Amanda Nixon, Liz Walkley Hall, Ian McBain, Richard Constantine and Colin Carati We built it and they are coming: the development of eResearch@Flinders
“eResearch” – use of info/comm technologies in a research space:
* in data management
* high performance computing
* collaboration tools
* visualisation / haptics (tactile sense of using computing)
Operating at Flinders Uni since April 2012, started with ANDS/uni funding and longstanding relationship with academics. Using core library skills:
* liaison with researchers
* liaison with service providers
* metadata creation
* service ethic
Structure is partnership between library/ICT. Includes statistical consultant, metadata stores project officers, eresearch support librarian, open scholarship and data management librarian. Because they’re new do a lot of reporting: to library senior staff committee, info services executive, eResearch advisory committee.
Primarily dealing with data storage (big or small, complex or simple), high performance computing, collaboration skills. Identify tools and services, refer researchers to service providers, prepare info on return on investment, do outreach to researchers.
ReDBox software (had a ReDBox community day for all institutions using/developing this)
Planning, coordination of data management services – set up ReDBox, got it running, and right on cue ARC are requiring data management plans. Have done lots of outreach but now as result of ARC rule changes researchers are coming to them.
Statistica consultant – individual consultations and workshops, covering use of SPSS, NVivo, handles licensing
Mapping old skills:
staff management -> staff management
researcher liaison -> researcher liaison
vendor relationships -> eResearch service provider relationships
assessing value of resources -> assessing value of eResearch tools
referral to services -> referral to eResearch tools
metadata creation re publications -> metadata creation re research data
New skills:
business analysis
social media
event management
managing software development
having an ear on the ground to make connections
matchmaking
Why does it work?
* we come from the library which is well-respected so good PR
* we do good liaison
* building on existing skills
* building on institutional knowledge
* don’t know all the answers but can find them
* most importantly: there was an unfulfilled need
Launch by vice-chancellor, 8-session staff development programme to introduce library staff to what they do. Since ARC rule change haven’t had to do any coldcalling because people are calling them. Brokering more access to federally funded data storage. In uni Research Strategic Plan and Info Services Strategic Plan.
Q: How to show you’re successful?
A: Want to collate list of new relationships built because of matchmaking, successful grant applications where they’ve given advice, publications coming out of things. Don’t know how to pull it together yet but probably a matter of following up and keeping relationships going.
Q: What KPIs do you have?
A: Strategic plans very high-level – getting people involved in things. Usage stats of data storage. Further down the track as business model changes, more cost, might be harder to create useful KPIs.