Libraries’ Role in Enabling New Engineering Research Investments: Working with Campus Research Administration Units

Abstract

The role of libraries in academia is ever evolving with opportunities to influence research decisions at the highest level. University Libraries at Virginia Tech for multiple years now has been asked to support cutting-edge research investments with the goal of helping to galvanize complex, cross-disciplinary, and highly impactful research for years to come. With access to a variety of databases, software, and specialized experts, libraries can support and inform these research investments via discovery and analysis of: future and/or retrospective funding, research gaps and/or trends, market and industry trends, graduate programs, and more. At Virginia Tech, these research investments (Destination Areas) from the Office of Research involve engineering each year, covering areas such as AI, medical materials, and quantum navigation. This publication will present case studies (analyses and processes) for other librarians and/or research units to consider, leveraging the expertise of information sciences and academic libraries. The University Libraries, Virginia Tech have not only succeeded in this work, but enabled greater discovery of our talents and skills as research partners for the whole institution.