Introducing Data into Canadian Academic Libraries: The Straw that Didn’t Break the Camel's Back

A decade ago, Canadian universities and Statistics Canada embarked on a joint adventure called the Data Liberation Initiative (DLI). While this initiative greatly increased the availability of data for academic research and instruction, it also created new challenges for the librarians and information professionals who were confronted with the task of organizing and supporting access to these resources. This paper will examine the challenges involved in the introduction of data into the traditional academic library. The experience of Canada’s DLI will be used to illustrate the types of issues involved and the approaches used in the Canadian context to address them. The paper will conclude by identifying the best practices that have emerged after a decade of experience in developing, refining and promoting the use of data as a means of strengthening the underpinnings for teaching and research.