Data Management Plan: Bare Bones Repository

BY JIM MULLINS

For the past several years, the Purdue Libraries, along with others on campus, have been grappling with the thorny issues associated with data management, as they apply to the sciences and engineering. Even though we have been focusing on science and engineering, most researchers within the University either are or will need to manage large amounts of data sometime in the future. This past year a task force within the Libraries undertook the challenge of developing a plan for receiving and storing research data, generally referred to as the “Bare Bones Repository” initiative. The effort and insights of this group will greatly facilitate the work we will soon be embarking upon. The plan to implement the bare bones repository was, for the most part, an internal Libraries initiative. 

In May that all changed with the announcement from the National Science Foundation that beginning the first of October, a data management plan will be required as an element within all NSF grant proposals. For a copy of the NSF announcement please go to URL: http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=116928. This mandate by NSF has caused a flurry of activity throughout academe, including, of course, Purdue.

After a meeting that included the Office of the Vice President for Research, ITaP, and the Libraries, it was decided that a task force co-chaired by the Vice President for Information Technology (Gerry McCartney) and the Dean of Libraries (along with others from ITaP and the Libraries) would be formed to define the problem and then articulate what the data management plan should be for Purdue. Faculty representing nearly every college and school will serve on the Task Force to provide input and to test assumptions and the process. Although this is in response to the NSF mandate, it is the intent of this task force to create a data repository that would be accessible and open to all Purdue researchers to store data, not just data gathered from NSF grants.

The role for ITaP and Libraries will likely be as follows: ITaP will manage the servers and develop software (most likely to be an iteration of HubZero software); while the Libraries will contribute expertise in the area of ingest (metadata) and data curation profiles. The greatest focus initially will be developing the two page data management plan that will be necessary for all NSF proposals beginning this fall. Exploration, analysis, and development will continue for the next year, since the grants that will need to conform to the data management plan articulated will not be awarded until fall 2011, thereby providing us time to assess staff and fiscal implications.

We are considerably ahead of our peer institutions in working to develop a data management plan through the work already undertaken by ITaP in development of the HubZero software, and the Libraries considerable experience and commitment in developing data curation profiles and the recognition we have gained as collaborators in the research endeavor. We have the opportunity to be a national leader in this development.

The Information Literacy Council issued a call for proposals to Libraries faculty this spring for projects on “Assessing Information Literacy and Critical Thinking in Purdue Undergraduate Students.” A proposal submitted by Judy Nixon in collaboration with College of Education Assistant Professor Nathalia E. Jaramillo has been accepted. The proposal is entitled “Assessing College of Education Undergraduates’ Information Literacy Skills.” It will involve the administration of iCritical Thinking assessments to selected students in a course on the philosophy and history of American education. The Libraries will fund 22 assessments and the College of Education will provide matching funds for another 22 assessments.

Judy stated that this project is important because, “There has been little research on how ‘information literate’ future teachers are or how to effectively enhance these skills.” This project will provide a baseline for beginning to understand the information literacy and critical thinking ability of mid-level teacher preparation students.

Purdue University Press staff Katherine Purple, Bryan Shaffer, and Charles Watkinson attended the annual conference of the Association of American University Presses in Salt Lake City, June 17-20. For both Charles and Katherine, this was their first AAUP meeting, and a unique opportunity to learn from the over 400 university press publishers, consultants, librarians, and vendors who participated. Katherine’s attendance was generously supported by an individual professional development grant from APSAC.

E-book formats and business models were the main focus of the program. It was clear that all publishers are struggling to keep pace with the rapidly expanding range of e-book readers, and the requirement to produce multiple file formats. The challenges of clearing intellectual property rights for electronic publication and assigning identifiers correctly to many different digital versions of the same work are particularly perplexing. However, some consensus is starting to emerge and it was encouraging to hear of hopeful collaborative solutions to the challenge facing presses as the market for books follows the lead taken by journals in moving from print to electronic.

