Library workshops in support of data-driven research in top NIH- and NSF-funded universities

摘要

In response to an urgent need for computationally-savvy researchers, leading university libraries are developing and offering participatory workshops to introduce their patrons to data-driven research methods and resources. In doing so, libraries help to improve the competitive advantage of their universities relative to other schools that compete for federal funds. We conducted a qualitative study to explore the nature of library workshops offered in top NIH- and NSF-funded universities. To guide strategic planning, we present a catalog of the workshops offered in fall 2016, two indexes for resources and workshop content, and a thematic analysis. A BRIEF WORD ABOUT METHODS. We used NIH Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tools and the NSF Budget Internet Information System to identify top-funded universities. From their corresponding websites, we extracted information on 99 workshops offered by five health sciences libraries and five main libraries in schools funded by NIH and NSF, respectively. We recorded workshop title, duration, and description by source of federal funding and library. Additionally, we used qualitative data analysis methods to identify themes in the dataset, and natural language processing to identify candidate terms for the resource and subject indexes. The results of the content analyses, as well as the indexes, yield insights regarding workshop coverage.