 UMass Science Librarians Head to ‘Boot Camp’ to Brush Up on the Latest e-Science Research Tools
June 19, 2009
 AMHERST, Mass. – At a recent regular session of science librarians from the University of Massachusetts’s five campuses who meet to discuss e-science initiatives, it became apparent that they needed to be more aware of the newest research in cyber infrastructure, also known as e-research, which hadn’t been invented when many attended library school. A quick show of hands revealed that of the dozen professionals present, only a few had formal training in science.
“That’s how the idea of a ‘science boot camp’ for science and engineering librarians was born,” says Maxine Schmidt, a reference services librarian at UMass Amherst’s Science and Engineering Library who came from a career in geology. “It turned out that many of us, in particular those without a science background, were finding it increasingly difficult to keep abreast of the latest additions to the science curriculum, such as bioinformatics and nanotechnology.”
Everyone quickly agreed that tutorials from experts in a handful of newer disciplines could be very useful and would provide a manageable starting point. “The fields that we chose for the Boot Camp have a significant e-science component,” Schmidt notes, “representing collaborating among departments, UMass campuses, other universities, and very large datasets often distributed across institutions.”
A small committee was formed and soon set up a two-and-a-half day workshop for June 24–June 26 at UMass Dartmouth, about 60 miles south of Boston. So far, registrations are well ahead of expectation and it appears there will be more than 40 participants.
“This has really taken off,” says Schmidt. “We’re taking this as an indication that something like this was very much needed.” Jay Schafer, director of libraries at UMass Amherst, agrees. “Everyone involved has been very enthusiastic about the boot camp,” he notes. “It’s an idea whose time has come.”
The event will open with campus tours and lunch, followed by a three-hour afternoon session on GIS taught by Brad Harris, a research associate in the School for Marine Science and Technology, and Zong-Guo Xia, associate provost for graduate studies, both of UMass Dartmouth. The first day will end with a “Non Sensible Shoe Banquet.”
At the next day’s morning session, James Griffith, the Chancellor Professor and chair of Medical Laboratory Science as well as executive director of UMass Dartmouth’s Center for Molecular Diagnostics, will discuss the latest research tools in biology, along with David Osterbur, head of Harvard’s Biological Laboratories Library and public services librarian at Harvard Medical School’s Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine.
The final session, on nanotechnology, will be taught by Sanjeev Manohar, associate professor of chemical engineering at UMass Lowell. A seafood banquet is planned for the second evening. The final morning’s breakfast will be followed by a debriefing session, evaluation and opportunity to discuss next steps. Of course, there is background reading available to help prepare for the event. These resources include a Cyber infrastructure Primer for Librarians, Libraries and the Data Challenge: Roles and Actions for Libraries, A Subject Librarian’s Guide to Collaborating on E-Science Projects, and the Association of Research Libraries’ Joint Task Force on Engaging with E-Science.
Schmidt says sponsorship has been so generous that they’ve been able to keep costs low, only $200 for two nights’ dormitory lodging, all meals and three days of instruction. Single-day and commuter rates are also available. If you can’t attend, watch for Schmidt’s and colleague Rebecca Reznik-Zellen’s poster about the boot camp at the American Library Association meeting in July.
Contact: Maxine Schmidt, 413/545-6739; mschmidt@library.umass.edu
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