2023 Product Theater

RDMLA and DSCPE: An Innovative Open Learning Platform and Professional Development Program for Retooling Working Librarians on Research Data Management and Data Services
Rong Tang, School of Library and Information Science, Simmons University, Co-Leader, RDMLA; Elaine Martin, Countway Library of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Co-Leader, RDMLA; Ashley Thomas, Countway Library of Medicine, Harvard Medical School RDMLA Librarian

The Product Theater will include a demonstration of two online professional development programs, the Research Data Management Librarian Academy (RDMLA) and the Data Services Continuing Professional Education (DSCPE), where the RDMLA/DSCPE team will review how to use the programs and what potential students will learn and the skills they will take away by participating in these programs.

The RDMLA is a global, free online professional development program for librarians and other information professionals who work in research-intensive environments. The curriculum, which includes eleven self-paced learning units and two mini-modules, focuses on the essential knowledge and skills needed to collaborate effectively with researchers on data management. As of May 15, 2023, RDMLA has more than 7600 learners from all around the world. The course is also available in a Traditional Chinese translation thanks to a translation partnership with National Taiwan University (NTU) Library.

The DSCPE is a ten-week online intensive learning experience geared toward preparing early-to-mid career working librarians to provide needed data services. The curriculum consists of live sessions, remote self-paced learning, and capstone with a partner site. The objective of this professional education is to train and develop a community of practice for data services librarians.