Of particular interest were updates on several planned aggregations of university press e-book content under development. The largest one is being put together by a consortium of presses led by New York University with funding from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Purdue University Press is involved in several of these initiatives which are characterized by careful consultation with librarians. Some features of these aggregations are that the e-book files will have the minimum of Digital Rights restrictions so that books purchased by libraries will remain permanent parts of the collection, and that a variety of subject-based sub-collections will be offered.

Bryan, Katherine, and Charles also took advantage of being in Salt Lake City to spend time with their counterparts at the University of Utah Press. Like Purdue University Press, UUP is being integrated into the Libraries and it was interesting to compare experiences. It was also a pleasure to see the beautifully remodeled J. Willard Marriott Library building, with its stunning views of the city and mountains. The Library displays many artifacts brought by the early Mormons to their new home in the 19th century, including two extraordinary full-size geographic globes on which the pioneers had marked their route as they traveled by wagon and foot across the country. As we prepared to leave the meeting, these maps reminded the Press staff of the journey we are all taking as publishers and librarians toward the digital future.

You can hear more reports about “What Publishers are Talking About” from the AAUP and ALA meetings at a seminar being held in the HSSE Conference Room from 2 pm – 3 pm on Tuesday, July 27.

Who would have thought that the sale of watches at Costco could have copyright issues as well as serious implications for libraries? Strange but true and here’s the story.

Omega is a Swiss watchmaker who sells their watches to authorized distributors and retailers around the world. Costco obtained Omega watches through a series of grey market deals and sold the high end watches for less than Omega would like, so Omega sued Costco in California federal court for copyright infringement. There is a copyright in the Omega watches and the issue is whether or not Omega can control the subsequent sale of imported goods that are manufactured and sold abroad. The trial court agreed with Costco but the Appeals court overturned that ruling in favor of Omega. The United States Supreme Court has agreed to hear the case in the fall and will issue a decision next spring.

Costco, in their argument, relied upon section 109 of the U.S. Copyright law which is known as the first sale doctrine. It says that once a copyrighted work is sold then the copyright owner cannot control the resale of that work. Section 109 is the reason that libraries are able to loan books and other copyrighted materials.

What’s at stake for libraries should the Court rule in favor of Omega is that any books, journals, DVDs, etc. that are printed outside the US would not be allowed to be loaned without the permission of the copyright holder. The Library Copyright Alliance which consists of ALA, ACRL and ARL, has submitted a brief to the US Supreme Court supporting Costco’s argument.

All eyes and ears of the library community will be avidly watching and waiting the outcome of this case.

Contact Donna Ferullo with questions.

Libraries Staff A-Z

LU ANN GOODEN
Hicks Repository
Serials Clerk

Q.  What do you enjoy most about your job and why?
A.  Troubleshooting problem serials and holdings updates, because they can be very challenging at times!

Q.  How long have you worked in the Libraries and at Purdue?
A.  Going on three years this September.

Q.  What is one unforgettable experience that has happened to you or your coworkers while working in the library?
A.  Definitely the warm welcome I received on my first day and the friends I have made so far.

Q.  What’s your favorite book, Web site, movie, or database?
A.  I don’t have much of an interest in reading, although I have read a few V.C. Andrews books that I found pretty interesting. My favorite web site would have to be www.thekrazycouponlady.com lots of good coupons. I would have to say my favorite movie right now is “My Sister’s Keeper,” what a tear jerker!

Q.  Coffee, tea, water, or soft drink?
A.  Water

Q.  What do you like to do for fun?
A.  Scrapbooking, making cards, and spend time with my family.

Q.  Feel free to include any information about yourself that you would like to share with the staff.
A.  I have been blessed with a wonderful husband, Bill, to whom I will have been married for 13 years this August. Between the two of us, we have 3 children, a 20 year old daughter, Katelyn, a 24 year old son, Billy, and a 26 year old daughter, Nikki who has blessed us with a granddaughter named Willow who is now 4. (She informed me that I am a Princess and that I look like Dora the Explorer. I will take that as a compliment ONLY because she adores her.) She definitely makes life a lot more interesting when she is around!