Library services for research projects

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About Library support for research projects

The SFU Library has a long tradition of collaborating with researchers in capturing, preserving, and making accessible the products of research in a wide variety of formats, as well as developing platforms and tools to facilitate new forms of scholarly inquiry and open access to knowledge and cultural heritage material.

We are noted for our technological innovation and participate in many national and international initiatives associated with scholarly publishing, digitization, and digital preservation.

The Library can offer support to SFU researchers in the areas outlined below.

In many areas we can offer a base level of service as an in-kind contribution (i.e. no direct cost to the researcher), and services beyond this base level may be available at a cost to the researcher, as outlined below.  

Researchers interested in including any of these services in a grant application should contact us a minimum of 30 days before the initial application is due. Please send a short written description of the project to:

The Library can then provide more information on available services, including an estimate of Library time required for support and whether capacity is available. Note that:

  • The Library’s ability to offer services at base or beyond may be constrained by Library capacity and activities.
  • Costs are subject to change.
  • All committed services are limited to the funding period of the grant.

Services

Digital scholarship software development and prototyping

Through the Digital Humanities Innovation Lab (DHIL), the SFU Library can assist with the development of digital scholarship by providing consultation and research software development and support to SFU researchers.  

The DHIL offers research software technical support through back-end and front-end (UI/UX) software development. Based on a researcher’s goals and data, DHIL staff will provide input on the desired application’s functionality and design including annotation tool features, consultation on wireframes, website graphic design, navigation and organization, and visualization tools.

Software development & prototyping

  • After consultation with and confirmation from the Library, base support of up to 50 hours over life of the grant (no direct cost to the researcher; in-kind value $4250)
  • Additional services at $85 per hour.

Contact: dhil@sfu.ca or lib-grantsadmin@sfu.ca.

Digitization

The Library's Digitization Centre can provide consultation and expertise on best practices in digitization procedures, and services include scanning and processing in preparation for deposit in a research repository or database.

The Library also offers consultations on selection of file format, file-naming conventions, directory structure of complex (multi-file) content, and techniques for digitizing oversize and fragile source material.

Researchers can apply to the Library's Scholarly Digitization Fund to cover costs associated with digitizing scholarly materials.  Digitization work includes scanning, creation of descriptive information, and other processing in preparation for deposit in Summit, the Library’s Research Repository, or another publicly accessible repository operated and maintained by the SFU Library. See the web page for application information.

Scanning and processing

  • At cost $37 per hour; hours TBD by consultation with the Digitization Librarian.

Contact lib-grantsadmin@sfu.ca.

Digital asset management

SFU Library can host digital research collections in a range of formats in its digital asset management platform.  Services include establishing and maintaining a collection configuration and infrastructure (e.g., provisioning disk space), and managing and adding prepared content to existing digital collections.

Basic collection setup and configuration:

  • After consultation with and confirmation from the Library, base support (no direct cost to the researcher; in-kind value $750).

Infrastructure maintenance:

  • After consultation with and confirmation from the Library, base support for up to 3 years (no direct cost to the researcher; in-kind value $1050)
  • Additional years at $350 per project year.

Contact: lib-grantsadmin@sfu.ca.

Metadata

SFU Library can provide a standard metadata template that can be customized for the specific needs and requirements of digital research projects.  The Library can provide guidance on using controlled vocabularies to assist in uniform description of data, and improve information retrieval. The Library’s metadata consultants can also analyze existing metadata and assist in conversion strategies to improve standardization and consistency. Services are based on current best practices for the description, discovery, and shareability of digital research objects.

Note: SFU Library staff do not do the work of creating descriptive metadata for research objects, vetting accuracy, or ensuring the researcher and/or their team is familiar with the data model and chosen standards. These tasks are the sole responsibility of the researcher.

Metadata Consultation and Template:

  • After consultation with and confirmation from the Library, base support of up to 20 hours over life of the grant (no direct cost to the researcher; in-kind value $2000)
  • Additional services at $100 per hour.

