A Study On Research Data Management Activities In Kenyan Academic Libraries

The strategic significance of research data management in academic libraries is to ensure more productive and efficient science as new knowledge is created by building on discoveries,innovations,and open scientific inquiry.This study investigated research data management activities in Kenyan academic libraries with the interest of recommending measures to improve managing,sharing,and reusing research data.The University of Nairobi Library stands as a hub for providing research services to researchers of the University of Nairobi,Kenya's research centre and trendsetter,in higher education.The following research question was addressed:How are Kenyan academic libraries managing research data to advance sharing and reusing research data?The specific research questions the study aimed to address were:1.What is the research model for studying RDM in Kenyan academic libraries?2.What is the present state of RDM in Kenyan academic libraries?3.What is the development strategy for RDM in Kenyan academic libraries?The Community Capability Model Framework(CCMF)provides details of the roles and responsibilities of each capability for effective management of research data,while the DCC Curation Lifecycle Model offers a high-level view of data curation,allowing the activities to be planned at different granularity levels and ensuring processes and policies are adequately documented.Therefore,the study was underpinned by the DCC Curation Lifecycle Model and the CCMF.The study employed mixed methods research;to purposively capture quantitative data from a broad cross-section of 330 researchers at the University of Nairobi and qualitative data from 5 research librarians at the University of Nairobi Library.Quantitative data was analyzed using SPSS to generate descriptive and inferential statistics,while qualitative data was examined thematically to generate themes that enabled the study to address the research problem.Study findings revealed that RDM activities were in the infancy stage of development in Kenyan academic libraries.Though the academic library surveyed had policies on research data,quality assurance,and intellectual property,the findings suggested the absence of a legal framework to govern RDM activities and explicit policies to guide each stage of data curation and capabilities.Furthermore,data curation activities faced several challenges.There were also deficiencies in the human resource capability as personnel lacked the needed knowledge,skills,and training.The findings further revealed deficiencies in RDM training,advocacy and support programs,technology and infrastructure capability,collaborative partnerships,and finances.These challenges limited the managing,sharing,and reusing of research data.This study recommends an organizational change to establish an RDM unit within Kenyan academic libraries,to oversee the implementation of RDM activities by assembling all the needed capabilities(Legal and policy guidelines,knowledge,skills and training,technology and infrastructure,and collaborative partnerships)to support data curation activities and enable the efficient managing,sharing and reusing of research data.