MDLS 2020 Archive

University of Wisconsin Madison
Online
October 14-16, 2020

MDLS 2020 Schedule

Monday, October 14, 2020

All times Central Daylight Savings Time.

Virtual Lunch & Social Hour

12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Sandy Avila, Science Librarian, University of Central Florida
Come join a first time MDLS attendee and presenter, Sandy the Science Librarian, as she moderates a virtual gathering to get to know each other, share our thoughts about presentations, and just to socialize. If you need a short break or just want to meet other virtual attendees….plan to join us! Register early, attendance is capped at 50 participants.

Welcome, Code of Conduct, & Expectations

1:00 pm - 1:15 pm
Trisha Adamus, Research Data Librarian, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Cameron Cook, Digital Curation Coordinator, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Opening Keynote

1:15 pm - 2:15 pm

Structural challenges to good data management in my work with grad students in the geosciences
Carolyn Bishoff, Physics, Astronomy, and Earth Sciences Librarian, University of Minnesota Twin Cities

It’s taken me 8+ years of working with research data management to see and understand the tremendous systemic obstacles individuals face when managing their data/materials/stuff. I’ll share my experiences of educating researchers on RDM topics and talk about why asking folks to make better personal choices has left me frustrated. I’ll ground this discussion in a particular conversation I had with a group of geoscience graduate students. My goal with this talk is that together we can share ideas and strategies that address the systemic challenges to data management, because, spoiler: I sure don’t know.

Break

2:15 pm - 2:30 pm

Lightning Talks — Together and Apart: Service and Teaching Continuity During a Pandemic

2:30 pm - 3:30 pm

Trials and triumphs of modular, scalable data literacy instruction
Ginny Boehme, Science Librarian, Miami University

STEM Librarians at Miami University have collaborated with biology department staff to create modular and scalable data literacy instruction. Initially planned to be given as an in-person workshop series for a summer cohort of undergraduate biology researchers, the COVID-19 pandemic forced us to adapt. The resulting modules are designed to be flexible and relevant to many disciplines across the physical and social sciences. This talk will briefly discuss the creation and implementation of the modules, including the trials and triumphs we encountered along the way.

Challenge Accepted: Using LibGuides as a Platform for Asynchronous GIS Instruction
Joshua Sadvari, Assistant Professor, Geospatial Information Librarian, The Ohio State University
Katie Phillips, Outreach Coordinator, Center for Urban and Regional Analysis, The Ohio State University

In this lightning talk, we will discuss our approach for continuing to offer informal learning opportunities on geospatial topics in response to the rapid shift to online instruction due to COVID-19. Specifically, we will discuss the development and implementation of the ArcGIS Online Challenge (go.osu.edu/agol-challenge), an asynchronous learning path delivered to Ohio State researchers and instructors through the LibGuides platform. While we had previous experience creating more traditional guides to curate lists of relevant resources, this was the first time we used the LibGuides platform to develop and deliver a curated learning experience. We will share considerations related to instructional design, technology, and communication so that others may learn from our experiences and consider adapting our guide for use in their own institutional or disciplinary contexts.

Continuing agricultural data service: What is different for a multi-institutional collaboration during COVID-19 pandemic
Chao Cai, Assistant Professor, Purdue Libraries and School of Information Studies

This talk will discuss a multi-institutional agronomic research project that is funded by USDA, and how data librarians are integrated into the project. Furthermore, the presenter will reflect how the collaborative effort was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and what may be done differently for further improvement.

Bite-size data skills: Scaffolding through video vignettes
Shannon Sheridan, Data Management Librarian, University of Wyoming

After a switch to online learning mid-semester, a faculty member from the Education Department approached the data management librarian with a request to support data skills in an undergraduate education class. To provide support for the students, the data librarian made short video vignettes demonstrating three skills: creating a Google Forms survey, extracting data from the survey, and creating basic data visualizations in Excel. The faculty member was able to scaffold the videos into relevant online modules throughout the course. This lightning talk will outline the process of creating video vignettes for scaffolding data skills in an online course, which participants could then apply at their own institutions.

Questions (15 min)

Break

3:30 pm - 3:45 pm

Panel — Teaching and Outreach: Data for the Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences

3:45 pm - 4:45 pm

Developing an Intro to Data Course for Non-Data-Scientists
Claire Nickerson, Learning Initiatives & OER Librarian, Fort Hays State University

Fort Hays State University recently launched an Information and Analysis concentration in its Masters of Liberal Studies program. The concentration is designed for professionals who need to make data-driven decisions without needing to be data scientists, such as educators, policy-makers, and non-profit employees. Come learn about the first course students take within the concentration core, Introduction to Data, which was developed by FHSU librarians.

Outreach to the Spatial Data Users in Humanities and Social Science Disciplines
Nicole Kong, Associate Professor, Purdue Libraries and School of Information Studies

Many humanities and social science researchers have found spatial data can be an effective and powerful tool to facilitate and expand their research. Yet not many research labs in these disciplines have the necessary skills to fully take advantage of the spatial datasets and tools. To provide the data service in a more effective way, we have developed a for-credit course to introduce basic knowledge and technology to graduate students. With three years of teaching and research consulting experiences, this presentation will introduce several data and technology skills we have learned that might be especially useful in collaborating with humanities and social science researchers. We’d also like to initiate discussions between data librarians in this area about how to curate and share the datasets broadly as a community.

