Objectives: The Research Data Management Roundtables are a collaborative effort to address the shared challenges relating to data services and the role of the library. Outside of listservs, conferences, or other multi-day events, there are few means to discuss issues related to beginning or sustaining data management initiatives among organizations, libraries, and librarians. The Roundtables are one method to address this issue.

Methods: The New England eScience Program (NN/LM NER) sponsored two Roundtable discussions in 2015. Each was a one day event, and included an activity based in the local area and the Roundtable discussion. Around twenty librarians from multiple New England institutions met at central locations in Amherst and Worcester, Massachusetts. The committee members facilitated the discussions with guidelines and pre-determined topics.

Results: “Outcomes” from the two discussions were posted to the e-Science Portal for New England Librarians Community Blog. The first Roundtable focused on “organizational structures for research data management services at our institutions,” and the second discussed “engaging faculty and graduate student researchers at our institutions.” Feedback on the most useful aspects of the Roundtables included: “questions were very helpful to guide the discussion”; “hearing other librarians’ ideas and successes, and commiserating about weaknesses and challenges”; and “learning I’m not the only one with questions.”

Conclusions: The Roundtables have been successful professional development for librarians to share experiences and training with other librarians, in order to broaden their knowledge about RDS. Suggestions for the future include discussions on: data policies, policy development, and examples; how to gain traction with administration; and collaborating across campus.