Societal Need for Digital Curation Specialists in the Library Setting June 16, 2009 Special Libraries Association P. Bryan Heidorn

Introduction Program Manager, Division of Biological Infrastructure, National Science Foundation Associate Professor, Graduate School of Library and Information Science, University of Illinois JRS Biodiversity Foundation, Board of Directors

Program Manager, Division of Biological Infrastructure, National Science Foundation

Associate Professor, Graduate School of Library and Information Science, University of Illinois

JRS Biodiversity Foundation, Board of Directors

Why Libraries Libraries manage the scholarly output of society Scholars in the humanities and sciences are generating primary and secondary data at unprecedented rates Social investment is not only in journal publications but all scholarly knowledge Need for specialists for information organization, access and preservation Libraries have the institutional structure and many of the skills needed to curate data and other digital resources.

Libraries manage the scholarly output of society

Scholars in the humanities and sciences are generating primary and secondary data at unprecedented rates

Social investment is not only in journal publications but all scholarly knowledge

Need for specialists for information organization, access and preservation

Libraries have the institutional structure and many of the skills needed to curate data and other digital resources.

Cyberinfrastructure Vision “ The anticipated growth in both the production and repurposing of digital data raises complex issues not only of scale and heterogeneity, but also of stewardship, curation and long-term access . ” NSF Cyberinfrastructure Vision for 21st Century Discovery (2007), Chapter 3

“ The anticipated growth in both the production and repurposing of digital data raises complex issues not only of scale and heterogeneity, but also of stewardship, curation and long-term access . ”

NSF Cyberinfrastructure Vision for 21st Century Discovery (2007), Chapter 3

Recognition of need for data curation “ Recommendation 6 : The NSF, working in partnership with collection managers and the community at large, should act to develop and mature the career path for data scientists and to ensure that the research enterprise includes a sufficient number of high-quality data scientists.” Long-Lived Digital Data Collections: Enabling Research and Education in the 21 st Century (2005), Recommendations

“ Recommendation 6 : The NSF, working in partnership with collection managers and the community at large, should act to develop and mature the career path for data scientists and to ensure that the research enterprise includes a sufficient number of high-quality data scientists.”

Long-Lived Digital Data Collections: Enabling Research and Education in the 21 st Century (2005), Recommendations

Recognition of the importance of Information Recognition of the need for education New work roles within traditional institutions Interagency Working Group on Digital Data

Recognition of the importance of Information

Recognition of the need for education

New work roles within traditional institutions

New Information Disciplines Digital Curator : an expert knowledgeable of and with responsibility for the content of a digital collection(s) Digital Archivist : an expert competent to appraise, acquire, authenticate, preserve, and provide access to records in digital form Data Scientists : the information and computer scientists, database and software engineers and programmers, disciplinary experts, expert annotators, and others, who are crucial to the successful management of a digital data collection (Long Long-Lived Digital Data Collections: Enabling Research and Education in the 21st Century, report of the National Science Board, September, 2005)

Digital Curator : an expert knowledgeable of and with responsibility for the content of a digital collection(s)

Digital Archivist : an expert competent to appraise, acquire, authenticate, preserve, and provide access to records in digital form

Data Scientists : the information and computer scientists, database and software engineers and programmers, disciplinary experts, expert annotators, and others, who are crucial to the successful management of a digital data collection

(Long Long-Lived Digital Data Collections: Enabling Research and Education in the 21st Century, report of the National Science Board, September, 2005)

Library Skills

Where is the data now? Not in reference collections Varies mandates for sharing Unsustainable models Individual researchers Boutique databases Most data is from small projects Big science and independent science

Not in reference collections

Varies mandates for sharing

Unsustainable models

Individual researchers

Boutique databases

Most data is from small projects

Big science and independent science

Economics of the long tail The Long Tail , By Chris Anderson. Wired Magizine.12.10, 2004. ( http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/12.10/tail_pr.html ) NetFlix versus BlockBuster Genbank versus Mary’s Lab

The Long Tail , By Chris Anderson. Wired Magizine.12.10, 2004. ( http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/12.10/tail_pr.html )

NetFlix versus BlockBuster

Genbank versus Mary’s Lab

Naive View of Science Data GenBank PDB f ( x )= ax k + o ( x k ) Power Law of Science Data f ( x )= ax k + o ( x k )| X<.20 Data Volume Science Projects and Initiatives

Does NSF’s Data Follow the Power Law? I do not know but if $1 = X bytes…..

