Date of this Version
Summer 7-14-2026
Document Type
Review
Abstract
Objective: The increased data density of research has made research data management a critical service within university libraries. This paper provides a scoping analysis of the literature on academic librarians' roles, difficulties, and possibilities in research data management (RDM) and open science (OS) in Africa.
Methods: The review, which followed the Arksey and O'Malley scoping review framework and was presented in accordance with PRISMA-ScR principles, methodically mapped existing evidence from peer-reviewed literature published between 2010 and 2024. Scopus, Web of Science, Library and Information Science Source, and Google Scholar were all used for searches. Following screening and eligibility assessment, 43 studies were selected for analysis.
Results: The findings show that academic librarians are growing their involvement in data planning, repository administration, training, and policy formulation, despite ongoing hurdles such as talent shortfalls, infrastructure deficiencies, financial limits, and institutional policy weaknesses. The evaluation also looks for developing opportunities related to open scientific mandates, professional development efforts, and regional collaboration.
Conclusion: The study concluded that, academic librarians play a significant role in research data management and open science, despite facing challenges such as knowledge gaps, inadequate technology, financial constraints and sociocultural barriers. This paper presents an evidence-based overview of RDM and OS in African academic libraries, highlighting significant needs for future research and practice.
