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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 NetworkTheresa Valentine1
Data Integration ExperiencesJames Connors3
Where are they now? -Susan Stafford reminisces about her years in the LTERDon Henshaw4
Sensor and sensor data management best practices releasedCorinna 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 Zdravkovic6
Sustainable developmentInigo San Gil7
Commentary
LTER Information Management-Past, Present, and Future-a Rough TimelineJohn Porter11
Reading the bones: a few thoughts about the future of research information managementJames Brunt12
The Future of Archiving (Research) DataRyan Raub13
Good Tools and Programs
The Open Science FrameworkJohn Porter14
Managing Bibliographic Citations for LTERJohn Porter15
Good Reads
Review: Scientists Threatened by Demands to Share Data: the open data movement is polarizing the scientific communityKristin Vanderbilt16
Review: Troubleshooting Public Data Archiving: Suggestions to Increase ParticipationMary Martin16