What is a Canadian Data Dude? IASSIST June 4, 2014 Presenter: Jane Fry Carleton University, Ottawa

Objectives The background of the survey The background of a data dude How much time is spent doing different data-related duties How confident are we in helping our clients

THE Background of the survey The 2012 DLI Contacts Survey Why the survey DLI Education Committee wants information Changing research data landscape Opportunity for participating institutions What is DLI? -data liberation initiative – a division of Statistics Canada --all universities in Cda are subscribing members and some colleges --it is where we can download survey microdata and aggregate data for our clients --the DLI contact is the main one who is responsible for the DLI information at their institution Why -to determine effectiveness of current services --to determine future training needs Changes at StatCan/DLI, and evolution in DLI program Growth of data portals Open data Emphasis on statistical and spatial literacies Increase in work with undergraduate student Why - to provide anonymous feedback on the DLI program and on the training needs of member institutions --to reflect on their own local services Thanks to Sylvie Lafortune and Gail Curry for this information.

The survey (cont’d) Previous surveys This survey – 5 sections When DLI Contact Environment Support from your local institution Satisfaction with DLI products and Services Products, Services and DLI Section Improvements Satisfaction and Improvement with DLI Training When In 2000 and 2008 - Started with the questionnaire from 2008 and the DLI Education Committee edited it Email sent to DLI Contacts on May 29th, 2012 with a link to the on-line survey Reminders sent out June 7 and 11 Survey closed June 19, 2012

The survey (cont’d) Responses: Language n = 72 contacts English: 83% out of a possible 75 (66 universities, 9 colleges) Language English: 83% French: 17%

THE background of a data dude

a data dude (CONT’D)

Work Environment Q4: As an official DLI contact, what are your DLI-related responsibilities? - Just a note for those of you keeping track that these totals will not add up to 100% as the questionnaire asked the respondents to ‘check all that apply’.

Blue – Atlantic (eastern provinces) Red – Quebec Green – Ontario Light Purple – Western provinces Help users find data tables – everyone said yes to this one Data reference Preparing microdata files Preparing geospatial data files Training on using DLI data Maintaining DLI data websites Promoting data services – this was another popular one

Comments – other DLI responsibilities Educating Reference staff/librarians regarding DLI services Statistical/data resources Download data Don’t prepare it for use Do prepare it for use Assist with Statistical software Stats consulting - These are actual comments from the respondents

Work Environment (CONT’D) Q6: Check all that describe the data service at your institution. Amount of time on data service What other services do you offer Who answers data questions

WORk Environment (CONT’D) Data service time % < 20% 42 20 - 40% 11 41 - 99% 17 100% 15 More than one Data staff Full-time: 18%

Work Environment (CONT’D) Blue – Atlantic (eastern provinces) Red – Quebec Green – Ontario Light Purple – Western provinces Offered at service point Microdata on demand Teach data delivery tools

Comments – other data services Reference staff/librarians answer data questions depending on their level of expertise then bounce them to us Data curation and preservation services for research data Maintaining any web resources related to data Webpage, LibGuide Rely on DLI staff for their expertise These are actual comments from the respondents.

Work Environment (CONT’D) Q8: In your wider responsibilities, do you consider yourself to be a …

Work Environment (CONT’D) Data person GIS person Gov docs person Maps person Subject specialist

Comments – Other Duties (non-DLI) Administrators Assessment librarians Collections – different subject areas General Reference Systems Department – Head, programmer, ... Researchers Co-ordinators - electronic collections, access services, ... These are actual comments from the respondents.

Work Environment (CONT’D)

Work Environment (CONT’D) Q16: Over the past several years, would you say that use of DLI statistics and data at your institution has been … Increasing – 53% About the same – 42% Decreasing – 5%

Work Environment (CONT’D) Undergrads Grads Researchers/profs Library colleagues This would be instruction-related duties

Comfort and Knowledge level Acceptable or less Good Very good Blue - < 3 yr Red – 3-7 yr Green – 8-13 yr Light purple - > 13 yr

Comments - Comfort and Knowledge Being the DLI contact (for over 10 years) is only a small part of my workload. I feel more comfortable in general but always need some time to “dig in” to the products. I receive few questions so don’t feel comfortable in my knowledge. That is why regular regional training is important. There is low interest in the administration as to whether statistical services or provided or not. I find there is a big demand for it – more than I am actually capable of providing. This is a “learn by doing” experience. That experience will one day become expertise, but it’s a long road. The more advice and help given, the better. These are actual comments from the respondents.

Explain the dli list The latest product releases Answers to queries from the contacts answers to queries from our clients that we weren’t able to answer The questions on the list are answered by the dli staff or anyone else on the listserv who knows the answer Daily – 73% I have put this chart in for an answer to the question of where do the contacts get help I am extrapolating the answer from this question

summing up We learned We saw the background of the 2012 DLI Contacts Survey The background of a Canadian data dude We saw The amount of time spent offering data services The frequency of answering data related questions Other job duties that are performed Level of confidence in helping others Speculation on the future of data professionals? Searching for reputable open data showing our clients where the different data portals are and how to use them Teaching our clients about research data mgmt Questions about big data

Thanks to the Canadian DLI contacts for filling in the survey! Acknowledgements As a side note: this presentation was done as a Virtual Internship while doing my MLIS my supervisor was Siobhan Hanratty (UNB) my thanks for all her help, comments and suggestions Thanks to the Canadian DLI contacts for filling in the survey! themagathon.blogspot.com

QUEstions, suggestions, ... Contact Information: Jane Fry Data Specialist MacOdrum Library Carleton University jane.fry@carleton.ca Thank you 