Full disclosure: neither ChatGPT nor any other Artificial Intelligence (AI) powered writing assistants were used, or abused, in the writing of this editorial.
I guess some readers would ask why not use these extraordinary tools when writing? Answer: the process of discovering the work’s focus, writing drafts, reviewing, rewriting, and publishing is about the creativity and the urge to produce something that is of your essence—it is totally yours. You are bravely giving it to the world for acceptance or rejection.
Creativity is also born out of exposure to and use of other creative works; examples such as variations in classical music, rap and hip-hop sampling, new versions of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, etc. If we accept that this is what AI tools are doing—providing shortcuts for sparking creativity, then why not use it? It’s a complicated, quickly evolving societal issue and answer—but that’s a discussion for a future issue (Hint).
There’s plenty of creativity, research, opinions, and new ideas in Volume 12, Issue 2 . JeSLIB has a new column that was proposed by members of the Data Curation Network (DCN) titled “Curatorial Connections Column.” This column will be a part of each regular JeSLIB issue. The inaugural column, written by Hannah Hadley and Mikala Narlock, “ Emphasizing Our Humanity: Interorganizational Collaboration in the DCN during COVID and into the future ,” focuses on interorganizational collaboration, maintaining and building relationships, and celebrating data curation. In “ Conceptualizing Slow Curation ,” DCN members Joanna Thielen, Wanda Marsolek, and Mikala Narlock, use the Slow Movement philosophy to propose the idea of Slow Curation within DCN’s CURATE(D) model and practicing radical self-care.
Two full-length papers in this issue research and report on different aspects of data services: data literacy at Kyambogo University and research reproducibility engagement by health sciences librarians. Authors Buwule, Nassali, and Mukiibi measured eight ways that Kyambogo University researchers and other university staff in developing economies could enhance their research and publications productivity. In “ Research Reproducibility Activities in Health Sciences Libraries ,” the authors MacEachern and Samuel conducted interviews with medical and health sciences librarians from across the United States on how they engage with research reproducibility at their institutions. They discuss the variety within these services due to institutional environment.
The three eScience in Action articles provide great examples of how libraries and librarians are engaging in institutional service and bringing exciting data science practices and models to their institutions. Megan Bresnahan and Patricia B. Condon write about their professional joy and satisfaction, growing professionally, empowerment, and positively impacting research integrity in serving on the University of New Hampshire’s Institutional Review Board (IRB) and Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). “ R Workshops for Researchers: A Successful Partnership Between a Library and a Statistical Consulting Laboratory ” discusses the successful collaboration between the Colorado State University Libraries and the institution’s Franklin A. Graybill Statistics and Data Science Laboratory in bringing R Workshops to their research community. Authors Boice, Sedlins, and Sharp highlight employing graduate students as the instructors and information on how other libraries and their institutions can create this type of collaboration and service. Andrew Johnson , also from Colorado State University, describes their model of using allowable costs in grant budgets to support data management and curation. This tiered-grant support model provides three levels of services, infrastructure, expertise, and support for data management costs. The author presents lessons learned and a roadmap on how other institutions could adapt existing data management services or grow new services using this model.
The “creative urge” is alive and well in eScience and data librarianship. Get your creative juices flowing by reading JeSLIB’s latest issue—your essence may well change the world.