When the data disappears: Adapting reference and instruction to current government data availability

Prior to 2025, the U.S. government was a largely reliable, stable source of social science research data. However, the current, more tenuous availability of federal government data in the United States is proving to be a challenge for researchers who rely on this data, or who would like to, as well as librarians who support students and faculty of all levels working with government data. To understand how librarians are rethinking education around data literacy and the availability of government and other social science data in the context of this ever-changing landscape, I distributed a survey in spring 2025 in order to collect information on how librarians were making early adjustments to reference and instruction with both U.S. government data and social science data writ large. Findings from the study will be discussed, as well as ways in which librarians can consider adapting their own research and instruction work in response to these changes.