TRLN Research Hubs Seminar: NCSU Libraries Steve Morris Interim Associate Director for the Digital Library November 4, 2014

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B ackground and Overview

Webster definition of “hub”: The central and most active part or place

Two Main Libraries

Collaboration Spaces Faculty Research Commons Graduate Student Commons Group Study Rooms Adaptable furniture Collaborative computing Video conferencing Abundant options

Creation Spaces Video editing/production Audio production Video conferencing Makerspace Capture, review, edit, share

Visualization and Brainstorming Spaces Teaching & Viz Lab Creativity Studio Visualization Studio Teaching & research Technology R&D Immersive environments Simulation Active collaboration

Large scale Interactive Display Spaces Gaming Lab iPearl Immersion Theater Game research Simulation & visualization Presentation Data analysis & problem solving

Webster definition of “hub”: The central and most active part or place

Webster definition of “hub”: The central and most active part or place

Service points Ask Us (single service point) at Hill and Hunt Special Collections, Makerspace (new) Supported spaces (e.g.) High tech spaces (Viz, collaborative, gaming, …) Faculty and Graduate Commons Digital Media Lab and media production facilities Specialized workstations (GIS, gaming and development) Behind the scenes and by consultation (e.g.) Copyright and Digital Scholarship Digital repository (scholarly pubs, ETDs, tech reports) Data management planning Render farm, display wall content creation Spokes and Mini-hubs

Organizational Models and Partnerships

Ask Us: Blended support by 3 departments Coordination between public services staff and technology staff on support of spaces Cross-departmental team for review of requests for high tech spaces Internal teams Research Data Committee Visualization Services Team MicroTile Content Programming Team Technology Partnerships Team Etc. Library organizational model

Geospatial: OIT, Natural Resources Site licenses, training, data server, community Visualization: RENCI, Design, Engineering RENCI staff, community, Hunt/Hill tech spaces Gaming: Digital Games Research Center Gaming Lab design, Studio class project Digital Humanities: Humanities & Soc. Sci. Visualization Studio (Hill), community, signature projects Makerspaces Community Campus partnerships: Examples

Staffing and Training

Increased reliance on student workers Single service point (Ask Us) Makerspace Technology support for high tech spaces Digital media production Application development in support of spaces Tiered and blended support for technology spaces Public services staff on front lines, consulting, hosting Technology support as needed Need a process for saying “No” Still a work in progress Staffing for support of spaces

“We’re all public services now” IT Department: Academic Technology Digital Library Initiatives: DH, Visualization, Digital Media Collection Management: Research Data Management Incubating new services and new roles (retooling) Research Data Committee Visualization Services Team Evolving Roles in Research Support (1)

New functionally-focused positions Academic Technology Librarian (IT) Director of Visualization Services (DLI) Digital Research & Scholarship Librarian (DLI) Director of Research Data Services (Coll. Management) Research Librarian for Science Informatics (Nat. Res.) Emerging roles Statistical analysis Data wrangling Text mining Measuring impact Evolving Roles in Research Support (2)

Source: VALVE Handbook for New Employees, 2012

Infrastructure and Technology

Two Main Libraries

Plans for the Future

User convenience, one-stop shopping Immediate proximity for referral Consolidated faculty/grad/undergrad services Crossroads for serendipitous interactions Visibility, advertisement, “Social proof” Centralized support Advantages of a Central Hub

So what to do without a central hub …?

1) Create a virtual hub

New Research Support Portal on Libraries’ Website

2) Increase visibility of services in physical spaces

Reservable consultation space High end computer, software (GIS, viz, stats) Both private and visible “Social proof” and advertising Mini-theater seat space Community programming Coffee and Viz seminar series Workshops DH Hill Faculty Research Commons

New DH Hill Makerspace Space for workshops 3D Printers, soldering irons, and other tools Visitor space

Pop Up Events and Workshops

Digital Canvases as Social Hubs

3) Experiment in existing central spaces

DH Hill as testing ground

Physical space: distributed mini-hubs and spokes Staff shifting into new functional roles More staff/departments publicly facing New virtual research hub Use digital canvases and spaces to spur interaction DH Hill as setting for new experimentation Adaptation of innovations Hunt > Hill > Hunt > Hill … Conclusion