Libraries and data centers

From GRDI2020

This is a GRDI recommendation; return to Main Page with all the challenges or to recommendations

Context and Challenges

The roles of libraries and data centers are converging. Rather than trying to fight against this by defining distinct roles for them, one should embrace this development and to see it as an opportunity to optimise the overall data-related service delivery.

Recommendation

Structure incentives for libraries and data centres in a way that maximises synergies and minimises overlaps of the functions.

Gather best practice information (including disciplinary standards) and create a common understanding of services, terminologies (common definition of custodian role) across the library and data center domain. This includes creating an "ontology of job descriptions" to understand organisational roles.

Stakeholders and Impact

This allows more fluid definition of service palettes for these new type of "hybrid organisations" that incorporate aspects of today's libraries and data centres. This could likely lead to specialised organisations focusing on subset of services. On the "economies of scale" side this could be an opportunity to optimise energy consumption for storing very large datasets.

Harmonisation of job descriptions should reduce the resistance to change since it would reduce the employment-related uncertainty for people whose job descriptions are currently tied strongly to either library or data center domain.

Funding organisations, could drive the change.