[Rdap] FW: Details about Springer Nature's new reserach data support services

Tue Feb 27 15:10:16 EST 2018

Fascinating. Thank you for sharing this!

My complaint is they're "solving" the *easy* RDM problems, for a fee.
There's no indication they deal with hosting, preservation, labelling,
metadata population, file format conversion, or the various other pain
points researchers encounter.  Looking at their features:

• ensure data are correctly labelled and that labels are consistent

This is compliance checking.  In my main field (ocean data) that's
basically a script:
https://github.com/ioos/compliance-checker

They aren't doing the labelling themselves - they can't.

• create clear and understandable descriptions of datasets

Crafting a description is interesting - but I doubt this is evidence-based,
because I've gone looking for evidence on good descriptions and not found
it.

• increase findability by improving metadata and keywords

I am skeptical of this "improving metadata" bit. Adding keywords, sure.
But how confident are you that they'll be adding accurate keywords to a
dataset they have no familiarity with?

• generate persistent DOIs for datasets

This is an API call. I guess there may be some cost associated with that,
but you can set up most repositories to do this automatically at publish
time...

• add relevant funder information

... again provided by the researcher. What's the value add here?

• personal information is treated in compliance with HIPPA or other
appropriate standards.

Assuming they mean HIPAA, that's fine, but this is again compliance
checking. They aren't actually doing the deidentification. And no mention
of research ethics compliance - which leads to my other point, which is
that some of this is best dealt with at the ethics application stage, not
after completion.

 • Where needed, we’ll ... assign a CC-0 license to the dataset.

Listen, I like public domain as much as the next RDM zealot, but
prescribing a license isn't going to work universally. Don't let perfect be
the enemy of the good - if a researcher really wants CC-BY, and it complies
with funding/publication rules, do we really need to die on this hill?

I was thoroughly underwhelmed by this offering. We're providing a service
that doesn't exclude the tough bits as part of an ongoing action research
project - but nice to know what an hour of my time is worth, according to
the market. :)

Cheers!

Mike

Associate Professor
School of Information Management
Dalhousie University

On Tue, Feb 27, 2018 at 10:27 AM, Ali Krzton <alk0043 at auburn.edu> wrote:

> Hi list members,
>
> I thought I’d get people’s reactions to this.  My initial reaction was
> along the lines of, “Why is Springer trying to do my job for me and charge
> my faculty for the privilege?”  Am I overreacting?  Do you all think
> there’s a place for this kind of service?  I’m certainly not hostile to the
> idea of value-added data curation.  ICPSR and other repositories do that.
> But this seems different, and potentially troublesome.
>
> Best,
>
> Ali Krzton
>
> Research Data Management Librarian
>
> RBD Library
>
> Auburn University
>
> alk0043 at auburn.edu
>
> Ph: 334-844-8268 <(334)%20844-8268>
>
> ORCID: 0000-0001-9979-2471
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> *From:* Schatz, Robert, Springer SBM US [mailto:
> Bob.Schatz at springernature.com]
> *Sent:* Wednesday, February 21, 2018 11:36 AM
> *To:* Ali Krzton <alk0043 at auburn.edu>
> *Subject:* Details about Springer Nature's new reserach data support
> services
>
>
>
> Alicia,
>
>
>
> If you have five minutes, I’d like to share details about Springer
> Nature’s new Research Data Services. It is unique among major publishers.
>
>
>
> We’re introducing these services because of the increasing demands under
> which researchers are placed by funders, governmental agencies and
> colleagues to make their dataset open and accessible. Frequently, these
> datasets are not in a state ready for sharing.  Our service allows your
> researchers, or the university on their behalf, to outsource this work to
> an experienced team we have in place willing and able to take on this work.
>
>
>
> The support service takes datasets, including spreadsheets, code, videos,
> and images (see the attachment about the various data types we’ll accept)
> and makes them compliant, findable and accessible. As needed, just a few of
> the things we do are check labels for completeness and consistency, make
> sure metadata and descriptors are appropriately assigned and check to see
> that personal information is treated in compliance with HIPPA or other
> appropriate standards.  Where needed, we’ll acquire a DOI and assign a CC-0
> license to the dataset.
>
>
>
> There are numerous other checks and enhancements we provide, completing
> for researchers the necessary work to make their datasets more open.  The
> service can be applied to datasets not tied to a publication, associated
> with article submissions (to Springer Nature journals or those of other
> publishers) or attached to already-published articles that reside in your
> institutional repository.
>
>
>
> Individual researchers can take advantage of this service for $340 per
> dataset.  Bundles of ten or more datasets can be prepaid by libraries,
> departments, schools or offices on campus, as best meets your needs and
> resources. When twenty or more are paid for in advance, discounts ranging
> from 10%-15% will be applied, lowering the per-dataset charge to as low as
> $289. Whether the university uses this service extensively or selectively,
> this is a great value.
>
>
>
> Other related services to be offered include web-based or on-campus
> training to help librarians and researchers understand how best to navigate
> the data management landscape and reporting of data compliance related to
> articles published in Springer Nature journals.  The attached brochures
> provides more details.
>
>
>
> I would like to discuss with you how we can best make these services
> available to your researchers. Can we set up time to talk?
>
>
>
> Your thoughts and questions are most welcome. Thanks for reading. I look
> forward to hearing from you.
>
>
>
> Bob Schatz
>
>
>
> Bob Schatz
>
> Institutional Engagement Manager
>
> Open Research Group
>
>
>
> *Springer* *Nature*
>
> Remote Office:
>
> 1918 S Mount Vernon Drive
>
> Spokane, WA 99223 USA
>
>
>
> Ph:  1 646 258 2126 <(646)%20258-2126>
>
> Fax:  011 44 20 3 192 2010
>
> Bob.Schatz at springernature.com
>
> www.springernature.com
>
> -       - -
>
> Springer Nature is one of the world’s leading global research, educational
> and professional
>
> publishers, created in 2015 through the combination of Nature Publishing
> Group,
>
> Palgrave Macmillan, Macmillan Education and Springer Science+Business Media
>
>
>
>
>
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-- 
Pardon typos - sent from a mobile device
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