Discovering and Acquiring Data

The Libraries can provide consultation on discovery of, and access to, many different types of data sets and technologies.

Librarians and their specialties

For general inquiries contact the research help desk at (610) 330-5155 or refdesk@lafayette.edu. If you have specific questions about any of the data services below, please contact the appropriate librarian.

• GIS, John Clark
• Lafayette Digital Repository (LDR), Terese Heidenwolf
• US Government Data, Ana Ramirez Luhrs
• Data Visualization, Ben Jahre
• Humanities Research Data, Charlotte Nunes
• Environmental Data, Kylie Bailin

Library resources for finding data

• Maps and Geospatial Data
• Sources for Pennsylvania State and Local Data
• Statistics– U.S.
• Statistics–World
• Humanities Research Data

PRAs

PRA or Personalized Research Assistance is a chance to meet with a librarian and get help with library research. The librarian will talk with you about your project and the type of information you need, guide you to the databases and other library resources that will be most fruitful for your research, and show you how to use them. We can also help you access hard-to-find materials, give you ideas for locating primary sources, and show you how to evaluate data.  Lafayette students may use this form to request an extended consultation session with a librarian.