Welcome to the Spring 2014 Issue of Databits!
This issue is dominated by two major themes – the past and the future. As we experience progressive changes in information management practices and technologies there is an illusory sameness, a sense that what “is now” always was and always will be. However, as articles in this issue will show, nothing could be further than the truth. There is virtually no aspect of the way LTER manages information that has not undergone dramatic changes – and that will not change again in the future (which is what makes Information Management challenging and fun).
For the past, we have an extensive review of the development of geographical resources in the LTER Network, a retrospective on the career of Susan Stafford, and a rough timeline extending from the start of LTER to the future.
This issue is also not without the present. A new resource for information on managing sensors, approaches to integrating data, and a survey of how some sites manage bibliographic data are all discussed. Additionally there are reviews of recent articles of interest in the Good Reads section.
Most dangerous, given the oft-quoted (but difficult to attribute) statement “predictions are difficult- especially about the future,” we have some commentaries that try to dust off a crystal ball, with discussion of how data will be archived in the future, and James Brunt’s predictions about how LTER Information Management will radically change in the future (as it has in the past).
Co-Editors: John Porter (VCR) and Mary Martin (HBR)
Table of Contents
| Featured Articles | ||
| History of the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in the LTER Network | Theresa Valentine | 1 |
| Data Integration Experiences | James Connors | 3 |
| Where are they now? -Susan Stafford reminisces about her years in the LTER | Don Henshaw | 4 |
| Sensor and sensor data management best practices released | Corinna Gries, Don Henshaw, Renee F. Brown, Richard Cary, Jason Downing, Christopher Jones, Adam Kennedy, Christine Laney, Mary Martin, Jennifer Morse, John Porter, Jordan Read, Andrew Rettig, Wade Sheldon, Scotty Strachan, Brankp Zdravkovic | 6 |
| Sustainable development | Inigo San Gil | 7 |
| Commentary | ||
| LTER Information Management-Past, Present, and Future-a Rough Timeline | John Porter | 11 |
| Reading the bones: a few thoughts about the future of research information management | James Brunt | 12 |
| The Future of Archiving (Research) Data | Ryan Raub | 13 |
| Good Tools and Programs | ||
| The Open Science Framework | John Porter | 14 |
| Managing Bibliographic Citations for LTER | John Porter | 15 |
| Good Reads | ||
| Review: Scientists Threatened by Demands to Share Data: the open data movement is polarizing the scientific community | Kristin Vanderbilt | 16 |
| Review: Troubleshooting Public Data Archiving: Suggestions to Increase Participation | Mary Martin | 16 |
