The proliferation, management, and preservation of research data is one of the most pressing challenges facing research libraries. ARL works with members, funders, and partners to advance FAIR (findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable) and CARE (collective benefit, authority to control, responsibility, and ethics) data principles by aligning institutional policies with funder mandates and best practices in scholarship and digital stewardship.
Current Projects
Realities of Academic Data Sharing (RADS) Initiative
The RADS initiative, funded by the National Science Foundation (2021-2023) and the Institute of Museum and Library Services (2023-2026), aims to understand and analyze the costs associated with making research data publicly available due to increased federal mandates. Data for this study are collected from surveys and guided interviews with institutional administrators and federally-funded researchers at RADS institutions. Project outputs will guide library strategic investments in data management and sharing infrastructure, and provide valuable insights for funders, institutions, and researchers in navigating the evolving landscape of open research data.
Building a scalable data management infrastructure for strategic institutional coordination
In collaboration with the California Digital Libraries (CDL), this Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) funded project addresses the urgent needs of academic and research libraries of varying sizes and budgets to respond to increasing requirements to share federally funded research data. This project focuses on enhancing the DMPTool and persistent identifier registries to meet evolving funding agency requirements for machine-actionable data management and sharing plans (maDMSPs) by linking technical development with stakeholder engagement and coordination. The project will support strategic planning for libraries as they implement new policies, workflows, and technical solutions to build local capacity for effective data management, publication, and reuse.
Recent Reports
Making Research Data Publicly Accessible: Estimates of Institutional & Researcher Expense
In February 2024, the Realities of Academic Data Sharing (RADS) project team released their phase one capstone report, “Making Research Data Publicly Accessible: Estimates of Institutional & Researcher Expense.” Based on data from six ARL member institutions, the report details the costs of making research data publicly accessible. It offers the first comprehensive estimates of these expenses, providing valuable insights into the costs associated with public access to research data.
Realities of Academic Data Sharing (RADS) Initiative Public-Access Data Management and Sharing (DMS) Activities, v3
In December 2023, the Realities of Academic Data Sharing (RADS) project team released their public-access data management and sharing (DMS) activities, which describe what researchers and administrators at institutions that support research data sharing may need to consider when managing and sharing data to comply with funder or other data-sharing and public-access policies. These activities may also help guide researchers when budgeting for their DMS costs.
Institutional Strategies for the NIH Data Management and Sharing Policy
The ARL, along with the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) and Association of Academic Health Sciences Libraries (AAHSL) has released a report, “Institutional Strategies for the NIH Data Management and Sharing Policy”, detailing infrastructure, services, and policies developed to meet the January 25, 2023, NIH policy requirements. The site aamc.org/nihdatasharing is regularly updated with resources about ongoing institutional efforts and relevant initiatives.
Implementing Effective Data Practices Toolkit
In December 2019, the National Science Foundation (NSF) sponsored a conference on implementing effective data practices, organized by ARL, the California Digital Library (CDL), Association of American Universities (AAU), and the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities (APLU). During this conference, research data experts developed guidelines for using persistent identifiers (PIDs) and creating machine-readable data management plans (DMPs). The recommendations aim to support broad adoption by research institutions, publishers, tool builders, and funding agencies to enhance public access to research data.
ARL/CARL Joint Task Force on Research Data Services
The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) and the Canadian Association of Research Libraries (CARL) formed a Joint Task Force on Research Data Services in early 2020. The resulting January 2022 “Research Data Services Partnerships” report highlights the roles research libraries play in managing research data and guides ARL and CARL members in advancing their organizations as collaborative partners in research data services, in line with FAIR data principles and the US National Academies’ Open Science by Design framework.
Letters and Comments
- ARL Responds to US Office of Science and Technology Policy Request for Comments on Desirable Characteristics of Repositories (March 2020)
- IARLA Supports the Sorbonne Statement on Research Data Rights (April 2020)
Webinars and Recordings
- ARL webinar: Making Research Data Publicly Accessible (February 2024)
- ARL/COGR webinar: Gearing Up for January 2023: Institutional Strategies for Implementing the NIH Data Management & Sharing Policy (September 2022)
- ARL, COGR, and FDP video presentation: Putting Numbers Behind Institutional Expenses for Public Access to Research Data at CNI Meeting (March 2022)
Related Resources
Below are resources and information for research libraries about US and Canadian research data management and sharing policies.
Final NIH Policy for Data Management and Sharing: Briefing Sheet—Institutional Leadership
This joint ARL and Council on Governmental Relations (COGR) briefing document provides an overview of NIH’s October 2020 Data Management and Sharing (DMS) policy, which went into effect January 2023. The policy mandates detailed plans for data management and sharing in all NIH-funded projects. The briefing outlines specific policies, objectives, and implications for researchers and institutions, highlighting the need for a cultural shift, compliance with new regulations, and support for effective data sharing.
SPEC Kit 354: Data Curation (May 2017)
This SPEC Kit explores the infrastructure that ARL member institutions are using for data curation, which data curation services are offered, who may use them, which disciplines demand services most, library staffing levels, policies and workflows, and the challenges of supporting these activities.
