The Role of Libraries in FAIR Data Management: Trends, Challenges and Future Directions

Abstract

FAIR data management has become an important area of research support in academic and research libraries because it promotes the organization, preservation, discovery, accessibility and reuse of research data. FAIR stands for findable, accessible, interoperable, reusable and these principles are increasingly linked with open science, research transparency, reproducibility and responsible scholarly communication. This descriptive narrative review examines the role of libraries in FAIR data management with particular focus on major trends, challenges and future directions. The article synthesizes recent scholarly and professional literature on research data management, data stewardship, institutional repositories, metadata, data literacy, data curation and open science. The review indicates that libraries are increasingly involved in data management planning, metadata support, repository services, research data training, data curation, policy guidance and FAIR awareness. However, several challenges limit effective implementation, including insufficient technical infrastructure, lack of professional data skills, weak institutional policies, low researcher engagement, ethical and legal concerns, privacy issues, sustainability problems and limited funding. The article argues that libraries are well positioned to support FAIR data management if they strengthen professional capacity, improve repository infrastructure, promote data literacy and collaborate with researchers, IT departments, research offices and policy makers.