TITLE:
The Role of Academic Libraries in Research Data Management: A Case in Ghanaian University Libraries
AUTHORS:
Abankwa Frederick, Yuan Run
KEYWORDS:
Research Data Management, Research Data Services, Academic Libraries, E-Science, E-Research
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Access Library Journal,
Vol.6 No.3,
March
28,
2019
ABSTRACT: Seeking information is of the great key for both researchers and academic li-brarians and for that matter getting data plays a key role. The act of sharing, preserving, collecting, disseminating, and managing of data with respect to re-search data is of the essence in our current system of retrieving information. This has been made possible by the collaboration with information communi-cation and technology for both researchers and academic librarians. Scholars are now producing, disseminating and storing digital data in much larger vol-ume than the text. Management of research data is a major challenge for many universities in Ghana. In case, having access to such data is really difficult because some data are not stored in libraries. The study reveals that some academic libraries are beginning to provide frameworks for these services with some degree of success as policies are being formulated. Also, infrastructures are being set up, and library staff trained, and awareness and advocacy campaigns held with academic staff and researchers. The study seeks to explore academic librarians’ perceptions of their roles and involvement in RDM support services. In view of that, the researchers used the qualitative method and gathered data using semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis method was used to analyze the data collected. A sample of 116 librarians was targeted for the survey in the data collection process. Out of one hundred and sixteen (116), only eighty-one (81) agreed to participate. The findings reveal that academic libraries in Ghana need to improve their technical skills and competency sets through training and other capacity building program. Based on the findings recommendations were also provided which can help major Ghanaian academic libraries to improve.