Information Management SIG online DigITea talk session

Description

The Information Management SIG invites you to join us for our series of short online talks from 13:00 until 14:00 on Wednesday 14 January 2026.

Each session will have a focus on a specific topic, and we welcome everyone regardless of their level of pre-existing knowledge.

This session will feature a talk by Julian Richards on HSDS. 

Introducing the Heritage Science Data Service

In October 2024 the AHRC launched the Research Infrastructure for Conservation and Heritage Science (RICHeS), an £80m investment over five years. In the first phase AHRC have funded 17 laboratory facilities and 13 reference collections hosted in universities, museums, libraries and archives. An Access Fund helps individual or organisations cover the costs of using these services. In addition to academic organisations​, registered charitable bodies, social enterprises, commercial companies, and freelance specialists working in collaboration with eligible partner organisations are all eligible to apply to the Access Fund to cover their costs. The Heritage Science Data Service (HSDS) is providing digital services which form the core of the RICHeS programme. It is managed by the ADS, and shares the same technical infrastructure and data repository. Data from all the Collections projects is archived by the HSDS and all data generated via the Access Fund must be deposited with HSDS. Commercial users of RICHeS facilities are strongly encouraged to offer new data to the HSDS, or an approved alternative repository.

In line with these goals, the HSDS has launched an online Catalogue of Facilities and a separate Catalogue of Data. Datasets which fall within the collections remit of both the ADS and the HSDS are available from either service. In addition, the HSDS is working closely with the Hartree Centre at the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) to develop collaborative virtual research environments for the visualisation and analysis of data which is beyond standard desktop and laptop computers. In October 2025 we launched a small grants programme to support the deposit of additional data, and opportunities to work the Hartree software engineering team to develop more online tools. A second round will be launched in 2026.

This talk will provide an introduction to the full range of services being offered, with a focus on those which may be of interest to IMSIG members, and the opportunity to ask questions.

Additional information

This session counts as 1 hour of CPD if it meets objectives on your personal development plan.

This meeting will take place on Teams; the link for the meeting will be sent in the confirmation email.

Event pricing

This event is free for all CIfA members to attend; this includes CIfA Group supporters.

There is a fee of £5 for all non-members of CIfA.

If you are a not a CIfA or Group member you can become a Group Supporter for an annual fee of £15 to attend this and any future digital bitesize CPD and networking event run by the Group for free.

More information about becoming a Group supporter can be found on the Groups webpage or you can submit your details and payment information to join any groups immediately via this form.