data Lab:
UC Berkeley’s Experience
Jesse Silva, MLIS
Federal Documents/Political Science Librarian
UC Berkeley
Berkeley, CA

Background
• What is a Data Lab?
• Why a Data Lab?
UC Berkeley Data Lab

UCB’s Data Lab Details
• Opened in current space in 2009, but lab “existed” from 2005-2009
• Currently staffed by 2 FTE, plus 3 student employees.
• Public Service Hours: M-T, Th-F: 10a-4p, Wed by appt
• Reference desk also staffed by subject selectors for various social sciences
UC Berkeley Data Lab

UCB Library’s Data Lab Location
UC Berkeley Data Lab

Floor Plan: 855 Square Feet
26 Feet
Staff Area
UC Berkeley Data Lab

Data Lab Construction
UC Berkeley Data Lab

Pre-Occupancy Data Lab Staff Area
UC Berkeley Data Lab

Pre-Occupancy Data Lab Ref Desk and Meeting Space
UC Berkeley Data Lab

Back of Lab Looking Forward
UC Berkeley Data Lab

Data Lab Entrance
UC Berkeley Data Lab

Data Lab Reference Desk in Use
UC Berkeley Data Lab

Data Lab in Use by Undergrads
UC Berkeley Data Lab

Staffed Data Lab with Students
UC Berkeley Data Lab

Space Considerations
• A data lab is more than a computer lab
• Help is easily available
• Flexible space to support sole and/or group work
UC Berkeley Data Lab

Resources
• Data Lab: http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/wikis/datalab/
• Data Lab Report found on scribd.com.
Search for: UC Berkeley Libraries Data Service
Task Force Final Report
• https://www.facebook.com/ucdatalab
• http://www.twitter.com/ucdatalab
UC Berkeley Data Lab

Thank You!
Contact Info:
Jesse Silva, MLIS
Federal Documents/Political Science Librarian
UC Berkeley jsilva@library.berkeley.edu
UC Berkeley Data Lab