Research and discovery

Student sits with arms folded on a table in the Makerspace in front of a 3D printer, which he looks up at with interest and focus

Student using a 3D printer in the Makerspace at the Health Sciences Library. (Photo/Adria Carpenter)

Librarians and curators as authors

Our librarians and curators published more than 30 articles and books. Many of these publications are the result of partnerships with U of M faculty across the humanities, health sciences, social sciences, and more.

Access to U of M digital archives

The University Digital Conservancy holds more than 100,000 articles, University documents, dissertations, datasets, and more. It provides free public access and long term preservation to work created across the U of M system.

Number of new records added in FY24: 8,927
Total items downloaded from FY24: 4,753,217
Total number of records: 128,765
Total number of downloads (since 2008): 43,608,997

Data Curation Network looks ahead

The Data Curation Network (DCN) continues to advance open research by making data more ethical, reusable, and understandable. This past year, the DCN added two new member institutions, and curated a total of 64 datasets through its shared curation workflow. DCN members also met at Duke University in May 2024 for its seventh annual All Hands Meeting, where attendees developed new curation skills and looked ahead to the future of data curation and sharing.

Group of people wearing matching maroon T-shirts that read "Data Curation Network" stand outside a gothic looking building at Duke University

Data Curation Members gather at Duke University in May 2024 for the organization’s annual All Hands Meeting.

Training librarians across the U.S. on evidence synthesis

A team of librarians from the University of Minnesota, Carnegie Mellon University, and Cornell University completed a multi-year project to train over 600 librarians across the U.S. — and many more globally — in supporting evidence synthesis beyond the health sciences. The project was led by U of M Science and Evidence Synthesis Librarian Megan Kocher and funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services. In April 2024, past participants gathered for a hybrid conference to share how they’ve leveraged their training to build local capacity.

Restoring dispossessed communities in Minneapolis

Mapping Prejudice Project Director Kirsten Delegard and Community Fellow José Caban presented their research on the history and future of Olson Memorial Highway, the first urban highway in the Twin Cities. Thanks in part to their findings, the Minneapolis City Council has called for the decommissioning of the highway, a possibility now being studied by the Minnesota Department of Transportation. This collaboration also helped Our Streets MPLS secure a $1.6 million grant from the federal Department of Transportation as part of its reparative justice Reconnecting Communities Program.