Connecting with researchers via local data curation: the UCSB experience with Dryad deposits
Abstract
Since March 2021, the UCSB Library's Research Data Services (RDS) became the first UC campus to be part of Dryad's workflow and responsible for curating campus affiliates' deposits to the repository before public release. Our assistance ranges from data files and metadata inspection to more involved processes, including data transformation and documentation augmentation to maximize deposited data's reproducibility and potential reuses. This experience has allowed our department to establish a closer relationship with researchers and better understand their data-related needs while helping us promote data literacy and make our services more well-known on campus. This presentation will cover our internal workflow and curation steps; a debrief of the most common curatorial actions performed, the feedback we have received from depositors, and how we plan to move forward with our curation services.