20-80 Rule The small are big! Total Grants 9347 $2,137,636,716 20% 80% Number Grants 1869 7478 Total Dollars $1,199,088,125 $938,548,595 Range $6,892,810-$350,000 $350,000- $831

Dark data is the data that we know is/was there but we can’t see it. Hubble Space Telescope composite image &quot;ring&quot; of dark matter in the galaxy cluster Cl 0024+17

Dark data is the data that we know is/was there but we can’t see it.

Related Ideas John Porter: Deep verses Wide databases Swanson: Undiscovered Public Knowledge Science Commons: Big Verses Small science

John Porter:

Deep verses Wide databases

Swanson:

Undiscovered Public Knowledge

Science Commons:

Big Verses Small science

Why is the tail also important Valuable science data is in the tail Many scientists could use the tail data Unpublished observations of flowing time in Concord by Alfred Hosmer from 1888 to 1902 Photographs of Flowers Blue Hill Observatory meteorological data Richard B. Primack, Abraham J. Miller-Rushing, Daniel Primack, and Sharda Mukunda (2007). Using Photographs to Show the Effects of Climate Change on Flowing Time. Arnoldia 65(1), p2-9. Valuable science data is in the tail Many scientists could use the tail data Science innovation occurs in the long tail Unpublished negative results / aka dark data We know very little about the tail Transformative science happens in the tail Computational thinking needed to free the tail NSF Current investments in the tail OECD Principles and Guidelines for Access to Research Data from Public Funding

Valuable science data is in the tail

Many scientists could use the tail data

Unpublished observations of flowing time in Concord by Alfred Hosmer from 1888 to 1902

Photographs of Flowers

Blue Hill Observatory meteorological data

Richard B. Primack, Abraham J. Miller-Rushing, Daniel Primack, and Sharda Mukunda (2007). Using Photographs to Show the Effects of Climate Change on Flowing Time. Arnoldia 65(1), p2-9.

Valuable science data is in the tail

Many scientists could use the tail data

Science innovation occurs in the long tail

Unpublished negative results / aka dark data

We know very little about the tail

Transformative science happens in the tail

Computational thinking needed to free the tail

NSF Current investments in the tail

OECD Principles and Guidelines for Access to Research Data from Public Funding

The Case of Lake Victoria Data Lake Victoria is the largest fresh water lake in Africa Nile Perch, Water Hyacinth, Deforestation and human waste are destroying the fishery Hundreds of data sets have been created over 50 years There is no access to most of that information

Lake Victoria is the largest fresh water lake in Africa

Nile Perch, Water Hyacinth, Deforestation and human waste are destroying the fishery

Hundreds of data sets have been created over 50 years

There is no access to most of that information

Barriers Lack of professional reward structure Lack of education in data curation Intellectual property rights (IPR) Lack of technology Lack of financial reward structure Under valuation / lack of investment Cost of infrastructure creation Cost of infrastructure maintenance PDF, excel, MS word, arcview, floppy disks

Lack of professional reward structure

Lack of education in data curation

Intellectual property rights (IPR)

Lack of technology

Lack of financial reward structure

Under valuation / lack of investment

Cost of infrastructure creation

Cost of infrastructure maintenance

PDF, excel, MS word, arcview, floppy disks

Technical Solutions: Move the tail to the head (increase k) Data standards e.g. Environmental Markup Language (EML) e.g. TaxonX - taXMLit Metadata Darwin Core (DwC) Access to Biological Collection Data (ABCD) Protocols TAPIR

