Awareness of Research Data Management Practices at University Libraries in Pakistan: Required Skills, Infrastructure, and Challenges

Abstract

This study examines librarians' views on research data management values, skills, infrastructure, challenges, and incentive factors, as well as RDM practices at Pakistani university libraries. This study observed university libraries in Punjab province and Islamabad, Pakistan's capital city, on research data management (RDM) understanding and use. The study inspects librarians' knowledge, abilities, infrastructure, and RDM challenges. We gathered the data from a poll of university chief librarians in Punjab province and Islamabad, the capital city of Pakistan. We designed an online questionnaire to survey 114 university library professionals. We collected data from 101 chief librarians or head librarians in degree-granting institutions located in Punjab province and Islamabad, the capital. We descriptively analysed the data using SPSS v. 20. The results show knowledge and education gaps, budgetary constraints, cultural barriers, and technological challenges. Punjab province and Islamabad, Pakistan's capital city, require focused training, infrastructure improvements, and open data promotion to enhance research data management. The study results confirmed that efficient research data management is crucial for maintaining research integrity, reproducibility, storage, dissemination, and conservation. Librarians need technological skills, data management strategy, legal and ethical knowledge, and instructional ability, according to the study. It also highlights digital archives, data management tools, and network security for research data management. We identified issues with information professionals' skills, library infrastructure, human resources, and technology. These findings suggest that university administrators and donor organisations must regularly and effectively offer LIS professionals training and development. RDM resources, data analysis and visualization tools, data storage, security, research data sharing platforms, documentation and metadata, access permissions, and data literacy training should be considered. This is Pakistan's first study to investigate RDM techniques and their use in university libraries. The research aims to improve research data management procedures and regulations at higher education institutions in Punjab province and Islamabad, Pakistan's capital city.