Is it time for libraries to (re)consider direct-charge models for some research data services or infrastructure use?

Leslie Delserone, Betsy Gunia, Shawna Taylor, Stacy L. Winchester 

As research data needs grow in complexity and data sharing mandates expand, libraries are evolving their research data management (RDM) services to meet these demands. At the same time, the federal government's push to cap indirect cost recovery at 15% is fundamentally reshaping how institutions can fund research infrastructure and services. The convergence of rising service demands and declining traditional funding prompts a critical question: Is it time for libraries to (re)consider direct-charge models for some research data services or infrastructure use? Drawing on the Realities of Academic Data Sharing (RADS) initiative, this panel brings together RADS team members from several institutions to explore what universities are learning about the true costs of providing RDM support and the implications of changing federal policies. As a multi-institutional study examining the costs associated with public access to research data, RADS provides a timely lens for understanding the sustainability challenges facing RDM services. Panelists will discuss whether or not alternative funding models, such as recharge fees, grant-aligned charges, or tiered service structures, could create more sustainable, practical, and impactful data services. The panel will also discuss what models libraries are already experimenting with or considering, and the risks and opportunities in changing service models. The session will also include an interactive audience engagement component using Mentimeter to gather real-time perspectives on current charging practices, having a librarian’s RDM work written into grant proposals, and attitudes toward emerging cost-recovery models. Through facilitated discussion and audience participation, we will explore how libraries can navigate the real-world economics of research data support in a time of constrained budgets and expanded expectations.