Data preservation, the new science and the practitioner librarian

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to outline the information management principles of the so‐called “new science”, and to attempt to put these in the context of traditional library and information science principles.

Design/methodology/approach

A brief review of some work in the area, in particular focusing on the work show‐cased by the annual digital preservation conference series hosted by the Digital Curation Centre in Scotland (www.dcc.ac.uk/).

Findings

There is a danger that scientists (as opposed to LIS professionals) will apply the information management techniques of the new science to their own activities inappropriately, especially to research that is best curated as “old” not new science. This is something on which information professionals are well placed to give advice and make judgements.

Research limitations/implications

More practice‐oriented research is needed to enhance understanding of how traditional librarianship practices can be applied to the data‐intensive scientific research carried out by so‐called “virtual organisations”.

Practical implications

This paper makes some initial suggestions about the how the tools of library and information practice can be related to the “new science”. In particular, it highlights their relevance to distinguishing between the information management needs of the “old” and the “new” sciences: these needs are quite distinct, though easily confused.

Originality/value

This paper relates terms from pure science such as the virtual organisation, cyberinfrastructure, and e‐Science to traditional LIS concepts, and tries to create an understanding of the relationship between the two disciplines for the library practitioner.

Citation

Joint, N. (2007), "Data preservation, the new science and the practitioner librarian", Library Review, Vol. 56 No. 6, pp. 451-455. https://doi.org/10.1108/00242530710760337