Research Libraries: Connecting Users to Numeric and Spatial Resources

Abstract

The burgeoning use of numeric data resources across all academic disciplines raises significant questions about the library's role in providing data services and promoting quantitative literacy. This study analyzes the content of web pages to determine the presence and promotion of data resources and services at a random sample of large research libraries (and their related institutions) in North America. The results prompt the authors to challenge libraries to more fully engage their users in efforts at richer discovery, use, and analysis of data.