An Investigation on University Libraries' Service in Promoting the Implementation of FAIR Data Management Principles

[Purpose/Significance] The FAIR principles, as a guideline for research data management, has been widely recognized and actively applied in the field of scientific research since it was proposed. However, at present, the FAIR principles are mainly implemented by scientific data management institutions, academic groups of different disciplines, and international cooperation projects. As enablers of open science, libraries are obligated to leverage their extensive expertise and long-standing digital resource management strengths to advance the implementation of FAIR principles in scientific data management. [Method/Process]According to The Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2020, the top 100 university library websites were surveyed to find how the FAIR principle service has been implemented by 29 university libraries. The service content is divided into three categories: publicity and introduction of FAIR principles, education and training of FAIR principles, and support and promotion of the implementation of FAIR principles. The deficiencies in the implementation of the principles are found, and the effective ways for libraries to participate in the implementation of FAIR principles are summarized. [Results/Conclusions] FAIR principles have gradually begun to be valued and applied in domestic and foreign university libraries, and the university libraries in European and American countries are relatively more active in implementing FAIR principles. Most of the FAIR principle services implemented by domestic and foreign university libraries still remain in the introduction, encouragement, advocacy and training of FAIR principles, there is a lack of FAIR principles-oriented software, tools and data sharing platforms, and external cooperation needs to be strengthened. On the basis of the survey results and drawing on the advanced experience at home and abroad, the Chinese libraries are suggested to become the advocate of FAIR principles, the supporter of FAIR practice and the builder of the ecosystem, strengthen publicity and promotion, actively develop FAIR technology and services, promote multi-party cooperation, and create a good ecosystem, give full play to the scientific value and social value of scientific research data, and promote the transformation of libraries and the high-quality development of library undertakings. This study only investigated the official website of university libraries and related literature, and thus the conclusion is limited to selected cases that the practice content of university libraries to promote the FAIR principle is not comprehensive. Follow-up research will carry out a wider survey and in-depth analysis, and focus on the FAIR assessment of research data, FAIRification steps and case analysis of FAIR principle application.