Recovering and Reusing Archival Data for Science: Investigating Curatorial Practices Across Disciplines

dc.contributor.authorShiue, Hilary Szu Yin
dc.contributor.authorSorensen, Amanda
dc.contributor.authorClarke, Cooper T.
dc.contributor.authorFenlon, Katrina
dc.date.accessioned2021-12-21T17:46:43Z
dc.date.available2021-12-21T17:46:43Z
dc.date.issued2021-11-03
dc.description.abstractExtensive, scattered collections of historical research records and legacy scientific data have largely untapped, but potentially enormous value to ongoing and future research. While research and practice in data reuse and curation have focused almost exclusively on contemporary scientific data—data from active or recent research, data already hosted in repositories, and data which are already computationally or analytically amenable—scattered data rescue initiatives, or efforts to recover and reuse historical data, have illuminated the potential benefits of curating historical data for current and future reuse in a variety of contexts. Yet we know little about the range and impact of existing efforts to recover historical data across disciplines, the unique curation challenges of historical scientific materials, and the recovery and reuse practices of scientists and curators specifically directed at archival or defunct data. The "Recovering and Reusing Archival Data for Science" project (RRAD-S) is conducting semi-structured interviews with scientists and curators to investigate recovery and reuse efforts directed at archival data, including data in the historical and special collections of libraries and archives, but also data lurking in boxes of unpublished documents in the basements of research centers. Through interviews with experienced domain experts across various disciplines and organizations, we are investigating the landscape of current data recovery efforts and identifying differences and commonalities among the priorities, processes, and practices of data recovery and reuse in different research contexts. In particular, we are examining differences in the practices of professional data curators and scientists or domain experts. The RRAD-S study builds on prior case study research, which developed assessment factors and a processing guide to assist memory institutions in evaluating the challenges and opportunities of recovering data from archival collections. The current phase of research will translate findings into practical guidance for the scientific and curatorial communities, characterize historical data reuse in novel contexts, and illuminate the curatorial practices of scientists themselves in the course of reuse.en_US
dc.description.sponsorshipThe Recovering and Reusing Archival Data for Science project is supported by the University of Maryland College of Information Studies and by Non-Assistance CooperativeAgreement #58-8201-1-181 between the University of Maryland and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), National Agricultural Library with funding provided by the USDA, ARS, Office of National Programs.en_US
dc.identifierhttps://doi.org/10.13016/znk2-rjnw
dc.identifier.citationShiue, H., Sorensen, A., Clarke, C. T., & Fenlon, K. (2021, November 3-11). Recovering and Reusing Archival Data for Science: Investigating Curatorial Practices Across Disciplines [Poster presentation]. Research Data Alliance 2021, Virtual.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1903/28258
dc.language.isoen_USen_US
dc.publisherResearch Data Allianceen_US
dc.relation.isAvailableAtUniversity of Maryland (College Park, Md)
dc.relation.isAvailableAtDigital Repository at the University of Maryland
dc.subjectdata rescueen_US
dc.subjectdata curationen_US
dc.subjectdata reuseen_US
dc.subjectdata recoveryen_US
dc.titleRecovering and Reusing Archival Data for Science: Investigating Curatorial Practices Across Disciplinesen_US
dc.typePresentationen_US

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