Speaker
Description
Research data are valuable resources that need to be curated and managed by research libraries as they are intricate and complex, irreplaceable, expensive, and time-consuming to replicate. However, The Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Act No.17 of 2013 do not define how research data generated by the research institutes should be managed, resulting in poor mechanisms for data curation and sharing, low-quality research outputs, duplication of research and poor re-analysis of existing research data. The purpose of the study is to examine how Kenya’s agricultural research institute libraries curate their research data and propose interventions for improvement. The objectives are to examine how Kenya's agricultural research institute libraries curate their research data and to determine how the institute libraries can realign themselves to offer re-purposed data curation services. The study adopted a mixed methods approach employing a survey design within a case study. Quantitative data were collected using questionnaires from 142 researchers who were randomly sampled. Qualitative data was collected using interviews and documentary reviews from 41 directors of institutes, heads of research, heads of IT, and librarians sampled using the census. The findings of the study revealed that the RDM legal framework had not yet been enshrined in the KALRO Act (No.17 of 2013); the research data curation policies and regulations were outdated; the institutes did not involve libraries and librarians in coordinating functions of research data curation; inadequate knowledge and skill of librarians and researchers in handling research data curation service; and limited awareness and advocacy. Overall, the findings revealed that research data curation services were not adequately managed. The study recommended the establishment of a formal data governance structure to address data curation services, a legislative and policy framework for RDM and data curation, collaboration and participation among librarians and researchers, capacity-building programs, sound technical infrastructure, and incentivization of stakeholders.