Data standards

e.g. Environmental Markup Language (EML)

e.g. TaxonX - taXMLit

Metadata

Darwin Core (DwC)

Access to Biological Collection Data (ABCD)

Protocols

TAPIR

Solutions Controlled Vocabularies MeSH, ZooBank, IPNI, ITIS Ontologies Gene Ontology (GO) Science Environment for Ecological Knowledge (SEEK) EcoGrid Leopold Semi-Automated ontology generation for Amphibian Morphology DBI-0640053 (Semantic) web software DataNet

Controlled Vocabularies

MeSH, ZooBank, IPNI, ITIS

Ontologies

Gene Ontology (GO)

Science Environment for Ecological Knowledge (SEEK)

EcoGrid

Leopold Semi-Automated ontology generation for Amphibian Morphology DBI-0640053

(Semantic) web software

DataNet

Institutional Solutions Well Paid Librarians Well-heeled Museums Professional societies Generous Publishers Library director John Hanson told the Associated Press that a couple of dozen people are cited each year for failure to return materials or pay fines. The incident cost Dalibor about $30 for the two overdue paperbacks. It cost her mother $172 to free her.

Well Paid Librarians

Well-heeled Museums

Professional societies

Generous Publishers

Organizational Solutions Phase One of a Lake Victoria Biodiversity Informatics Project DataNet (DataOne and Data Conservancy) Dryad LTER, NEON, GBIF, TDWG National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS) National Evolutionary Synthesis Center (NESCent) European Union Networks of Excellence (NoE) European Distributed Institute of Taxonomy (EDIT)

Phase One of a Lake Victoria Biodiversity Informatics Project

DataNet (DataOne and Data Conservancy)

Dryad

LTER, NEON, GBIF, TDWG

National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS)

National Evolutionary Synthesis Center (NESCent)

European Union Networks of Excellence (NoE)

European Distributed Institute of Taxonomy (EDIT)

Education Programs Biological Information Specialist Concentration in Data Curation (MSLIS) Certificate of Advanced Study in Data Curation Summer Institutes in Data Curation Information and professional education in biodiversity informatics

Biological Information Specialist

Concentration in Data Curation (MSLIS)

Certificate of Advanced Study in Data Curation

Summer Institutes in Data Curation

Information and professional education in biodiversity informatics

Biological Information Specialists At present: Biologists at all degree levels self-trained in information technology Information technologists at all degree levels self-trained in biology (both with gaps in knowledge for many months, years) Differing roles of BIS in large and small science

At present:

Biologists at all degree levels self-trained in information technology

Information technologists at all degree levels self-trained in biology

(both with gaps in knowledge for many months, years)

Differing roles of BIS in large and small science

Master of Science in Biological Informatics Degree Program began September 2007 Part of campus-wide bioinformatics masters program NSF/CISE/IIS, Education Research and Curriculum Development, 0534567 (Palmer, PI) Combines Biology, Bioinformatics, Computer Science core with LIS courses

Degree Program began September 2007

Part of campus-wide bioinformatics masters program

NSF/CISE/IIS, Education Research and Curriculum Development, 0534567 (Palmer, PI)

Combines Biology, Bioinformatics, Computer Science core with LIS courses

What does a BIS need to know? Biological training and interest in solving biological research problems Information skills Evaluation and implementation of information systems: user based assessment and continual quality improvement for the development of tools that work and are used. Information acquisition, management, and dissemination: development of digital libraries, data archives, institutional repositories, and related tools. Information organization and integration: ontology development, structuring information for optimal use and sharing, and standards development.

Biological training and interest in solving biological research problems

Information skills

Evaluation and implementation of information systems: user based assessment and continual quality improvement for the development of tools that work and are used.

Information acquisition, management, and dissemination: development of digital libraries, data archives, institutional repositories, and related tools.

Information organization and integration: ontology development, structuring information for optimal use and sharing, and standards development.