Contact: lib-grantsadmin@sfu.ca

Digital preservation

SFU Library can provide consultation services to aid with digital preservation activities. These services include advice and guidance for preserving digital content, file format risk assessment, guidelines about the creation of digital content suitable for long-term preservation, and advice on archiving of websites that fall within the scope of the SFU Library Web Archiving Policy.

Digital collections held and maintained through SFU Library are subject to the Library’s established Digital Preservation Framework. SFU Library ensures bit-level integrity of files over time, and, where applicable, web archiving.  

Consultation on best practices:            

  • After consultation with and confirmation from the Library, base support of up to 5 hours over life of the grant (in-kind value $500)
  • Additional services at $100 per hour.

Archive-It* collection setup:      

  • At cost: TBD by consultation.

Web archiving on Archive-It*:  

  • At cost: $13 per gigabyte per year.

Contact: lib-grantsadmin@sfu.ca.

*Archive-It is a web archiving service that allows researchers, in collaboration with the SFU Library, to collect, store, and preserve collections of born digital content. The primary purpose of web archiving is to create and preserve a snapshot in time of born digital content, such as websites. 

Research data management

Research data management (RDM) is the responsible handling and organization of data created during a research project.

Research Data Management staff at SFU Library can provide assistance with developing research data management plans, as required by many funding agencies, including the TriAgencies. These plans help ensure research data are accurate, complete, reliable, accessible, and secure both during and after your research. 

Research Data Management offers consultations on data management planning to help researchers meet funding agency requirements; organizing, naming and documenting; securing and preserving via encryption, backups and file formats; and ethical sharing via repository selection and accessibility in a variety of formats.

Research Data Management also offers workshops and tutorials and research and reference help regarding research data.

Research data management consultation:     

  • After consultation with and confirmation from the Library, base support of up to 20 hours over life of the grant (no direct cost to the researcher; in-kind value $2000)
  • Additional services at $100 per hour.

Contact: data-services@sfu.ca or lib-grantsadmin@sfu.ca.

The University Copyright Office, located within the SFU Library, offers project-based support for researchers on any copyright topics related to any stage of the research project (e.g. consultations, custom presentations, analyses). The Office can help researchers understand the copyright implications (including open licensing) of creating and sharing research materials, outputs, and publications. They can also provide assistance with drafting copyright related aspects of permissions and consents.

Copyright assessment and consultation:         

  • After consultation with and confirmation from the Library, base support of up to 10 hours over life of the grant (no direct cost to the researcher; in-kind value $1000)
  • Additional services at $100 per hour.

Contact: copy@sfu.ca or lib-grantsadmin@sfu.ca.

Special collections and rare books

SFU Library Special Collections and Rare Books division can provide consultation and expertise in areas related to archives and rare books, in particular the holdings of this division, but also in general.  

Consultation and expertise:

  • After consultation with and confirmation from the Library, base support of up to 20 hours over life of the grant (no direct cost to the researcher; in-kind value $2000)
  • Additional services at $100 per hour.

Liaison librarians

Researchers seeking librarian subject expertise related to their projects are encouraged to contact their liaison librarian to discuss the types of assistance available.

Training for researchers and project teams

The Library offers training in a number of areas on this list, including specific digital tools, and data collection methods and markup.

Training and preparation:       

  • After consultation with and confirmation from the Library, base support of up to 10 hours over life of the grant (no direct cost to the researcher; in-kind value $1000)
  • Additional services at $100 per hour.

Contact: lib-grantsadmin@sfu.ca.

Media studios (audio, video, editing, virtual reality)

The Library’s Media and Maker Commons brings together equipment, expertise, and mentorship to support researchers at SFU.  Media spaces can be booked by researchers, and include a video studio with green screen, recording/podcasting studio, editing room, and virtual reality (VR) room.

