Libraries are rapidly emerging as vital hubs for participatory scientific research. Nationwide, they are lending low-cost scientific tools, distributing citizen science kits, hosting public research programs, and equipping staff and volunteers with foundational training in citizen science. By mobilizing community participation, libraries have the potential to advance biomedical and health research through crowdsourcing while addressing critical challenges in data storage, sharing, and archiving. This presentation will define citizen science, showcase the involvement of over 1,000 libraries as research facilitators, present a case study on a biomedical project utilizing library infrastructure, and explore how libraries are uniquely positioned to overcome key data management barriers in participatory research.
Guest speaker: Darlene Cavalier, founder of SciStarter and faculty member at Arizona State University
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- Define citizen science and explain its relevance to biomedical and health research.
- Describe how libraries are serving as facilitators of participatory scientific research, including examples of tools, kits, and programs in use.
- Identify key data management challenges in participatory research and assess how libraries can help address issues related to data storage and sharing.