Developing a Community of Practice: Building the Research Data Management Librarian Academy

Abstract

The Research Data Management Librarian Academy (RDMLA) is a free, online global professional development program designed by librarians for librarians working in research-intensive environments. Developed through a unique partnership that includes a Library and Information Sciences academic program, research and health sciences libraries, and industry, the RDMLA’s inception, development, and launch provide helpful insights into the creation of online professional development courses. The RDMLA team’s experience building the course’s curriculum with an instructional designer (ID) and evaluating the operation and usefulness of the course’s content through usability testing provides valuable lessons learned for librarians constructing an online continuing education (CE) course.

Keywords:

• Continuing education
• data librarians
• online curriculum
• research data management

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to acknowledge and thank Jean Shipman, Rong Tang, Zhan Hu, Roger Vargas, Amber Budden, Adam Kriesberg, Scott Lapinski, Julie Goldman, Danielle Adams, Ceilyn Boyd, Rachel Lewellen, Alison Thornton, Andrew Creamer, Danielle Pollock, Mary Blanchard, Philip Espinola Coombs, Richard Kaplan, Eric Albright, Rebecca Morin, Berika Williams, Jen Ferguson, Nicole Henry, and Sanda Erdelez.

Additional information

Funding

The Research Data Management Librarian Academy (RDMLA) is financially supported by Elsevier.

Notes on contributors

Ashley Thomas

Ashley Thomas, MA, MLIS ([email protected]) is the RDMLA Librarian at the Countway Library of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, 10 Shattuck Street, Boston, MA 02115 USA.

Elaine R. Martin

Elaine R. Martin, MSLS, DA ([email protected]) is the Director and Chief Administrative Officer for the Countway Library of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, 10 Shattuck Street, Boston, MA 02115 USA.