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Name(s) of programs (e.g. Scholars’ Lab) and URL(s) associated with your DS program:
- Center for Data and Visualization Science – https://library.duke.edu/data
- Digital Scholarship & Publishing Services – https://library.duke.edu/digital
- ScholarWorks: A Center for Scholarly Publishing at Duke University Libraries – https://scholarworks.duke.edu/
- The Edge: The Ruppert Commons for Research, Technology, and Collaboration – https://library.duke.edu/edge
If you have a mission statement or similar description of your program, please include it here:
The Edge: The Ruppert Commons for Research, Technology, and Collaboration extends Duke University Libraries’ mission by providing a collaborative space for interdisciplinary, data-driven, digitally reliant or team-based research. Located on the renovated first floor of Bostock Library, the Edge brings together resources and expertise to help Duke researchers innovate, in a space that invites discovery, experimenting, and collaboration.
The Ruppert Commons for Research, Technology and Collaboration (also known as “The Edge”) meets the growing needs of interdisciplinary, team-based, and data-driven research at Duke. Open since January 2015, The Edge is equipped with tools and workspaces for digital scholarship, reservable rooms for project teams, expanded technology and training facilities, and programming that encourages connection among the disciplines. We encourage all members of the Duke community to come to The Edge to explore our facilities and services:
- Events and workshops based around faculty, student and staff research
- Expertise on data visualization, analysis, and management in the Data Visualization Lab
- Informal event and project workspace in the Digital Studio
- Reservable, technology-enhanced project rooms for collaborative work
- Flexible, open seating areas
- Whiteboard walls for easy brainstorming
Plans for the Ruppert Commons came about through a multi-year planning process in which faculty, students, and library staff explored how Duke researchers are increasingly conducting their work in the context of interdisciplinary collaborations and digital production.
Consultation
- Digital technologies and tools = Offered by Library, Offered by Library + Partner(s), Offered by other campus unit(s)
- Project planning = Offered by Library, Offered by Library + Partner(s), Offered by other campus unit(s)
- Project management = Offered by Library, Offered by other campus unit(s)
- Building databases and archives = Offered by Library
- Class projects/assignments = Offered by Library, Offered by Library +Partner(s), Offered by other campus unit(s)
- Copyright, intellectual property = Offered by Library
- Data management plans = Offered by Library, Offered by Library + Partner(s), Offered by other campus unit(s)
- Metadata = Offered by Library
- Locating and selecting data sources = Offered by Library
- Researchers’ grant writing = Offered by Library, Offered by Library + Partner(s), Offered by other campus unit(s)
- Digital publishing and dissemination = Offered by Library, Offered by other campus unit(s)
- Digital preservation/curation = Offered by Library
Education/Training
- Workshops/bootcamps on tools/software = Offered by Library, Offered by Library + Partner(s), Offered by other campus unit(s)
- Course-related sessions related to digital projects = Offered by Library
- Credit courses on digital scholarship topics = Offered by Library, Offered by other campus unit(s)
- Certificate programs in digital scholarship or related topic = Offered by other campus unit(s)
- Symposia = Offered by Library + Partner(s), Offered by other campus unit(s)
- Events, e.g. GIS Day = Offered by Library, Offered by Library + Partner(s), Offered by other campus unit(s)
Facilities
- Training/classroom space = Offered by Library, Offered by Library + Partner(s), Offered by other campus unit(s)
- Consultation space = Offered by Library, Offered by Library + Partner(s), Offered by other campus unit(s)
- Collaborative project space = Offered by Library, Offered by other campus unit(s)
- Computer/data lab = Offered by Library, Offered by Library + Partner(s), Offered by other campus unit(s)
- Media production studio = Offered by Library + Partner(s), Offered by other campus unit(s)
- Visualization studio = Offered by other campus unit(s)
- Makerspace = Offered by other campus unit(s)
- VR/AR studio = Offered by other campus unit(s)
- Data science lab = Offered by Library
Infrastructure/Enterprise Servies
- Digital preservation = Offered by Library, Offered by other campus unit(s)
- Large-scale data storage = Offered by other campus unit(s)
- Digital publishing services = Offered by Library, Offered by Library + Partner(s), Offered by other campus unit(s)
- Repositories = Offered by Library, Offered by Library + Partner(s)
- Programming, writing APIs = Offered by other campus unit(s)
- Computational processing of data = Offered by other campus unit(s)
- Data recovery/migration = Offered by other campus unit(s)
- Software licensing = Offered by other campus unit(s)
- Virtual computing = Offered by other campus unit(s)
- Security = Offered by other campus unit(s)
What would you like to offer next?
Extend project management services (from consultation and training to
assistance)
- As part of Duke’s strategic vision for research
(https://president.duke.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Duke2030_FinalReport.pdf), there is a call to “create a cadre of project managers to facilitate the success of complex projects.” Many of these projects are, by definition,
cross-disciplinary and technological in nature, and require broad access to resources and expertise. There is also an acute need for such guidance when projects are in early or prototype phases and have not yet acquired sufficient funding to hire a dedicated project manager. We are working with campus partners to address this need and also looking for ways that we can strengthen and extend our own project management expertise.
Expand and scale data services to meet the needs of campus researchers
- As part of Duke’s strategic vision for research (https://president.duke.edu/wpcontent/uploads/2022/04/Duke2030_FinalReport.pdf), there is a call to “expand access to data science resources.” The Libraries has services and expertise that are already well regarded, but lacks capacity to meet the campus need. We are working with campus partners to explore ways to creatively fund and sustain this work.
What type of staff are employed by your program?
- Librarians, archivists, library staff
- Information technologists, including programmers
- Data scientists/analysts
- Postdocs
- Graduate students
What constituencies are served by your program?
- Faculty
- Postdocs
- Graduate students
- Undergraduate students
- Individuals external to the university and local community
What disciplines are served by your program?
- Humanities
- Arts
- Social sciences
- STEM (science, technology, engineering, math)
- Professional (health sciences, law, business, etc.)
- Other: Divinity School
Please provide pointers to additional materials that may be helpful in understanding the structure and work of your program.
Milewicz, L., Herndon, J., & Wofford, B. (2022). On the Edge: Balancing Space and Services in a Digital Scholarship Program. In H. T. Hickerson, J.K. Lippincott, & L. Crema (eds.) Designing Libraries for the 21st Century. Chicago: Association of College and Research Libraries. Accessed 2023 Feb 9 at https://www.ala.org/acrl/sites/ala.org.acrl/files/content/publications/booksanddigitalresources/digital/9780838936726_OA.pdf.
Association of Research Libraries. (n.d.). Digital Scholarship Profile: Duke University. Accessed 2023 Feb 9 at https://www.arl.org/library-digital-scholarship-support-profile-duke-university/.