UIUC bioinformatics core coursework Cross-disciplinary course distribution requirement Bioinformatics: Computing in Molecular Biology Algorithms in Bioinformatics Principles of Systematics Computer Science: Algorithms Database Systems Biology: Human Genetics Introductory Biochemistry Macromolecular Modeling

Cross-disciplinary course distribution requirement

Bioinformatics: Computing in Molecular Biology Algorithms in Bioinformatics Principles of Systematics

Computer Science: Algorithms Database Systems

Biology: Human Genetics Introductory Biochemistry Macromolecular Modeling

Sample of existing LIS courses Information Organization and Knowledge Representation LIS 551 Interfaces to Information Systems LIS 590DM Document Modeling LIS 590RO Representing and Organizing Information Resources LIS590ON Ontologies in Natural Science Information Resources, Uses and users LIS 503 Use and Users of Information LIS 522 Information Sources in the Sciences LIS 590TR Information Transfer and Collaboration in Science Information Systems LIS 456 Information Storage and Retrieval LIS 509 Building Digital Libraries LIS 566 Architecture of Network Information Systems LIS 590EP Electronic Publishing Disciplinary Focus LIS 530B Health Sciences Information Services and Resources LIS 590HI Healthcare Informatics (Healthcare Infrastructure) LIS 590EI/BDI Ecological Informatics (Biodiversity Informatics)

Information Organization and Knowledge Representation

LIS 551 Interfaces to Information Systems

LIS 590DM Document Modeling

LIS 590RO Representing and Organizing Information Resources

LIS590ON Ontologies in Natural Science

Information Resources, Uses and users

LIS 503 Use and Users of Information

LIS 522 Information Sources in the Sciences

LIS 590TR Information Transfer and Collaboration in Science

Information Systems

LIS 456 Information Storage and Retrieval

LIS 509 Building Digital Libraries

LIS 566 Architecture of Network Information Systems

LIS 590EP Electronic Publishing

Disciplinary Focus

LIS 530B Health Sciences Information Services and Resources

LIS 590HI Healthcare Informatics (Healthcare Infrastructure)

LIS 590EI/BDI Ecological Informatics (Biodiversity Informatics)

MSLIS Data Curation Concentration Data Curation Educational Program (DCEP) IMLS – Laura Bush 21 st Century Librarian Program, RE-05-06-0036-06 (Heidorn, PI) Students with the DC concentration will be trained to add value to data and promote sharing across labs and disciplinary specializations

Data Curation Educational Program (DCEP)

IMLS – Laura Bush 21 st Century Librarian Program,

RE-05-06-0036-06 (Heidorn, PI)

Students with the DC concentration will be trained to add value to data and promote sharing across labs and disciplinary specializations

DCEP Curriculum Required of All Master's Students LIS501 Information Organization and Access LIS502 (2 hrs only) Libraries, Information and Society Required for the DC Concentration LIS590DC Foundations of Data Curation LIS590PD Digital Preservation LIS453 Systems Analysis and Management Field Experience Seminar (Req’d if taking a practicum, 2 hours)

Required of All Master's Students

LIS501 Information Organization and Access

LIS502 (2 hrs only) Libraries, Information and Society

Required for the DC Concentration

LIS590DC Foundations of Data Curation

LIS590PD Digital Preservation

LIS453 Systems Analysis and Management

Field Experience Seminar (Req’d if taking a practicum, 2 hours)

DCEP courses, cont’d DCEP List of Recommended Electives (Students required to take two, we recommend four) LIS452 Foundations of Information Processing in LIS LIS590BDI Biodiversity and Ecoinformatics LIS590DI Digital Libraries: Research and Practice LIS590DM Document Modeling LIS590IM Information Modeling LIS590MD Metadata in Theory and Practice LIS590OD Ontology Development LIS590RO Representing and Organizing Information Resources

DCEP List of Recommended Electives

(Students required to take two, we recommend four)

