Birth and Development of Data Librarianship

Abstract

Data librarianship and the role of the data librarian are an established reality in many countries, even though at different levels. Particularly, academic librarians have been involved in research data management for a long time and this role is acquiring precise features. In Italy, the data librarian is a figure still to be built and defined. The aim of the article is to offer a first systematic exploration in the fields of data librarianship and the role of the data librarian, both in their practical (what activities) and methodological (how activities are performed) features. The hope is to encourage the beginning of a necessary reflection on these topics.