The Digital Repository of Ireland (DRI) is pleased to announce that it has become the national node for the Research Data Alliance (RDA) in Ireland. The RDA is an international volunteer member-based organisation fostering an inclusive approach to research data management. It has succeeded in creating a neutral social platform where international research data experts meet to exchange views and produce community-agreed recommendations and outputs on topics such as: social and technical barriers to data sharing, education and training challenges, data management plans and certification of data repositories, as well as disciplinary and interdisciplinary interoperability. There is currently a network of 30 national nodes acting to promote the work of RDA in their national and regional contexts. Beth Knazook, Project Manager, Research Data at DRI and RDA in Ireland Node Coordinator, stated that:
The DRI has worked closely with RDA on a number of European-funded projects to advance data sharing practices and Open Science globally. Recommendations produced by the various RDA Working Groups and Interest Groups have also proven to be an invaluable source of support for the work we do at the Repository. We are happy to be able to share our experience by taking on an official role as a communication point for Irish researchers and research-supporting organisations with the broader RDA membership.
What is a national node?
A national node can be a single organisation or a group of organisations actively engaged in the Research Data Alliance that is committed to supporting research data policies at a national or regional level and able to promote research data management best practices and solutions. The aim is to interact with researchers and innovators in a local context, offering them a platform for exchange of information pertinent to the RDA and their activities.
What does an RDA national node do?
» Promote a national conversation around research data management best practices through webinars, blogs, and the maintenance of the RDA in Ireland national node page
» Encourage the uptake of RDA values, recommendations and principles, especially by adopting and RDA recommendations within organisations
» Act as a central contact point between national/regional data practitioners and RDA
» Contribute to the definition of European data policies
» Contribute to the definition of RDA’s strategy and participate in RDA processes
Want to receive updates from DRI about RDA Ireland activities and events?
There are a few different ways get news about what’s happening in RDA in Ireland:
- Subscribe to the node at https://www.rd-alliance.org/groups/rda-ireland
You will need to login to the website using your RDA username and password, and click “Join Group” at the top of the page.
New to RDA? Get involved! Sign up through your organisation or request a free individual membership. - Subscribe to the DRI Newsletter at https://dri.ie/dri-friends-newsletter
- Subscribe to the NORF Newsletter at https://norf.ie/newsletter/
As Ireland’s national repository for the humanities, social sciences and cultural heritage data, the DRI has been involved in promoting open research and best practices in research data management for some time. To celebrate the DRI’s new role with the RDA during #LoveDataWeek, we’ve listed a few highlights below from the resources the DRI has created for members and researchers in these fields.
RDA in Ireland Node Resources
Check out the existing RDA in Ireland Node page for interviews, recordings and educational resources prepared by the National Library of Ireland and the DRI https://www.rd-alliance.org/groups/rda-ireland
DRI’s Research Data Management Resource Pack for Researchers
From DMPs to preservation, the DRI has prepared some helpful tips and resources for good data management throughout a research project’s lifecycle https://dri.ie/sites/default/files/DRI_RDM_Resource_Pack.pdf
DRI Blog posts
Thematic blogs on topics such as Ethical Approval for Research Projects, Defamation Risks in Oral Histories and Open Access to Online Collections https://dri.ie/blog
DRI Vimeo channel
Talks on a variety of topics related to data management, digital archiving, preservation, cultural heritage and the National Open Research Forum (NORF) https://vimeo.com/digitalrepositoryireland
There is additionally a dedicated showcase with five short educational videos produced by the DRI and National Library of Ireland for the RDA in Ireland Node https://vimeo.com/showcase/9687388
About the Repository
DRI Factsheets and ‘How to DRI’ series
Helpful tips and advice on topics related to data management and working with data in the repository by DRI staff https://repository.dri.ie/catalog/qj732t11s
DRI User Manual
In-depth instruction on how to navigate the DRI repository, create an account and use the built-in tools like the IIIF viewer https://guides.dri.ie/user-guide/index.html
DRI Batch Metadata Template
A template with Qualified Dublin Core compliant fields that allows users to input bulk metadata, which can be easily transformed to ingest-ready XML (available in Excel and OpenDocument formats) https://repository.dri.ie/catalog/qn603p95v
