Exploring Electronic Research Notebooks (ERNs) at a R1 institution in the southeast USA

Synopsis: This informal presentation was presented at the UF Libraries' monthly data management and curation working group meeting on 6/27/2022. This presentation highlights select developments of electronic lab notebooks (ELNs) also known as electronic research notebooks (ERNs) at the University of Florida from ELN survey in 2020 to procuring price quotes for three ERNs in June 2022. The presentation includes some 2020 ELN survey data, select ELN/ERN products, University College London (UCL) use case, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin use case, latest RSpace ecosystem infographic, rationale for selecting an institution-wide ERN, and a potential ERN pathway modeled after MDC. This presentation may be useful to data managers, librarians, faculty, students, IT, and stakeholders. This presentation ensued from an informal virtual 2022 International Digital Curation Conference (IDCC22) ELN meet-up on 6/15/2022 followed by attendance at an online Research Notebooks Community Discussion meeting on 6/16/2022 hosted by University of Glasgow and Jisc representatives resulting in the two ERN use cases integrated in this presentation. "By definition, an institutional LIMS [laboratory information management system] and ELN project involves management, PIs, scientists at all levels and the institute's IT department..." (Argento, 2020, p. 1). 

Disclaimer: Citations in the presentation do not represent endorsement of ELN product selected in use cases. An open competitive procurement approach is recommended. This presentation was not part of any formal criteria assessment or selection process. An official University ELN Working Group comprised of management, PIs, research, academic units, scientists at all levels and the institute's IT department and the Libraries is best qualified for formal assessment and selection of an institution-wide ELN solution. This presentation precedes development of such an university working group.