Data Services Specialization
Earning your DSS indicates that you have received training in providing data services to researchers, clinicians, students, librarians, and others who work with data–and are recognized for acquiring skills in providing data services.
Overview
With the skills acquired in earning a Level I DSS certificate, you’ll be able to manage research data, provide guidance and instruction on data management best practices, and apply ethical data management principles.
With the skills acquired in earning a Level II DSS certificate, you’ll build upon your Level I skills and be able to appraise data and data collection practices, evaluate and expand data services, and develop domain-specific data expertise.
Why Get a DSS?
As research becomes increasingly data-driven, libraries are expanding their data services. Health sciences librarians and other health information professionals are ideally situated in the research and information-seeking process to provide data services support.
Your Level I DSS certificate shows employers, colleagues and researchers and others who work with data that:
- You have skills in providing a range of data services
- You are committed to offering quality data services
- You are committed to staying current with developments in data management and data services.
Your Level II DSS certificate shows employers, colleagues and researchers and others who work with data that:
- You have skills to engage across your institution and build alliances to develop and advance robust data services
- You are able to actively engage with researchers and students in advanced data management practices
- You have advanced skills across domains, including data collection, computational research, and other skills based on a curriculum customized to your personal interests.
DSS Level II Pathway: Special Offer
To make earning your Level II DSS certificate more affordable, MLA offers the DSS Level II Pathway. For more information and to purchase, please visit DSS Level II Pathway.
Articles on the Vital Role of Librarians in Data Management
- Brochu L, Burns J. Librarians and research data management–a literature review: commentary from a senior professional and a new professional librarian. New Rev Acad Librshp. 2019;25:1, 49–58.
- Federer L. Defining data librarianship: a survey of competencies, skills, and training. J Med Libr Assoc. 2018.
- Federer L, ed. The Medical Library Association guide to data management for librarians. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 2016.
- Khan HR, Du Y. What is a data librarian?: a content analysis of job advertisements for data librarians in the United States academic libraries. Presented at: IFLA 2018 World Library and Information Conference.
- Read K, Koos J, Miller R, Miller C, Phillips G, Scheinfeld L, Surkis A. A model for initiating research data management services at academic libraries. J Med Libr Assoc, 2019. Correction in: J Med Libr Assoc. 2020.
Who Is the Data Services Specialization Designed For?
- Health sciences librarians and other information professionals and students who wish to expand their skills in providing data services and increase their value to employers
- Professionals and students who hold or are seeking positions as a data management librarian, research data management librarian, data librarian, data specialist, or data visualization librarian.
View Current DSS Recipients
