The Library: Big Data’s Boomtown

Abstract

Since 2012, nearly every sector has developed a fascination with the seemingly new discovery of Big Data and its unprecedented capabilities to fuel analytic breakthroughs. It is clear that the use of Big Data as an information resource will continue to become more prevalent as it is employed in academic research and data-driven decision making, and even emerges as a vehicle for government transparency. This article reviews the emergence and potentials of Big Data, describes the policies fueling the current data surge, and discusses the impact on libraries. As libraries evolve to provide more data services, there is an opportunity for librarians to become experts and authorities in the data age.

KEYWORDS:

• Big Data
• data curation
• library education
• data librarianship
• Open Government
• skills and training

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This article was originally written for LIS 611: Information Policy, taught by Dr. Deborah Rabina, Spring 2013, at Pratt Institute.