MMC studio booking:

  • After consultation with and confirmation from the Library, base support of up to 10 hours over life of the grant (no direct cost to the researcher; in-kind value $500)
  • Additional studio bookings at $50 per hour.

MMC studio consultation:

  • After consultation with and confirmation from the Library, base support of up to 10 hours over life of the grant (no direct cost to the researcher; in-kind value $1000)
  • Additional services at $100 per hour.

Contact: mkriz@sfu.ca or lib-grantsadmin@sfu.ca.

Maker equipment (3D printers, laser cutter, etc.)

The Library’s Media and Maker Commons brings together tools, expertise, and mentorship to support researchers in creating and inventing.  Tools and spaces can be booked by researchers.  Maker tools include 3D printers, sewing and embroidery machines, laser cutter and engraver, soldering irons, and finishing tools.  

MMC equipment booking:

  • After consultation with and confirmation from the Library, base support of up to 10 hours over life of the grant (no direct cost to the researcher; in-kind value $500)
  • Additional equipment bookings at $50 per hour.

MMC equipment consultation:

  • After consultation with and confirmation from the Library, base support of up to 10 hours over life of the grant (no direct cost to the researcher; in-kind value $1000)
  • Additional services at $100 per hour.

Contact: mkriz@sfu.ca or lib-grantsadmin@sfu.ca.

Book arts (letterpress printing)

The Library’s Dick Kouwenhoven Book Arts Studio (DKBAS), part of the Media and Maker Commons (MMC), brings together tools, expertise, and mentorship to support researchers at SFU.  The studio along with staff to assist, train, and trouble-shoot can be booked by researchers.  Book Arts tools and equipment include six vintage printing presses, over a hundred drawers of metal and wood type, a book press, and a guillotine paper cutter.    

DKBAS studio booking: 

  • After consultation with and confirmation from the Library, base support of up to 10 hours over life of the grant (no direct cost to the researcher; in-kind value $1000) 
  • Additional studio bookings at $100 per hour. 

Open access publishing

SFU encourages authors to choose open access avenues to disseminate their research, either by archiving their work in a subject or institutional repository or by publishing in an open access journal.

Open access fees are eligible expenses for many funding sources including Tri-Agency grants.  For more information on requesting funds for open access costs in your grant applications see our tips and sample language.

Scholarly Publishing + Open Access at SFU Library can support researchers who have questions about research impact, research metrics, bibliometrics, online research profiles, scholarly networks, researcher visibility, OA requirements, publication venues, author rights, and new forms of scholarship / dissemination.

Since 2010 the SFU Library Central Open Access Fund has supported SFU authors who wish to publish in fully Open Access (OA) journals and who are required to pay an article processing fee (APC).  SFU Library will be phasing out the Open Access Fund over the next few years.  The first step, effective April 1 2024, will be to significantly change the eligibility and amounts awarded in order to reduce costs while still supporting early career researchers.  Learn more about changes to the SFU Central Open Access Fund. 

Digital publishing

The Digital Publishing team at SFU Library provides software, training, and expertise for researchers who are publishing online open access journals using Open Journal Systems, open source publishing software developed by the Public Knowledge Project. 

Working with the Library offers researchers an alternative, lower cost option for journal publishing that will facilitate the open sharing of research results and widen potential audiences.  

Qualifying SFU-affiliated journal editors receive their own freely-hosted journal site which can be used to manage every stage of the refereed publishing process, from submissions through to online publication and indexing.  

The Digital Publishing team provides OJS setup, technical support, and ongoing hosting; content preservation; identifiers (ISSNs, and DOIs) for journals and articles; support for journal visibility; and guidance on editorial and publication standards. 

Note: the SFU Library is not a university press and does not have an in-house editorial team. 

Publishing support: 

  • After consultation with and confirmation from the Library, base support of up to 20 hours over life of the grant (no direct cost to the researcher; in-kind value $2000) 

  • Additional services at $100 per hour. 

Acknowledgement

We would like to acknowledge and thank the University of Victoria Libraries for all their advice on creating this page.