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Chapter 4 Preparing and Sustaining a Workforce for Digital Curation
Pages 63-82

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From page 63...
... That trope of a continuum will be continued here, in considering the education and training of a digital curation workforce. Preparing that workforce will require educational opportunities that span the entire continuum.
From page 64...
... . The Library of Congress has also addressed the education of digital curators through its Digital Preservation Outreach and Education program, which aims to establish a national trainer network that will provide instruction for organizations seeking to preserve their digital content.
From page 65...
... While information presentation and visualization are typically viewed as the product, or output, of data analytics, they also have a role in the larger life cycle of digital repository services, to the extent that they can provide accessible insight into the nature of the curated resources. To that end, those providing digital curation services can 4 Open Archival Information System, ISO 14721:2012, see http://www.iso.org/iso/home/store/catalogue_ics/catalogue_detail_ics.htm?
From page 66...
... , to an equally varied population of current and future users. Those providing digital curation services confront a daunting array of technology-enabled choices, and need to understand and anticipate the implications of their decisions.
From page 67...
... The regulations, policies, norms, and values surrounding access, privacy, retention, repurposing, and manipulation of digital information are complex, ambiguous, and sometimes contradictory. Professionals engaged in digital curation should be prepared to analyze ethical dilemmas, identify conflicting principles and policies, and make informed recommendations or decisions to resolve such conflicts.
From page 68...
... Likewise, those working in digital curation should be competent in basic management and administrative processes, including the following: • Cost-benefit analysis, • Strategic planning, • Project management and planning, • Staff development, • Supervision, • Training, • Grant and report writing, • Cross-institutional coordination, • Expectation management and complaint handling. 4.2 Envisioning Education at the Other End of the Continuum The program of study in digital curation envisioned above for training curatorial specialists would be neither feasible nor relevant for those aiming to conduct digital curation as but one part of their research or practice in other domains.
From page 69...
... comprehensive time line of data curation initiatives in LIS schools have matured into established programs. A small but growing number of iSchools now offer concentrations or certificate programs in digital curation.
From page 70...
... Project management course descriptions generally included planning and management for digital libraries or digital preservation, but only 14 such courses were identified across all schools. Course descriptions contained in the Data Curation Curriculum database suggest that instruction in technology, statistics, and computer programming directly relevant to digital curation is also limited.
From page 71...
... Nonetheless, the more traditional training programs are only beginning to adapt their course offerings to the needs of digital curation professionals. Although many of the principles and skills covered in conventional degree programs are integral to digital curation education, courses continue to be too general in nature, with inadequate attention given to the specific knowledge and skills needed for curation of digital information.
From page 72...
... The programs exist at the undergraduate, master's, and doctoral levels, with specializations including data analytics, business analytics, predictive analytics, data science, web science, and information technology and systems. Notable examples include: • Certificate in Data Science at the University of Washington eScience Institute, • Informatics degrees at Indiana University, and • Information Technology and Web Science program at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
From page 73...
... ) to introduce museum-based informatics and data curation into the curriculum.
From page 74...
... More recently, the E-Science Institute, developed by the Association of Research Libraries, the Digital Library Federation, and DuraSpace, offered a series of learning modules to assist academic libraries in advancing an agenda for e-research support, with a particular focus on the sciences, cyberinfrastructure, and data curation. Another active technical community working in libraries, museums, and archives developed the CURATEcamp "unconference" series in 2010.
From page 75...
... As we noted already in Chapter 2, a substantial body of reports and studies have focused on digital curation (e.g., Lord and Macdonald, 2003; Swan and Brown, 2008; Interagency Working Group on Digital Data, 2009; National Science Board, 2005; Blue Ribbon Task Force on Sustainable Digital Preservation and Access, 2010; Auckland, 2012; Lyon, 2012)
From page 76...
... The private sector also has much to gain from effective and consistent digital curation processes, policies, and procedures, and therefore in the preparation of the digital curation workforce. Many businesses have major investments in digital information assets; some industries are entirely dependent on them.
From page 77...
... The rapid transition to data-driven science and business analytics would benefit from a curatorial workforce that is knowledgeable and proficient in the sciences as well as in digital curation. Educators in existing data curation and data science programs have reported difficulties recruiting students, especially those with a background in the domain sciences.
From page 78...
... Input to that research agenda should come from the full continuum of those engaged in digital curation activities, from curatorial specialists through to domain experts and industry practitioners. 4.10 Conclusions and Recommendations Conclusion 4.1: Although the number and breadth of educational opportunities supporting digital curation have grown, existing capacity is low, especially for the initial education of professional digital curators and the midcareer training of professionals in other fields.
From page 79...
... Recommendation 4.1: OSTP should convene relevant federal organizations, professional associations, and private foundations to encourage the development of model curricula, training programs and instructional materials, and career paths that advance digital curation as a recognized academic and professional discipline. Recommendation 4.2: Educators in institutions offering professional education in digital curation should create cross-domain partnerships with educators, scholars, and practitioners in data-intensive disciplines and established data centers.
From page 80...
... 2012. Is data curation education at library and information science schools in North America adequate?
From page 81...
... 2012. Current trends and future directions in data curation research and education.


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