Chapter 2: Research Data Management in University Libraries of Bangladesh

Research data is a crucial part of the scholarly record, and university libraries are increasingly recognized for their important role in managing this data. The purpose of this study is to describe the current state of research data management (RDM) at various university libraries in Bangladesh and to identify the challenges and opportunities in this area. The study reveals that most librarians in Bangladesh lack a clear understanding of RDM, primarily due to the absence of adequate RDM policies across the country. The study report also includes the findings of a survey of heads of academic/university libraries to determine what sorts of research data services (RDS) are already available in academic libraries and what services are planned for the future. Overall, the study revealed that library managers highly support the value of RDS. As observed in previous studies of academic libraries in Bangladesh, they are now or intend to offer consultative or reference RDS rather than technical or hands-on RDS. Most libraries support RDS-related training for their staff members. Almost many libraries interact with other entities within their universities or with other institutions to provide or improve RDS policy. We discuss the implications of the current state of RDS in the university libraries and offer directions for future research.