New Format Data Curation Primers in 2024 

We’re excited to share three new data curation primers released by the Data Curation Network, focusing on critical formats and approaches in scientific and cultural data management: FITS (Flexible Image Transport System), TIFF (Tagged Image File Format), and Linked Data. FITS: The Astronomical Data Standard The FITS primer, developed by Lubov McKone, Robyn DeRocchis, and…

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Indigenous data in an institutional repository: First steps toward putting the CARE Principles into practice

This post is authored by Alicia Zuniga, Wanda Marsolek, and Shanda Hunt. Background The Data Repository for the University of Minnesota (DRUM) is an open access, curated data repository for UMN affiliates to share digital data for long-term access and reuse. DRUM launched in 2014; ten years and over one thousand submissions later, we continue…

Curating for data rescue

This recent federal agency changes and confusion over access to federally funded research, including the removal of access to data, alteration of existing datasets, and the removal and alteration of documentation, reaffirms the Data Curation Network’s dedication to data curation and preservation. We are grateful for the time and energy of our colleagues across the…

DCN Releases 2024 Annual Report

Today we release our 2024 Annual Report. As with previous years, our community continued to show up for one another through shared curation, educational opportunities, and cross-institutional collaboration.  This year, we welcomed six new institutional members, including five through the Association of Research Libraries (ARL)-led, Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)-funded Realities of Academic…

DCN joins World Data System

In December 2024, the Data Curation Network became a Network member of the World Data System (WDS). 🎉 The WDS, through the International Program Office (IPO) and International Technology Office (ITO), connects generalist, disciplinary, and institutional repositories, researchers, and organizations around the world, all committed to ensuring FAIR data. Through its resources, such as metadata…

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Reflecting on developing specialized curricula for data curation and making it open

This post was authored by Seth Erickson (UCSB), Neggin Keshavarzian (Princeton), Sophia Lafferty-Hess (Duke), Wanda Marsolek (Minnesota), and Jennifer Moore (WashU) In 2022, the Data Curation Network received a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) for the project “Developing Specialized Data Curation Training to Address Needed Expertise in Focused Areas” [RE-252343-OLS-22]….

Strengthening Research Infrastructure: Data Curation + Institutional Repositories

This post was authored by Jen Darragh (Duke University), Shawna Taylor (ARL), and Mikala Narlock (DCN). In 2024, advocacy emerged as a focal point of external DCN activities, with members drawing on years of collaboration and expertise to emphasize the essential role of institutional repositories and professional data curation expertise. From surveying researchers and repository…

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Applications open for 2025 NIH and Data Curation Network Workshop Series

The Data Curation Network in partnership with the National Institutes of Health Office of Data Science Strategy is happy to announce a new training series aimed at helping data curators and information professionals in assisting researchers in making data publicly accessible via repositories. The series will include three workshops throughout the spring and summer of…

Driving change and changing our Drive: Migrating from a Google Folder to a Shared Drive

This post was authored by Mikala Narlock, DCN Director. When the DCN was spinning up 9 years ago, our principal investigator created the Google Drive Folder that would grow to be the nervous system of the DCN, tracking grants, curation, workshops, primers, research–you name it, it was likely in our Google Drive Folder.1 The benefits…