LIS452 Foundations of Information Processing in LIS

LIS590BDI Biodiversity and Ecoinformatics

LIS590DI Digital Libraries: Research and Practice

LIS590DM Document Modeling

LIS590IM Information Modeling

LIS590MD Metadata in Theory and Practice

LIS590OD Ontology Development

LIS590RO Representing and Organizing Information Resources

Foundations of Data Curation Digital Data and Collections Scholarly Communication and Scientific Information Work Lifecycles, Workflows; Data Re-use and Value Infrastructures and Repositories Selection and Appraisal Metadata, Standards and Protocols Archiving and Preservation Intellectual Property and Legal Issues Policy, Collaboration and Cooperative Alignments Assignments on: Analysis of Data Management Plans Discipline-based data curation needs assessment Core course content Digital Preservation Archival Theory & Diplomatics OAIS Reference Model Data Formats Digital Archival Objects Data Curation Preservation Strategies: Emulation vs. migration Authenticity, Integrity & Trust Evaluation & Value Digital Preservation & The Law Assignments on: Planning Grant Application Trusted Repository Assessment

Foundations of Data Curation

Digital Data and Collections

Scholarly Communication and Scientific Information Work

Lifecycles, Workflows; Data Re-use and Value

Infrastructures and Repositories

Selection and Appraisal

Metadata, Standards and Protocols

Archiving and Preservation

Intellectual Property and Legal Issues

Policy, Collaboration and Cooperative Alignments

Assignments on:

Analysis of Data Management Plans

Discipline-based data curation needs assessment

Digital Preservation

Archival Theory & Diplomatics

OAIS Reference Model

Data Formats

Digital Archival Objects

Data Curation

Preservation Strategies:

Emulation vs. migration

Authenticity, Integrity & Trust

Evaluation & Value

Digital Preservation & The Law

Assignments on:

Planning Grant Application

Trusted Repository Assessment

Summer Institute in Data Curation 1 Seminar format opportunities for small group discussion hands-on session 10 presenters (GSLIS; National Snow and Ice Data Center; Purdue, UIUC, and Johns Hopkins Univ. Libraries) 6-person panel (3 librarians and 3 scientists): Librarians and Scientists Keynote by Anna Gold, Associate Dean for Public Services at the at California Polytechnic State University

Seminar format

opportunities for small group discussion

hands-on session

10 presenters (GSLIS; National Snow and Ice Data Center; Purdue, UIUC, and Johns Hopkins Univ. Libraries)

6-person panel (3 librarians and 3 scientists): Librarians and Scientists

Keynote by Anna Gold, Associate Dean for Public Services at the at California Polytechnic State University

Field Work Opportunities Internships 6 week, funded placements project-oriented Digital Research and Curation Center, Sheridan Libraries, Johns Hopkins University (2008) National Agriculture Library, USDA (2009) Distributed Data Curation Center, Purdue University Libraries (2009) Smithsonian (2009) Practica 100 hours, course credit organizational orientation; shadowing Nat’l Snow and Ice Data Center (2009)

Internships

6 week, funded placements

project-oriented

Digital Research and Curation Center, Sheridan Libraries, Johns Hopkins University (2008)

National Agriculture Library, USDA (2009)

Distributed Data Curation Center, Purdue University Libraries (2009)

Smithsonian (2009)

Practica

100 hours, course credit

organizational orientation; shadowing

Nat’l Snow and Ice Data Center (2009)

New research directions Focus on integration and scale Informatics infrastructure as competitive edge Sample areas of development Landinformatics Group Atmospheric science, hydrology, nutrient balance, carbon cycle, ecology, agronomy Focus on data integration problems across larger range of sciences

Focus on integration and scale

Informatics infrastructure as competitive edge

Sample areas of development

Landinformatics Group

Atmospheric science, hydrology, nutrient balance, carbon cycle, ecology, agronomy

Focus on data integration problems across larger range of sciences

Conclusion Data is increasingly a scholarly product Data is currently no managed for the long term Libraries are the logical institutions to manage data Additional Training will be needed Librarians do not do it for free unless they want to

Data is increasingly a scholarly product

Data is currently no managed for the long term

Libraries are the logical institutions to manage data

Additional Training will be needed

Librarians do not do it for free unless they want to