Librarians and Scientists Partner to Address Data Management: Taking Collaboration to the Next Level

Published

June 1, 2016

Author(s)

Andrea M. Medina-Smith, Barbara P. Silcox, Kimberly A. Tryka, Robert J. Hanisch

Abstract

Purpose: This study looks at the changing way the Information Services Office (ISO) at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) provides services to NIST scientific and technical staff throughout their research and publishing cycles. These services include the more traditional services of a research library as well as publishing NIST technical reports and The Journal of Research of NIST, and preserving and exhibiting scientific instruments and other artifacts. ISO has always prided itself on having a close relationship with its customers, providing a high level of service, and developing new services to stay in front of NIST researcher needs. Through a concerted, strategic effort since the late 1990s, ISO has developed and promoted relationships with its key customers through its Lab Liaison Program. Design/methodology/approach: This paper discusses the relationship ISO has developed with the Office of Data and Informatics (ODI), how this relationship was forged, and how this collaboration will serve as a model for working with the other labs and programs at NIST. It will also discuss the risks and opportunities of this new collaborative service model, how ISO positioned itself to become an equal partner with ODI in the exploration of solutions to data management issues, and the benefits of the relationship from ODI’s perspective. Findings: A pattern of strategic changes to the services and activities offered by the Lab Liaison program has put ISO in the position to collaborate as peers with researchers at NIST. Originality/value: This study provides an overview of how ISO made strategic decisions to incorporate non-traditional services to support data management at NIST.

Citation

OCLC Systems & Services: International Digital Library Perspectives

Volume

32

Issue

3

Pub Type

Journals

Download Paper

DOI Link

Keywords

case study, libraries, government libraries, research libraries, collaboration, data management

Citation

Medina-Smith, A. , Silcox, B. , Tryka, K. and Hanisch, R. (2016), Librarians and Scientists Partner to Address Data Management: Taking Collaboration to the Next Level, OCLC Systems & Services: International Digital Library Perspectives, [online], https://doi.org/10.1108/DLP-08-2015-0010 (Accessed April 26, 2024)