




































Peer Reviewed Article Hypothesis , Vol. 35, No. 2, 2023

Preparing for the New NIH Data Management and Sharing

Policy: Outreach & Engagement

Sara M. Samuel, MSIa

aInformationist, Taubman Health Sciences Library, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor,
Michigan, https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6808-2514 , henrysm@umich.edu

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) released their new Data Management and
Sharing Policy in October 2020 with the effective date of January 25, 2023. The
Taubman Health Sciences Library (THSL) at the University of Michigan established
the Research Data Core Team (Data Team) to raise awareness and educate people
about the policy. The Data Team, formed in July 2022, consists of three
informationists who have experience with data management and sharing. The Data
Team proceeded with an initial outreach phase followed by an engagement phase.

Description

Outreach was launched by updating a LibGuide with information about the new
policy,1 creating a slide for digital screens, and producing a short video.2 An
announcement was distributed to various newsletters on campus which referenced the
LibGuide and video. Included in the announcement was an offer to present to groups
that would like to learn more. Through this announcement and existing collaborations
with the main library’s Deep Blue Repositories and Research Data Services, Office of
the Vice President for Research, and Medical School’s Office of Regulatory Affairs, the
Data Team initiated the engagement phase.

Engagement was accomplished by providing online presentations, workshops, and office
hours with a variety of groups on campus. For the engagement phase, a presentation
was created to review the policy’s main points, emphasizing that a Data Management
and Sharing (DMS) Plan needed to be included in grant applications. The elements of
a DMS Plan and answers to frequently asked questions were reviewed. The
presentation incorporated new guidance from NIH as it was released. The presentation
was modified as needed to adjust the timing, or if there was a special interest in
learning more about data repositories or how the policy applied to qualitative data.

Outcomes

Throughout the Fall 2022 and Winter 2023 semesters, the Data Team facilitated eight
presentations, two workshops (one in collaboration with colleagues from the
institutional data repository and one specifically for research administrators), and two
office hours (in collaboration with Medical School units). Over 600 attendees came to
either a presentation, workshop, or office hours event. Many of the presentations were
recorded and distributed, resulting in additional learners. Attendees included faculty
researchers and staff, research and project administrators, post-docs, and

1

https://www.orcid.org/0000-0001-6808-2514
https://orcid.org/
mailto:henrysm@umich.edu


Peer Reviewed Article Hypothesis , Vol. 35, No. 2, 2023

undergraduate and graduate students. Feedback collected after one workshop indicated
that it was helpful. E.g.: “I had attended another session a month ago, but this one
answered my questions fully.”

Average LibGuide views increased to 997 per month after promotion began in August,
up from 352 per month during the year prior. Views peaked at 1,873 in January.

Four requests to evaluate DMS Plans were received directly after offering the service
during a presentation. The Data Team created an evaluation template to effectively
provide feedback on DMS Plans.

The author spent approximately 30 hours in Data Team meetings, updating the
LibGuide, presenting, and evaluating DMS Plans. Additional time was spent preparing
presentations which decreased over time as policy information stabilized.

The Data Team anticipates continuing outreach and engagement after seeing how the
NIH responds to the first DMS Plans.

Acknowledgements

Special thanks to my colleagues on the Data Team, Kate Saylor and Mark
MacEachern, for all their work in preparing for the new NIH policy and for reviewing
the manuscript. Additional thanks to Tyler Nix for reviewing the manuscript and
providing feedback.

References

1. Samuel, S. Research Guides: Research Data Management (Health Sciences): NIH
Data Management & Sharing Plan [Internet]. 2023 [cited 2023 Jun 8]. Available from:
https://guides.lib.umich.edu/datamanagement/nihpolicy

2. Quick Overview: The New NIH Data Management and Sharing Policy [Internet].
2022 [cited 2023 Jun 8]. Available from:
https://lib.mivideo.it.umich.edu/media/t/1 q4i3f8mw

2

https://guides.lib.umich.edu/datamanagement/nihpolicy
https://lib.mivideo.it.umich.edu/media/t/1_q4i3f8mw

