The student staffing advantage: Data Science Consulting Service at NC State University Libraries

Abstract

The primarily peer‐to‐peer, graduate student‐staffed Data Science Consulting Service at NC State University Libraries, within the Data & Visualization Services (DVS) department and collaborating closely with the Data Science Academy (DSA), has established a sustainable service and staffing model focused on providing broad data science analytic support to researchers across the university community. The service addresses the needs of university researchers who possess domain knowledge in their fields of study but a skills gap in the data science competencies required for research. The literature shows that it has been difficult for libraries to cover these needs with existing staffing models. Few universities follow the model practiced at NC State University, so a scan of the current landscape of data science consulting at universities across the country was performed to establish context. The support model and its advantages are described, including partnership with the DSA, student success, model sustainability and future directions for the service. Through a summary of the DVS assessment and needs evaluation process, the service's advantages in staying ahead of patron needs are illustrated. This scalable, sustainable, student‐focused model could be implemented by similar research institutions to expand the capacity of their technical research services.