Innovating Education in Research Data Services in Academic Libraries: A Qualitative Analysis of Student Experiences in a Collaborative Research Program

abstract: This paper explores the experiences of 11 students who participated in Seton Hall University Libraries' DataLab, a research program led by the Research Data Services (RDS) team. The RDS, composed of librarians and a data specialist, pairs students with faculty-led research projects to conduct research and build data science skills. In semi-structured interviews, the students who participated in this study reflected on the skills they gained through RDS, such as data cleaning, analysis, visualization, and presentation, and how the program influenced their interest in data-related careers. This case study illustrates how academic libraries can foster data education and develop similar initiatives to support student engagement in data-driven research.