Kristin Alyousif (DSS II, 2023-06-01 - 2028-08-06)
Lisa Anderson (DSS I, 2025-11-25 - 2028-11-24)
Alecia Barbour (DSS I, 2026-01-21 - 2029-01-20)
Brooke Barrettsmith (DSS I, 2024-05-01 - 2027-04-30)
Sandi L Bates (DSS II, 2025-10-28 - 2029-03-17)
Megan Benfield (DSS II, 2023-03-01 - 2028-05-15)
Nicole Bentinganan (DSS I, 2025-08-07 - 2028-08-06)
Cynthia Boggess (DSS I, 2026-01-06 - 2029-01-05)
Marianne Stowell Bracke (DSS I, 2024-06-01 - 2027-05-31)
Laura E Briggs (DSS I, 2023-10-01 - 2026-09-30)
Lilia Brock (DSS I, 2023-10-01 - 2026-09-30)
Stacy B Brody (DSS I, 2026-02-18 - 2029-02-17)
Carole L Brown (DSS I, 2021-05-01 - 2028-03-21)
Piper Brown-Kingsley (DSS I, 2025-10-24 - 2028-10-23)
Victoria Caine (DSS I, 2025-03-19 - 2028-03-18)
Sydney Afan Cornelison (DSS I, 2026-02-17 - 2029-02-16)
Christine A Costantino (DSS I, 2025-03-19 - 2028-03-18)
Nicole Covone (DSS I, 2025-05-16 - 2028-05-15)
Jeannine Creazzo (DSS I, 2024-06-01 - 2027-05-31)
Sadie Davenport (DSS I, 2025-08-07 - 2028-08-06)
Angela Donner (DSS I, 2025-03-19 - 2028-03-18)
Sharon Duffy (DSS I, 2022-12-01 - 2028-11-29)
Martha Earl (DSS I, 2025-03-19 - 2028-03-18)
Margaret Easbey (DSS I, 2023-09-01 - 2026-08-31)
Mary Catherine Ellis (DSS I, 2024-02-01 - 2027-01-31)
Heather Ervin (DSS I, 2025-03-19 - 2028-03-18)
Julia Esparza (DSS I, 2023-05-01 - 2026-04-30)
Francisco Fajardo (DSS I, 2024-01-01 - 2026-12-31)
Matthew Folse (DSS I, 2025-03-19 - 2028-03-18)
Rick L Fought (DSS II, 2025-05-16 - 2028-08-06)
Mego Franks (DSS I, 2024-04-01 - 2027-03-31)
Rose L Fredrick (DSS II, 2023-03-01 - 2028-03-18)
CJ Garcia (DSS II, 2022-11-01 - 2028-05-15)
Alex Glynn (DSS I, 2025-03-19 - 2028-03-18)
Leslie Golamb (DSS I, 2024-03-01 - 2027-02-28)
Grace Hammond (DSS I, 2025-03-19 - 2028-03-18)
Sharon Harmon (DSS I, 2025-12-25 - 2028-12-24)
Alex Henigman (DSS I, 2023-09-01 - 2026-08-31)
Mackenzie Hilton (DSS I, 2025-03-19 - 2028-03-18)
Marissa G Iverson (DSS I, 2023-04-01 - 2029-03-31)
Erin Keenan (DSS I, 2024-02-01 - 2027-01-31)
Kimberly Kertis (DSS II, 2025-05-16 - 2028-05-15)
Chana Kraus-Friedberg (DSS I, 2024-05-01 - 2027-04-30)
Stephanie LeClaire-Vazquez (DSS I, 2024-05-01 - 2027-04-30)
J. Michael Lindsay (DSS I, 2025-03-19 - 2028-03-18)
Katie Lockwood (DSS I, 2023-03-01 - 2029-02-28)
Sasha Loftin (DSS I, 2023-05-01 - 2026-04-30)
Elizabeth R. Lorbeer (DSS I, 2023-09-01 - 2026-08-31)
Brian Maass (DSS II, 2025-10-23 - 2029-01-21)
Danielle Maurici-Pollock (DSS I, 2025-03-19 - 2028-03-18)
Michael McArthur (DSS I, 2025-08-07 - 2028-08-06)
Nicole Mehall (DSS I, 2025-11-13 - 2028-11-12)
Angela Mitchell (DSS I, 2026-01-03 - 2029-01-02)
John Mokonyama (DSS I, 2023-03-01 - 2029-02-28)
Florence Tsz Yan Ng (DSS I, 2025-03-19 - 2028-03-18)
Michelle Nielsen Ott (DSS I, 2023-12-01 - 2026-11-30)
Krista ONan (DSS I, 2025-08-07 - 2028-08-06)
Pamela Pierce (DSS I, 2023-03-01 - 2029-02-28)
Jeffery R. Ring (DSS I, 2026-01-01 - 2028-12-31)
Gianina Rockwell (DSS I, 2024-01-01 - 2026-12-31)
Shalini Sahni (DSS I, 2025-05-15 - 2028-05-14)
Devica R. Samsundar (DSS I, 2025-03-19 - 2028-03-18)
Elena Schnerr (DSS I, 2024-03-01 - 2027-02-28)
Michelle Schonken (DSS I, 2022-06-01 - 2028-11-20)
Jessica Sender (DSS II, 2022-10-01 - 2028-03-18)
Sneha Shukla (DSS I, 2025-03-19 - 2028-03-18)
Anna Simonson (DSS I, 2025-03-19 - 2028-03-18)
Stanley Singer (DSS I, 2025-12-04 - 2028-12-03)
Aida Marissa Smith (DSS I, 2023-12-01 - 2026-11-30)
Katherine E Smith (DSS I, 2024-06-01 - 2027-05-31)