Motivate!: Teaching Humanities Data Science
Isaac Williams, Data Visualization and GIS Librarian,, University of Texas at Arlington

As academic institutions have become increasingly interested in humanities data, there has emerged a need for data librarians to teach data analysis and visualization skills in discipline-specific ways. By examining a series of data science workshops taught in English literature courses at the University of Texas at Arlington, this presentation describes insights gained and lessons learned when teaching data science skills to humanities students at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Specifically, it discusses how to effectively teach data competencies and critical data literacy to an audience of humanities students with varying skill levels and types while avoiding demotivation.

Questions (15 min)

Wrap-Up & Announcements

4:45 pm - 5:00 pm

Trisha Adamus, Research Data Librarian, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Cameron Cook, Digital Curation Coordinator, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Virtual Happy Hour & Game Session

5:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Trisha Adamus, Research Data Librarian, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Megan O’Donnell, Data Services Librarian, Iowa State University

Join us in a series of Jackbox games. Most games will play 4-8 players and involve drawing, trivia or word games. You can play a game, watch and vote on the funny answers of the players playing, or hop in-between the two! The only requirement to play is a mobile phone or tablet with wifi. Register early, attendance is capped at 100 participants.

Thursday, October 15, 2020

Topic Tables

12:00 pm - 12:50 pm
Topics will be chosen on the first day of the conference. Submit your suggestions or volunteer to facilitate a discussion here.

Welcome & Announcements

12:50 pm - 1:00 pm
Organizing Committee

Lightning Talks — Seeing the Connections: Visualization, Networks, and Partnerships

1:00 pm - 2:05 pm

Visualizing faculty research on campus: An accidental project
Daria Orlowska, Data Librarian and Assistant Professor at the University Libraries, Western Michigan University

This accidental project used trial and error, a good measure of stubbornness, and python to visualize potential research connections on campus. Questions explored included what identifiers are available to make connections between faculty and their publications? How can this process be made sustainable and replicable? And what are the next steps to improve results for greater representation across disciplines?

How not to run a data visualization contest
Jeffrey C. Oliver, Data Science Specialist, University of Arizona Libraries
Kiri Carini, Geospatial Specialist, University of Arizona Libraries
Christine E. Kollen, Data Curation Librarian, University of Arizona Libraries
Chun Ly, Research Data Systems Integration Specialist, University of Arizona Libraries
Fernando Rios, Research Data Management Specialist, University of Arizona Libraries

In spring 2020, the University of Arizona Libraries launched a student data visualization contest. Aside from the obvious “don’t start a contest at the beginning of a global pandemic”, we identified several opportunities for improvement. We discuss how we would change our communication strategy to better highlight library services and engage with a broader audience.

Research as Design-Design as Research: Developing a Researcher-Driven Collaborative Model for Data Services
Kay Bjornen, Research Data Initiatives Librarian, Oklahoma State University Libraries
Cinthya Ippoliti, Director, Auraria Library serving Community College of Denver, Metropolitan State University of Denver, and University of Colorado, Denver

Our IMLS Sparks! project consisted of working with a cohort of 27 faculty across STEM fields as well as the Social Sciences of Oklahoma State University faculty, and an Advisory Board comprised of a diverse set of institutions as consultants. We used customer journey mapping and design thinking to document their goals and practices throughout the research lifecycle to help us create workflows and services for their data needs based on their own insights and with their direct involvement. Our main research question was: What is the role and impact of the library in helping researchers manage their data along an entire project lifecycle?

Data Citation Detectives: The Role of a Bibliographer for a Social Science Data Archive
Sarah Burchart, Information Resources Technical Specialist at ICPSR

The Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR)’s Bibliography of Data-Related Literature was established in 2000 to match datasets held in ICPSR topical archives to works resulting from data analyses. As a librarian-bibliographer working with ICPSR’s criminal justice topical archive, it has been my responsibility to employ effective methodologies for browsing social science literature and establishing continuing email alerts detecting when ICPSR data is used, whether formally cited with a DOI or informally mentioned in an article’s abstract or methods. This presentation will showcase the typical work of an ICPSR bibliographer, highlight the usefulness of the ICPSR Bibliography for data librarians, and emphasize the importance of standardized dataset citation in scholarly publications.

Taking a Grassroots Approach: Creating a Future for STEAM Based Research, Data, and Tools Support at the UCF Libraries
Sandy Avila, Science Librarian, University of Central Florida

This session will explore the impetus for UCF Libraries interest in developing a research data management (RDM) workshop series, specific infrastructure concerns (such as scalability and staff resources), key partnerships leveraged, and how the pilot workshops series has provided valuable lessons learned as the Libraries develops additional workshops on research data management. What do you do when your library does not have a formal RDM team or positions dedicated to this area of research support? How can you leverage existing campus partnerships to create robust and scalable services? Come to this session to find out more.

