Research Data Management (RDM) in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) Era

The emergence of the 4IR has brought new opportunities and possibilities for effective management of research data. Despite the positive impacts and effectiveness of this technological advancement, most academic libraries especially in Africa are not taking advantage of this reality. As a result of this, many libraries in the developing countries are struggling to satisfy the present and future information needs of researchers. Building on the 4IR, sustainable RDM practices in academic libraries become necessary and urgent. The observation led to the decision to address issues related to RDM practices and the 4IR. The authors present the conceptual considerations of RDM, the roles of academic libraries in RDM, and the 4IR technologies as well as strategic actions for academic libraries towards the 4IR. The authors conclude by affirming that the adoption of 4IR will not only connect librarians with machines for “smart” performance, but will expand the scope, visibility, and access to research data, among others.