About eRN
What is the DLF eResearch Network?
Launched in 2014, the DLF eResearch Network (eRN) is a community of practice focused on implementing research data management services and developing skills and collaborative capacity. The goal of the program is to create a self-reliant, mutually supportive network of people engaged in continuous learning about research data management and digital scholarship services support.
As eRN members, institutional teams are given formal and informal opportunities for networking, resource sharing, and collaboration supported by DLF’s organizational resources, as well as access to a working curriculum, regular webinars, and a faculty consultation personalized to your institution’s needs. Through in-person meetings, learning activities, and alumni involvement, we build an active and growing community of practice.
Which institutions have participated in the eResearch Network?
Since 2014, 32 institutions have sent teams to the DLF eRN. Previous cohorts are listed on the right-hand side of this page. These groups continue to be active and several members of past cohorts now collaborate on research topics and projects.
Who are the eResearch Network facilitators?
Working alongside DLF staff, our 2018 faculty are:
Jason Clark
Head, Library Informatics and Computing (Montana State University)
Sara Mannheimer
Data Management Librarian (Montana State University)
Who should join?
Who should be a part of the DLF E-Research Network? Who from my institution should be part of my 3-person team?
The eResearch Network was designed to help members of academic and research libraries develop strategies for creating and implementing e-research, digital scholarship, and research data management support services through a peer-driven, shared learning experience and collaborative projects. Past participants have come from colleges and universities of varying size.
Critical to the design of the eResearch Network is the inclusion of key players and decision makers on each institution’s team. In past cohorts, institutional teams with diverse membership including librarians and non-library participants (research faculty or center director, CIO/IT department director, research computing director, etc.) have had some of the best experiences in facilitating growth and new collaborations.
Participants are encouraged to continue engagement with the community and to maintain regular meetings and contact after the annual cohort ends. With continued interest and engagement from participants, CLIR/DLF will support the community of practice that emerges from the networking group.
Can more than our three officially designated team members participate in the webinars?
Yes. Network members are encouraged to make the webinars and other learning resources available to others in your library and on your campus. There’s no limit to the number of people who can quietly sit in on meetings from your end. Participation on the alumni email list and attendance at the optional, in-person social gathering at the DLF Forum in Pittsburgh is the only part of the Network experience that is limited to your three officially designated team members, and only those three alumni will be invited to sit in for “refresher” sessions in future years.
For Participants
What is the webinar schedule?
Webinars will take place every month beginning in May and ending in early October. View exact dates and times here.
If I miss a webinar, will the recording and slides be made available to course participants?
Yes. All course webinars and the corresponding slides will be made available to participants, generally within a few days of the event. As recordings become available, we’ll send out links and announcements on Slack.
How will I stay informed about the Network?
Everyday chatter and communication for Network participants happens on the group’s Slack channel, and all major announcements will go out via email to a shared list of current participants and eRN alumni. Alumni are welcome to stay connected on Slack, and to chime in during our regular Alumni Slack chats relating to the monthly webinars.
Whom do I contact if I have questions or need help?
We encourage you to use the DLF eResearch Network channels on Slack as much as possible, as it is likely that if you have a questions or issues you’d like to discuss with other members. Questions posted there will be answered as quickly as possible. If you have questions other questions regarding the eResearch Network, please contact DLF Program Associate Becca Quon (bquon@clir.org).
When and where will the optional in-person meeting take place?
The end of the webinar cycle coincides with the DLF Forum in October, making it the perfect opportunity for members of the cohort to meet in person. Those who are planning to attend the Forum will be invited to an eRN and DLF/Leading Change/Frye fellows reception, giving network members the opportunity to share learning experiences, make new connections, and build collaborative partnerships moving forward.
What type of consultations will be offered?
Individualized, remote consultations are provided to each institution by the eResearch Network faculty and invited experts or eRN alumni practitioners, as part of the program. Consultations are optional sessions that give you a chance to look at a particular question that you want to solve locally. The level and type of each consultation is customized to your institution’s and team’s needs. A menu of options will be provided to participants each year.
Tuition
Are tuition scholarships available?
Not at this time, but costs are generally paid by participants’ institutions, and to cover all members of an institutional team.
We’re not currently DLF members, but if we join now, can we get that significantly lower eRN rate?
Of course! Our membership year runs from July to June, and we pro-rate costs for institutions joining late, so starting your institutional DLF membership and joining eRN at the same time can be a great deal.
Future Cohorts
Will future cohorts of the Network be offered?
DLF hopes to welcome new cohorts of eRN members on an annual basis, if there is enough interest. For information on future course offerings, please contact us or keep an eye on our website.