Questions (15 min)

Break

2:05 pm - 2:15 pm

Panel — Shared Ethics: Collaboration for Responsible Data Sharing

With our powers combined!: Working with the IRB to include human subjects data in an institutional repository
Diane Castillo, Business/Social Science Data Librarian, Oregon State University
Clara Llebot Lorente, Data Management Specialist, Oregon State University

Oregon State University has accepted datasets in their institutional repository, ScholarsArchive@OSU, since 2013. In 2019, we modified our review process to include datasets that include human subjects research. In order to do that we had several meetings with the university’s Institutional Review Board, which led to both of us modifying our existing protocols to accommodate human subject data deposits. During this talk we will explain why we decided to include human subject data in our repository, the main points of the protocol, and we will share our experience revising human subjects datasets with the new protocol and how it led to a new service we’re offering researchers at OSU.

The DMPs / IRB Nexus: How Data Librarians Can Help
Dessi Kirilova, Senior Curation Specialist, Qualitative Data Repository

This presentation will clarify the existing nexus between IRB protocols social scientists are required to file for human participant research and data management plans, especially with respect to post-project data sharing. We will also summarize some results of an NSF-funded research project that investigates the interaction between best practices for ethically and legally sharing sensitive data and the evolving IRB positions on the topic. Lastly, we will share model guidance for data management plans and consent scripts that address sharing human participant data. Data librarians can employ these ideas in their ongoing efforts to educate their researcher community on working with sensitive social science data in a holistic manner.

Questions (20 min)

Break

3:15 pm - 3:30 pm

Discussion —MDLS Futures

3:30 pm - 4:45 pm
Trisha Adamus, Research Data Librarian, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Cameron Cook, Digital Curation Coordinator, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Wrap-Up & Announcements

4:45 pm - 5:00 pm
Trisha Adamus, Research Data Librarian, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Cameron Cook, Digital Curation Coordinator, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Virtual Happy Hour

5:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Sandy Avila, Science Librarian, University of Central Florida

Come join a first time MDLS attendee and presenter, Sandy the Science Librarian, as she moderates a virtual happy hour gathering to get to know each other, share our thoughts about presentations, and just to share what your favorite happy hour beverage might be! If you need a short break or just want to meet other virtual attendees….plan to join us! Register early, attendance is capped at 50 participants.

Friday, October 16, 2020

Virtual Lunch Mentor Meetings

12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Heather Shimon, Science & Engineering Librarian, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Jennifer Patiño, Data & Digital Scholarship Librarian, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Welcome & Announcements

1:00 pm - 1:15 pm
Organizing Committee

Panel — If You Build It: Infrastructure Challenges in Data Services

1:15 pm - 2:15 pm

Organizational Changes: Digital Core
Amy Koshoffer, Assistant Director of Research & Data Services, University of Cincinnatti

The University of Cincinnati is developing a provost supported digital core housed in the library. The goal of this digital core is to help all students become conversant with the many types of data that they will encounter in the world particularly in the workplace through the curriculum, partnerships with industry, and exposure to technology-enriched spaces. Competency in these essential work skills is in alignment with the university’s long tradition of co-operative education and experiential education. UC Libraries Digital Scholarship Center and Research and Data Services will jointly support the core through teaching in courses as instructors and partnerships in research projects that involve and mentor students.

From Zero to Heroes: Reflections on building a data librarian team over the past five years
Christy Kulp, Data Librarian, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City
Courtney Butler, Data Librarian, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City
Kira Lillard, Data Librarian, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City

Five years ago, there were no data librarians at the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. Now, there are three. We will each share our interesting and unique journeys as we expanded our services. We hope to encourage others lean into experimentation and to embrace the ambiguity that still surrounds what it means to be a data librarian.

Bridging Data Access Gaps
Barbara Esty, Data Librarian, Yale University

As libraries license and acquire larger and more complex datasets ranging from property records to citation data, users need to seek creative ways to store and process the data. This is difficult when on-site campus computing is available but during this period of working remotely, this this more challenging. Creating a mediated storage location where researchers can access and compute against datasets allows for equitable use of resources and more robust research projects. In addition, to providing an environment that fosters work efficiency and license compliance for security, the library can get invaluable user feedback and enhanced documentation from researchers as they use the resources.

Questions (15 min)

Break

2:15 pm - 2:30 pm

Closing Session

2:30 pm - 3:30 pm

Jamene Brooks-Kieffer, Data Services Librarian, University of Kansas Libraries

During this closing reflection we will look back at previous MDLS closings and consider what these themes might mean for the symposium’s future. Participants will be able to join in these reflections through writing prompts and conversation.

Social Hour & Game Session

3:30 pm - 5:00 pm
Megan O’Donnell, Data Services Librarian, Iowa State University
Trisha Adamus, Research Data Librarian, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Join MDLS participants on Discord to play games or chill-lax and share pet pics, craft projects, or your latest binge watch. Discord is a chat service reminiscent of IRC but with many more bells and whistles, among other things it supports voice and video calls. You will need to make an account (free) to log in. Register early, attendance is capped at 100 participants.