Data Roadmap

Take Action with Data

This final stop on the Roadmap to Data Professional Development is about taking action and sharing back what you have learned about data and data management. Make a plan for putting what you have learned into action. The resources below are organized by core skills identified for data science and open science librarians In April 2019 at the National Library of Medicine’s Office of Strategic Initiatives workshop.

New resources will be regularly posted. Email your questions and recommendations for data literacy and data management resources that could be included in the Roadmap and help to build and improve the Data Roadmap.

Data Skills

Now use what you have learned along the way on the Data Roadmap to reflect on current situation, think about how to integrate your librarianship and data science, and use what you have learned to contribute back to your institution. Data Skills links here will help you think about ways to contribute and find your place in data world.

• Laying the Foundation for a Research Data Management Program: A paper on low-overhead ways to start a data management program.
• Liber data management plan catalogue: A central hub for DMPs from different disciplines.
• The Biostar Handbook: Data analysis guide to entering the field of bioinformatics.
• NNLM Bioinformatics Education: Bi-annual class that introduces different topics and NCBI databases that support bioinformatics education and discovery. (NNLM)
• Upskilling Liaison Librarians for Research Data Management

Computational Skills

Put all you have learned together into a Data Science Toolbox and reflect on how you can best utilize this new knowledge and skills.

• 7 tools in every data scientist’s toolbox: From the blog “Diving into data”.
• REDCap: A secure web application for building online surveys and databases.
• R Graphics Cookbook: An open source book on creating visualizations in R.
• SPSS lessons: Documents from East Carolina State University with lessons designed to teach the novice how to use SPSS for basic statistical analysis.
• ​NICBI insights: A tour of NCBI resources. (NNLM)

Traditional Library Skills

Use traditional librarian skills to design, develop, and implement some research, outreach, and teaching activities around your new skill sets. Don't forget to plan for assessment of your ideas from the beginning of the process!

• 23 Things: overview of practical, free, online resources and tools that you can begin using today to incorporate research data management into your practice of librarianship.​
• Writing a library assessment plan?: A list of resources from ACRL for creating assessment plans.
• The Library Assessment Cookbook: Published by ACRL, with practical “recipes” showing practical approaches to assessment.
• Staying Social: ten tips to master social media at your library.

Skills for Developing Programs & Services

Engage peers and new found data friends to help you plan; collaboration on designing and developing plans will save time and energy. Use resources already out there (see links below) to customize for your particular institutional context.

• A curriculum for foundational Research Data Science skills for Early Career Researchers.
• Research data management teaching toolkit: A teaching toolkit designed to be used for a one hour introductory data management class for biomedical researchers.
• Do-it-yourself Research Data Management Training Kit for Librarians: A kit designed to contain everything needed to complete a similar training course on your own.
• RDM 102: A free class offered by NNLM.

Research & Subject Matter Skills

Share your research and subject matter expertise with researchers through your outreach and support. Mentor graduate students who will someday in the future be the faculty you support and partner with.

• ​Open Knowledge Maps: A visual way to map different research areas.
• CMAP Cloud is a concept mapping tool you can use to create your own map of research knowledge and topics and share with other researchers.
• Eleven quick tips for finding research data: An article outlining steps researchers can take to efficiently find data they need.
• Scientific & research writing and publishing for 21st century librarians: Webinar from the African Library and Information Associations and Institutions.

Interpersonal Skills

Focus on 'engagement' of your stakeholders and collaborators. Use creative ways to communicate, collaborate and present information by checking out the resource links below.

• Engaging researchers with data management, The cookbook: Published by RDA, with practical “recipes” showing practical approaches to engaging researchers with data management.
• Creating a more innovative agency: From digital.gov, on how agency leaders can create a work environment that fosters innovation via creativity and experimentation.
• Boost your public speaking skills: Tips from American Libraries Magazine.
• Stanford study finds walking improves creativity.

Lifelong Learning

Stay active with pursuing continuing professional development in the area od data science; it is constantly changing. Here are a few links to help you find resources easily to keep learning.

• Engage in continuing profession development with NNLM webinars and courses.
• Earn CEs through MLA.
• From CIO magazine a list of the top 15 data science certificates.