Willis Crawford Smith (DSS I, 2026-02-11 - 2029-02-10)
Marie St. Pierre (DSS I, 2024-01-01 - 2026-12-31)
David C. Stewart (DSS I, 2024-03-01 - 2027-02-28)
Trevor Stratton (DSS I, 2024-04-01 - 2027-03-31)
Aditi Thite (DSS II, 2023-04-01 - 2028-03-18)
Emily Thornton (DSS I, 2023-06-01 - 2026-05-31)
Kaitlyn Van Kampen (DSS I, 2023-06-01 - 2026-05-31)
Julie Volpenhein (DSS I, 2023-09-01 - 2026-08-31)
Rachel R. Werth (DSS I, 2025-03-19 - 2028-03-18)
Ethan Yoo (DSS I, 2023-06-01 - 2026-05-31)
Ashley Zeidler (DSS I, 2025-05-16 - 2028-05-15)
What Skills Does the DSS Promote?
The DSS is built upon the Data Services Competency:
Health and biomedical information professionals with competency in Data Services engage with and support users across the data life cycle to promote data literacy, data science, and open science practices.
The competency encompasses five skill areas at two levels of expertise. A data services specialist:
- Applies principles of data literacy
- Level I: Finds, interprets, and manages data according to ethical principles
- Level II: Critically appraises data and data collection methods
- Establishes and advances data services
- Level I: Collects and uses knowledge of institutional and research context to initiate institutionally relevant data services
- Level II: Evaluates and expands upon existing data services by developing partnerships and becoming integrated into the institutional research environment
- Supports research data best practices across the data lifecycle
- Level I: Provides guidance on generalizable, domain-agnostic research data best practices
- Level II: Identifies and implements domain-specific research data best practices
- Applies knowledge of research methods, ethics and rigor, and open science practices
- Level I: Applies a basic understanding of scientific method and ethical and sound research practices to data-related problems, encouraging open science practices when appropriate
- Level II: Applies specialized knowledge of one or more scientific disciplines and research methods to advanced, domain-specific data-related problems
- Provides training and consultation on data-related topics
- Level I: Develops and delivers instruction to enhance data literacy and skills
- Level II: Provides customized discipline- and context-specific training on advanced data-related topics, including those requiring computational approaches
What Are the Requirements for Earning Your DSS?
- You must earn a Level I certificate before you can earn your Level II certificate.
- Courses you submit for the specialization must have been taken no more than three years prior to your date of application.
- Your DSS is valid for three years.
- To renew your DSS, you must take 6 credits in any skill areas during the 3 years your DSS is valid. We recommend that individuals with a Level I DSS take Level II courses and use their 3 years to acquire their Level II DSS.
Requirements for DSS Level I
To earn your DSS Level I certificate, you must meet the core requirement and electives requirements.
You can meet the core requirement in 1 of 2 ways:
- Complete 4 free, 4-credit NNLM courses covering the 5 skill areas:
- Complete the free 8-week, 32 credit NNLM course “Fundamentals of Health Sciences Research Data Management” (This is a scheduled course; check the DSS course catalog to see when/if it is offered again.)
You can meet the electives requirement by taking 6 credits of electives in any skill areas.
