Thank you to Anne O’Dwyer for introducing me to quantitative research in the social sciences, and to all of the faculty at Simon’s Rock College who worked so hard to help me become a better writer. I would not have been able to write this book without their patient teaching.
Thank you to Alana Joli Abbott for setting me up with my first freelance writing jobs, which started me on the career trajectory that led to this book.
Thank you to all of the data librarians who graciously welcomed me into the profession. This list includes Chuck Humphrey and Jim Jacobs, whose ICPSR class, Providing Social Science Data Services: Strategies for Design and Operation, was an excellent introduction to the field, and my colleagues in the International Association for Social Science Information Services and Technology and the ACRL Numeric and Geospatial Data Services in Academic Libraries Interest Group.
Thank you to the countless people over the years who have said to me, “Hey, have you seen this great data set?” I first became aware of many of the sources listed in this book because an enthusiastic colleague shared them with me, and I appreciate both the tips and the enthusiasm.
Thank you to Grinnell College for generously funding research leaves for junior faculty, including me, and to all of my colleagues in the Grinnell College Libraries who picked up the slack for me while I was off writing. I would never have had the time to write this book without that support.
Thank you to the wonderful editorial team at ALA Editions. They provided excellent suggestions that improved this book immensely.
And, finally, thank you to all of my friends and family who, for almost a year, put up with me saying, “I can’t; I have to write!”