Love Data Week celebrates the many forms of data at ASU

Data is everywhere around us — found in spreadsheets of temperature readings, Apple Watch fitness metrics and even a diary in the ASU Library archives. Data appears in many different forms, and at Arizona State University, it has the power to drive research discoveries, tell stories and strengthen community impact. 

In celebration of International Love Data Week (Feb. 9–13), ASU Library is putting the spotlight on data at ASU and experts who can help us make sense of it.

“Love Data Week is an opportunity to think about all the different kinds of data we encounter at ASU, from geospatial data to meteorites to historical data found in archival materials," said Rachel Fernandez, an assistant librarian within the Open Science and Scholarly Communication Division of ASU Library. “At ASU Library, we also want people to think about how data is generated and shared, ethically and responsibly."

Understanding data has never been more important in helping leaders and policymakers make critical decisions that shape communities. As a source of data and collaborators with data, ASU librarians work with researchers across all disciplines to ask questions, use data responsibly and amplify the impact of their work.

One example in practice is working with the Labriola National American Indian Data Center, an Indigenous library center within ASU Library. The Labriola Center works together with tribal nations and Indigenous researchers as a source of research data, and it supports tribes with how they would like their information to be collected, shared and stored.

“How we think about data sovereignty, and how information is fairly and respectfully handled, is also about making sure data isn’t used in ways that harm or exclude,” said Fernandez.

“Even after Love Data Week is over, we have library professionals here to help you in your data journey and enrich your research. From digital humanities and data science to GIS mapping and open science, our events and resources highlight the people and tools to help you understand and responsibly engage with data in a variety of ways,” said Fernandez.

Here are four areas of data sources and collaborations to explore during Love Data Week:

Knowledge Enterprise Q&A with ‘Data’

The 2026 theme for Love Data Week is "Where’s the Data?" which provides an opportunity to think about data’s journey, from collection through storage and preservation. Kathryn Claypool from Knowledge Enterprise takes a creative approach with an insightful Q&A with “Data” itself.

Love your data: Archives as data

University Archivist Shannon Walker highlights several ASU Library special collections that hold historical data. From field notes to journals, learn about data found in the archival collections of notable ASU researchers, including Wendell Minckley, Stephen J. Pyne and Carlton B. Moore.

Ensuring Public Access Policy compliance

As of Jan. 1, all projects sponsored by U.S. federal funding agencies now include public access policies that support making publications and corresponding research data freely accessible at the time of publication. ASU librarians share tools and strategies to make this compliance part of your data plan.

Data is for everyone

The Unit for Data Science and Analytics makes learning with data approachable, collaborative and empowering for students and researchers. The unit’s annual SpaceHACK for Sustainability event uses space-based and open data to solve real-world problems. Learn more about this year’s event happening March 27–28 at Hayden Library on ASU's Tempe campus.