Policy and planning of research data management in university libraries of Pakistan
| Published date | 01 April 2019 |
| Date | 01 April 2019 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/CC-08-2018-0019 |
| Pages | 39-44 |
| Author | Haseeb Ahmad Piracha,Kanwal Ameen |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science,Collection building & management |
Policy and planning of research data
management in university libraries of Pakistan
Haseeb Ahmad Piracha and Kanwal Ameen
University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
Abstract
Purpose –This paper aims to assess the policy framework and planning regarding research data management (RDM) in university libraries of
Pakistan.
Design/methodology/approach –Data were collected from 30 Higher Education Commission high ranking university libraries by using mixed
method explanatory sequential design.
Findings –The results indicate that library heads just heard about RDM, but there was lack of knowledge and awareness. Few libraries were at the
planning stage. Other major challenges including lack of willingness, motivation and coordination with researc hers, non-availability of skillful
professional and support staff, poor infrastructure and networking were found in this regard.
Originality/value –This is the first study of its kind that explores the planning and policy development regarding RDM in university libraries of
Pakistan.
Keywords Pakistan, Research data management, Data preservation, Research data curation, Research data management policy and planning,
University libraries of Pakistan
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
Interest in research datamanagement has emerged in academic
libraries at the dawn of the twenty-first century. Oxford
Research Data Management Glossary (2013) defined research
data management (RDM) as “The process of managing
research data and the services and policies that support these
activities.”Theterm research data curation and management is
also defined as services related to the organization,
management, collecting, analyzing, publishing, reanalyzing,
critiquing and reusing of data (Council on Library and
InformationResources, 2013;Tammaro and Casarosa, 2014).
All disciplines are generatingresearch data at a fast pace, and
digital uprising has facilitated curation, sharing and reusing of
research data. To ensure the growth of scientific research,
preservation of data enablesits reuse and reanalysis helps in the
advancement of knowledge (Research Councils UK, 2015).
Rice and Haywood (2011) pointed out that national and
international attention had been focused on RDM lately. The
challenge of managing research datahas affected scientists and
researchers of all fields. The international research funding
bodies have realized the need of data curation and saving it for
other researchers. Such agencies want data management plan
(DMP) from researchers and from academic institutions to
demonstrate how they will cure, preserve and share such data
because research dataare a key output of the scholarly research
processes and provideevidence to evaluate research results. For
example, the USA has developed policies for data management
across the research process. The National Science Foundation
USA (2017) published its grant proposal guide,informing that
all National Science Foundation research proposals must
include DMP of at least two pages. The DMP should address
the policy on the dissemination and sharing of research data.
Other agencies, such as the National Instituteof Health (2017)
and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
(2017), published similar policies to open their research data/
materials. In Britain, research councils recognized data as a
public good resource, and the data of publically funded
research must be made available for future generations. In
Australia, the Australian Research Council (2016) and the
National Health and Medical Research Council (2017) also
announced similarrequirements.
Data management is an active process by which digital
resources remain discoverable, easy to use and accessible for a
longer time (Pryor, 2012). The RDM planning is prerequisite
for all the procedures adopted in initiating this service.A DMP
process ensures that all features of data management are
equally discovered at the start of a project. Short-term and
long-term objectives of researchcan be well-adjusted (Monash
University,2017).
ACRL Research Planning and Review Committee (2016)
found top trends in academic libraries in higher education and
listed research data services (RDS) as 2016’stoptrendofthe
year. Effective RDM planning and practices have become
essential for academic libraries. The subject has attracted much
attention from information professionals. The International
Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) journal
hasproducedtwospecialissuesonthistopic(
Horstman and
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on
Emerald Insight at: www.emeraldinsight.com/2514-9326.htm
Collection and Curation
38/2 (2019) 39–44
© Emerald Publishing Limited [ISSN 2514-9326]
[DOI 10.1108/CC-08-2018-0019]
Received 25 August 2018
Revised 1 October 2018
Accepted 13 November 2018
39
To continue reading
Request your trial