University libraries’ modern role in supporting faculty and graduate research

Research is abundant with digital objects created through the research process, from data and notes to software, protocols and open-access papers. So, the modern university library needs to keep pace with technological infrastructure and services in order to support faculty and graduate students – from project initiation to the dissemination of their findings. These are spaces that are deeply enmeshed in the process of research and scholarship. 

Here are ways the university library can undergird faculty and students’ work throughout the life cycle of their research initiatives, based on our experience at Virginia Tech. Every stage of the research lifecycle can be challenging; we harness our expertise and resources to support the process, and streamline it, where possible.

Research data management and consulting

One of libraries’ key contributions to research is in data management. Many funding agencies require researchers to develop data management plans outlining how they will store, curate and make their data publicly available. 

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We help faculty and researchers navigate this process by assisting with the creation of these plans, ensuring compliance with grant requirements, and offering best practices in data documentation, organisation and stewardship. I think of our library as “bookends” to research; we serve both the starting and ending point of the research data lifecycle: helping researchers plan how they will manage their data and then curating and depositing it into repositories for future use.

The data professional from the library must possess knowledge of relevant research methods and disciplinary practices and have experience with selected research technologies as well as digital curatorial skills. We refer to these positions as “data and informatics consultants”. Our library is developing and deploying this researcher/technologist/curator role; we have created three positions to date. 

Research data access

In addition to managing data, we help researchers find and use existing datasets. This is especially important for interdisciplinary projects, where faculty may be unfamiliar with data sources outside their field. We have subject librarians who regularly assist researchers in identifying, evaluating and incorporating relevant data sets, streamlining discovery and improving research quality.

Metadata

Metadata plays a critical role in ensuring that research information and data are discoverable and reusable – both utterly necessary to advance research. When researchers collect data, whether it’s climate readings from a mountaintop or survey responses from a social science study, it’s not just the numbers that matter. The surrounding context, including location, time, conditions, methodologies and technologies must be documented. For example, in climate science, that might mean ensuring sensor calibration data is captured; in social sciences, it might involve documenting sampling methods.

Emerging technologies for research

Research technologies are evolving quickly, and libraries must be proactive in adopting and supporting them. Studio spaces at Virginia Tech are equipped with tools for augmented, virtual and extended reality, photogrammetry and, increasingly, machine learning and AI.

What sets our programme apart is not just the technology but the staffing model. Our studios are staffed by library professionals and student assistants whose tailored support to faculty and students goes from training on the tools to hands-on help with projects. Faculty have told us that this human support is one of the most valuable aspects of the programme.

Evidence synthesis

Another service we provide is evidence synthesis, a research method that brings together information from a range of sources to address a specific question. The findings inform research, policy and decision-making. By teaching workshops on evidence synthesis or partnering with faculty to conduct an evidence synthesis study, we help faculty and graduate students build comprehensive, data-driven research results. 

Measuring and packaging for impact

Increasingly, researchers need to demonstrate the impact of their work, not just its publication. Our librarians help faculty develop strategies for increasing visibility – through citation tracking, digital profiles, open repositories and altmetrics, which capture social media and online engagement.

We advise faculty on how to interpret and apply these metrics, especially in funding or promotion contexts. It’s not just about counting citations; it’s about understanding reach and influence.

Our university library is also an open access publisher. We created Virginia Tech Publishing and Press to work with faculty and students in their publishing projects, publishing a wide variety of materials, ranging from books and journals to open educational resources, and digital humanities and multimedia projects. Library faculty and staff in this unit guide researchers on publisher agreements, copyright issues and publishing via open repositories.

Stakeholder decision-making

Our research intelligence services are designed to support institutional planning. In collaboration with the Office of Research and Innovation, we provide data-driven insights to inform decisions on partnerships, funding priorities and faculty hiring. For example, we analyse publication patterns to identify emerging research strengths and map institutional expertise to external opportunities such as industry collaborations or grant calls.

At Virginia Tech, we see the university library’s role as more than just providing information. We are an essential partner in the research process. By offering expert guidance in data management, research discovery, metadata structuring, emerging technologies, evidence synthesis, research impact, strategic intelligence and open publishing, we empower faculty and students to push the boundaries of knowledge and make meaningful contributions to their disciplines.

Tyler Walters is dean of University Libraries at Virginia Tech and governing board chair of the Academic Preservation Trust (APTrust), a consortium of colleges and universities committed to providing a preservation repository for digital content and developing related services.