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TITLE:
Conducting a Data Interview

AUTHOR(S):
Michael Witt, Purdue University
Jake R. Carlson, Purdue University

KEYWORDS: data curation; collection development; interviewing

DOCUMENT TYPE: Article

Link to publication: http://www.dcc.ac.uk/events/dcc-2007/programme/all-posters-demos

ABSTRACT:
Librarians at Purdue University are beginning to identify the scientific datasets that are being generated by our faculty and researchers as information assets to be collected, preserved, and made accessible as a function of the library’s collection development. These librarians are subject-area specialists, and many have advanced degrees in their respective disciplines in addition to a degree in library science. They have all been trained in collection management; however, much of this training was related to traditional formats such as monographs and serials and not datasets. In our experience, one of the most effective tactics for eliciting datasets for the collection is a simple librarian-researcher interview. In this poster, we share a set often questions that a librarian can use as a starting point for such a “data interview”. It is not a comprehensive strategy but instead a practical tool to draw out information that needs to be considered in order to evaluate the suitability of a dataset for the collection and the requirements for the infrastructure and services that will be needed for data curation. This poster was presented at the 3rd International Digital Curation Conference on December 12-13, 2007, in Washington D.C.