Research libraries are increasingly focusing on providing better support and training for Data Literacy, both to their staff and to their community of users. 

Two experts in this area are data librarians Robin Rice of the University of Edinburgh and John Southall, Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford.

They recently shared their knowledge on Data Literacy as part of a LIBER webinar. In particular, the webinar focused on how librarians can support Data Literacy for their users and for themselves.

In particular, during the webinar : 

Robin Rice gave an overview of topics in data literacy-related support and training:

• promoting data citation and open licenses,
• data discovery and access methods,
• data formats and standards,
• data handling and statistical literacy.

John Southhall discussed recent work on improving data literacy for library support staff at the University of Oxford. This included:

• general sessions on the principles of research data management for library staff, and
• organising a series of termly data briefings,
• existing training refined to target subject and divisional needs such as in the Medical Sciences Division. John Southhall gave some examples of the feedback he has received on success in developing new data-centric jobs within the Bodleian Libraries.

Questions were raised about librarians’ role in data literacy training and how data literate librarians need to be, – which stimulated thoughts from the audience during the interactive part of the webinar

Source : LIBER WEBINARS 

Related content: 

• LIBER’s Research Data Management Working Group
• Scholarly Communication, Digital Skills & Services and Research Infrastructure : LIBER Strategy (2018-2022)
• Data Librarian’s Handbook
• Data Literacy Chapter from the Data Librarian’s Handbook
• MANTRA Research Data Management Training
• Research Data Management and Sharing MOOC