Open data & open science
Approaches to building sustainable collaborations between libraries, IT, and researchers to support ongoing data sharing.
Building enduring collaborations among libraries, information technology, and researchers requires clear governance, shared incentives, practical workflows, and ongoing communication that aligns individual goals with collective open data maturity and resilience.
August 07, 2025 - 3 min Read
Strong collaborations between libraries, IT departments, and researchers begin with a shared vision that translates into concrete, measurable goals. Leaders must articulate how data sharing enhances research reproducibility, accelerates discovery, and broadens access for diverse user communities. A practical starting point is mapping existing capabilities, identifying gaps in metadata, data stewardship, and access controls, and then prioritizing improvements that deliver rapid, tangible benefits. Equally important is cultivating a culture of trust: teams learn to speak a common language about data quality, provenance, licensing, and user support. When stakeholders see incremental wins—from improved data catalogs to streamlined deposit workflows—the collaboration gains momentum and resilience.
Successful sustainable collaboration also hinges on governance structures that are lightweight yet robust. Establishing a cross-functional coordinating group helps align policy, technical standards, and service agreements across libraries, IT, and research offices. This body should define decision rights, success metrics, and escalation pathways while avoiding bureaucratic paralysis. Regular reviews of data sharing practices, role clarity, and risk management ensure that evolving needs are met without sacrificing stability. In addition, clear service-level expectations around deposit timelines, data curation, and user authentication keep teams accountable. By codifying processes, institutions can scale best practices while maintaining flexibility for innovative, future-oriented projects.
Leveraging shared infrastructures for reliability and reuse
A practical route to alignment is to co-create a data-sharing roadmap that ties infrastructure improvements to research workflows. librarians can map data stewards to disciplinary areas, IT teams can outline secure, scalable storage and access layers, and researchers can specify outputs, formats, and reuse requirements. The resulting plan becomes a living document, updated as new data types emerge or policies change. Training programs reinforce this alignment by teaching researchers how to annotate data with rich metadata, apply appropriate licenses, and use standardized identifiers. Regular, structured feedback loops ensure that lessons learned from one project inform the next, turning short-term wins into enduring capabilities.
Communication channels must be designed for ongoing collaboration, not episodic cooperation. Regular joint meetings, shared dashboards, and transparent incident reporting help teams stay synchronized. Investing in interoperable tools—metadata editors, data catalogs, and access control managers—reduces friction when researchers deposit datasets or request data from others. Demonstrating value through pilot successes encourages broader participation, while documenting challenges candidly supports continuous improvement. Communities of practice can emerge around specific domains, enabling peer-to-peer problem solving and the diffusion of effective practices. In time, this collaborative culture becomes the default operating model, embedded in daily routines rather than episodic projects.
Creating incentives and shared responsibilities for ongoing data sharing
Central to sustainable collaboration is leveraging shared infrastructure that scales with community needs. Libraries can sponsor metadata standards and persistent identifiers, while IT can provide secure storage, robust authentication, and data versioning. Researchers benefit from predictable deposit workflows, clear licensing, and easy access to publisher- and funder-m mandated data rights. When infrastructure decisions are co-owned, governance becomes a collective responsibility rather than a series of siloed mandates. Investments in interoperability, such as API endpoints for data discovery and programmatic access, empower researchers to integrate datasets into analysis pipelines. This shared backbone reduces duplication and fosters a culture of reuse that strengthens the scientific enterprise over time.
A sustainable collaboration also requires attention to funding models and incentive structures. Institutions should recognize and reward contributions to data stewardship, catalog creation, and compliance activities alongside traditional publication metrics. Flexible budgeting that supports cross-department projects, staff training, and open data initiatives signals long-term commitment. External funding streams can be aligned with shared data objectives, encouraging collaborators to co-design projects with open access and reuse goals in mind. By valuing collaborative labor, organizations reduce burnout and encourage researchers, librarians, and IT professionals to participate in long-running data sharing programs rather than abandoning them after initial pilots.
Inclusive practices that broaden participation in data sharing
Equitable collaboration extends to capacity building and knowledge transfer. Librarians can develop modular training on data stewardship, licensing, and workflow integration that researchers can access anytime. IT specialists provide hands-on sessions about security, compliance, and scalable storage strategies tailored to different disciplines. Researchers, in turn, contribute case studies illustrating successful reuse, reproducibility, and impact. When learning is accessible and relevant, teams adopt best practices more rapidly. Mentoring programs pair experienced data stewards with newcomers, accelerating skill growth and fostering a sense of community. As expertise diffuses, institutions gain confidence in expanding open data efforts across departments and geographies.
Equity in collaboration also means addressing power dynamics and access considerations. Ensuring representation across departments, early-career researchers, and community partners helps align priorities with broad user needs. Language around data rights and access should be inclusive, avoiding jargon that deters participation. Practical support, such as grant-writing assistance for data management plans and assistance with license selection, lowers barriers to contribution. By welcoming diverse voices and sharing decision-making responsibilities, libraries, IT, and research teams build a more resilient, creative ecosystem capable of sustaining data sharing through changing funding landscapes and technological advances.
Sustaining momentum through governance, incentives, and culture
Operational efficiency grows when teams standardize core workflows while allowing customization for local contexts. Shared deposit templates, metadata schemas, and provenance tracking enable researchers to describe data consistently, which improves discoverability and reusability. Libraries can curate data catalogs with intuitive search capabilities, while IT provides scalable services that enforce authentication and authorized access. Clear ownership for each dataset—who deposits, who curates, and who grants reuse rights—prevents ambiguity that can stall sharing. Regular audits and health checks identify gaps early, ensuring that data remains accessible and well documented over time.
A mature collaboration also incorporates risk management and compliance as core competencies. Institutions should implement data governance policies that cover privacy, security, and ethical use, with roles clearly delineated. Training on responsible data handling helps researchers avoid inadvertent exposure of sensitive information. Technical controls, such as encryption at rest and in transit, plus robust backup strategies, protect assets against loss. When risk management is integrated into daily practice, teams feel empowered to pursue ambitious open data initiatives without sacrificing trust or regulatory compliance.
Long-term success depends on measurable impact that can be communicated to stakeholders. Institutions can track indicators such as dataset deposit rates, usage metrics, citation of data, and user satisfaction. Sharing these results publicly demonstrates value, attracting further buy-in from leadership and funders. Periodic strategic reviews help reallocate resources to high-value activities and prune initiatives that no longer serve the community. Cultivating champions across librarianship, IT, and research ensures continuity as personnel change. Transparent reporting, combined with success stories from diverse disciplines, reinforces a narrative of collective achievement and ongoing commitment to open data.
The path to enduring collaboration is iterative and adaptive. Pilots teach what works and what requires adjustment, while scalable practices are codified into standards and templates. Community engagement, whether through workshops, hackathons, or advisory boards, keeps the conversation alive and grounded in real-world needs. Finally, strong leadership that models collaboration, honors diverse contributions, and aligns incentives with open data goals creates an environment where data sharing becomes a durable, integral part of the research lifecycle. As institutions learn to balance flexibility with accountability, the ecosystem matures into a resilient, inclusive, and productive open science infrastructure.
