Introduction

In 2012, the University of Kansas (KU) Libraries, KU Information Technology, the Greater Western Library Alliance and the Great Plains Network received an Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS) National Leadership Planning Grant to leverage our collective strengths and create a proposal for a scalable and federated approach to the life-cycle management of research data based on the needs of member institutions. In building on the strength of the key partners, the planning process we will focus on these three goals in service to the current and future generations of researchers and scholars.  This emerging project is a result of that planning effort.

Goals

Goal #1: Undertake an in-depth environmental scan focused on current national and international data management initiatives and on the needs of our member universities for research data management services and infrastructure. [complete March 2013]

Goal #2: Bring together a GPN and GWLA member forum and two-day workshop for the university research, library, and technology communities focused on understanding challenges and solutions in managing, sharing, and preserving research data. [complete. May 2013]

Goal #3: Create and disseminate a plan for a scalable multi-institutional approach to research data management to support the university members of GPN and GWLA and advance this plan for funding. [underway]