Electives
- Finds, interprets, and manages data according to ethical principles DSS-S1
- Collects and uses knowledge of institutional and research context to initiate institutionally relevant data services DSS-S2
- Provides guidance on generalizable, domain-agnostic research data best practices DSS-S3
- Applies a basic understanding of scientific method and ethical and sound research practices to data-related problems, encouraging open science practices when appropriate DSS-S4
- Develops and delivers instruction to enhance data literacy and skills DSS-S5
Requirements for DSS Level II
To earn your DSS Level II certificate, you must complete required core courses and electives.
- Complete 10.5 credits (7 courses) of required core courses
- Complete 7.5 credits (5 courses) of electives
Electives
- Critically appraises data and data collection methods DSS-S6
- Evaluates and expands upon existing data services by developing partnerships and becoming integrated into the institutional research environment DSS-S7
- Identifies and implements domain-specific research data best practices DSS-S8
- Applies specialized knowledge of one or more scientific disciplines and research methods to advanced, domain-specific data-related problems DSS-S9
- Provides customized discipline- and context-specific training on advanced data-related topics, including those requiring computational approaches DSS-S10
Tips on Applying for Your DSS
Make sure you have taken the required credit amount and number of approved courses for the DSS level for which you are applying.
- Credits in Your MEDLIB-ED Transcript: If you have received a CE certificate for a DSS through MEDLIB-ED and it appears in your transcript, you do not need to attach additional evidence of course completion.
- Pre-Approved Credits Taken Outside of MEDLIB-ED: If you have received a certification of completion or other evidence of course completion from an approved DSS course that is not listed in MEDLIB-ED, submit a certificate of course completion with your application.
- Credit for Activities Not Pre-Approved for DSS: If you have taken a course, a Discussion Group activity, or an Independent Reading Program activity that is not pre-approved for DSS and would like to have it considered for meeting a DSS requirement, please fill out an Individual Participant Request (IPR) form. We recommend you submit the IPR in advance of your application so you can take replacement coursework if the course is found ineligible.
- Level II DSS Pathway: If you have purchased the Level II DSS pathway, please reach out to MLA Education to obtain the application link after completing the courses.
What is the Price for a DSS Application?
MLA charges a modest fee (members: $99; nonmembers: $132) for reviewing applications and granting certificates. The cost of courses that satisfy the requirements for the certificates is determined by course owners. Courses offered by the Network of the National Library of Medicine are free.
NNLM generously sponsors the DSS application fee for library staff and students who reside within any region of the NNLM. Use this Google form to apply to have NNLM cover your application fee.
MLA will process the application and, on approval, send you a notification letter and certificate recognizing your level of achievement.
We encourage you to Promote Your Accomplishment with a press release your public relations office can publish in your organization’s newsletter and local papers, print and digital. Customize the release to highlight your unique DSS-related achievements.
Meet the Creators of DSS
A team of experts in the field of data sciences created the Data Services competency and identified courses that serve the Level I DSS certificate.
- Lisa Federer, AHIP (Chair), Data Science and Open Science Librarian, National Library of Medicine
- Erin Foster, Service Lead, Research Data Management Program, University of California–Berkeley
- Ann Glusker, AHIP, Sociology, Demography, & Quantitative Research Librarian, University of California–Berkeley
- Margaret Henderson, AHIP, Health Sciences Librarian, San Diego State University
- Kevin Read, Health Sciences Librarian, University of Saskatchewan
- Shirley Zhao, Assistant Librarian (Clinical), University of Utah
To learn more about the Data Services Competency and its development, see their article in the Journal of the Medical Library Association (JMLA), “The Medical Library Association Data Services Competency: A Framework for Data Science and Open Science Skills Development.” The National Institutes of Health (NIH) will draw on the DSS competencies to develop training for the library and information science community to support “data-driven research and health.”
Instructors: Get Your Course Approved for DSS
Only courses that serve the Data Services competency can be approved for DSS. To have your course considered for DSS, select “Data Services” in the Specialization Consideration when you submit a course for MLA CE approval. Contact the MLA Professional Development department for more information.