RLUK

RLUK was a major sponsor of the UKRDS project and several of the RLUK libraries have been active participants in the JISC Managing Research Data programme. Policy directives from research funders are now emphasising the role of institutions in ensuring effective data management practice. Established library and archive expertise in metadata, curation and archival management, are potentially important elements, but require interpretation. Understanding future roles in research data management is important for the overlap between libraries, IT professionals and researchers, and for the development of new workforce knowledge and skills. In some areas liaison librarians are becoming familiar with research data needs, and some are helping to design institutional policy framework and to extend knowledge of external policy and practice. There is also a link with the emergence of innovative publishing models, and new trends in scholarly communication including open data and collaborative datasets. This strand will take forward issues relating to role and policy formulation and provide an important strand in workforce development, collaborating with key partners to deliver training and guidance to the sector.