HULib News

Helsinki University Library strengthens its methods towards a tighter support for the researchers and the research community. At the moment the services and research collaboration for this key group are very current being either available already or under development. Most essential among these services are bibliometrics, open archives and research data services.

Research data services mean the support offered for the data management of research material. In future the library’s data services help both in creating metadata and storing and organizing the data so that it remains usable throughout its life cycle; from gathering up the material to a possible reuse.

“This new field in the library’s services means a renewed understanding and expansion of the traditional work. Scientific publications are data as well as research data on which they are based. Helsinki University Library is strongly involved in the present information environment with its constant and fast changes in technologies, research and publishing.”  These were the opening lines of Meilahti Campus Library’s director Annikki Roos (photo above). She is in charge of Helsinki University Library’s research data project and she was the chair of the seminar Researcher’s data services, held at the Helsinki University Library on August 30^th, 2013.

There were almost 50 participants from the library and the university listening to experts from CSC – the IT Center for Science (photo: director Pirjo-Leena Forsström, data services for science and culture), and the university’s IT department, research administration and the National Library’s Network Services. The event was the closing seminar of the Helsinki University Library’s internal staff training that started in fall 2012. Fifteen staff members participated the training and gained knowledge in how to create data services, collaborating both locally at their own university and also nationally and internationally.

Dr. Kimmo Tuominen, the University Librarian, stated at the seminar’s closing remarks that Helsinki University Library acts as a catalyst for change with the developmental work for the management of research data. In this aspect the library stands among the most advanced in Europe. Other universities in Finland have made requests to join the library’s research data training.

According to the Helsinki university research infrastructure program for the years 2013-2016 “current research infra structures and professional support staff ensure high-standard research”. The research data services and collaboration within it are taking Helsinki University among the world’s 50 best universities as stated in its strategy.

For more information, please contact Campus Library Director Annikki Roos, annikki.roos[at]helsinki.fi

Photos: Veera Ristikartano