Agile Skunks: Interdisciplinary collaboration in support of digital research outputs

Digital research outputs are increasingly common and accepted across academic disciplines, and often constitute vital components of researcher publications and portfolios. As such, research libraries are faced with challenges around providing adequate stewardship for these products. At University of Houston Libraries, an interdisciplinary, cross-departmental team is engaged in a model of collaboration aimed at building shared understandings, workflows, and open infrastructures that provide a foundation for services that meet this need.

This presentation outlines the process this team developed in working toward solutions for the preservation, access, and reuse of bespoke research outputs. Central to these efforts is understanding areas of convergence in our collective library expertise that are not often acknowledged, communicated, or fully known. This work applies principles found in OCLC’s Social interoperability in research support and Bethany Nowviskie’s skunkworks approach—principles we believe are fundamental to meeting challenges inherent to complex technological service development.

We will also share our application of Agile development as an organizing tool for technical work, as well as strategies we have identified to keep us moving forward while maintaining the spirit of inquiry with which we started. By opening up this dialogue to the community, we hope to share our collaborative experience and gain feedback and perspective from others who are exploring such approaches or who may be interested or are engaged in similar inquiry.