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DSpace:A Platform for

Research Repositories

Peter MorganProject Director, DSpace@Cambridge

Cambridge University Library

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Outline

• DSpace overview

• Cambridge project background

• Building a Cambridge repository

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DSpace- what is it?

• Software platform for a digital institutional

repository

• For all research and learning material

• Captures, describes, preserves, distributes

• Cumulative, perpetual and secure

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DSpace- 'a durable digital depository'

• MIT / HP collaboration• Open Source software (released Nov 2002)• OAI-compatible• metadata (Qualified Dublin Core)• guaranteed bitstream preservation• persistent identifier ("handle")• retrieval via standard search engines (Google, etc.)

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Potential content (1)

• Research output

• Teaching material

• Administrative records

• Library collections

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Potential content (2)

• Refereed research literature and preprints• Conference papers, working papers, reports• Books• E-theses• Images • Audio and video files• Learning objects • Data sets• Digitised material

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DSpace- data model

• bitstream files

• items + metadata record

• collections

• communities

– administrator + e-people

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Why the library?

• central institutional role

• long-term commitment

• multidisciplinary

• experienced and trusted as custodian and disseminator of information

• digital repository complements networked library and information services

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Cambridge-MIT Institute

• Funded by UK Dept of Trade & Industry

• 5 year programme (2000-05) (now to 2006)

• Original mission: – 'to improve the competitiveness, productivity and

entrepreneurship of the UK by educating leaders, discovering knowledge and developing technologies, and creating programs for change using a partnership of MIT and Cambridge'

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DSpace@Cambridge- project outline

• 3-year project (2002-5) funded by Cambridge-MIT Institute

• Objectives: – to develop a digital institutional repository for the

University of Cambridge– work with others and share experience within UK

• Formal Cambridge University Library - MIT Libraries collaboration

• Partnership between Cambridge University Library and CU Computing Service

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DSpace@Cambridge - main project elements

• Installation of DSpace software and hardware– 3 systems (public; offsite mirror; test bed)

• Further development and customisation– digital preservation (Cambridge-led)– learning management system interactivity (MIT-led)

• Business plan • Content, content, content …

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Potential benefits to users

• Greater visibility of academic work• ‘Community' (departmental) identity• University of Cambridge 'badge'• Ownership of material is retained by user/University• Opportunities for permitted re-use • Digital preservation• University Library repository offers long-term guarantees• Data security• Cost-benefits of central institutional repository

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Acquisition of content

• Stage 1– ‘early adopters’ (two waves: 4 + 4)

• Stage 2 – ‘fast followers’

• Stage 3– general University roll-out

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Early adopters - recruitment

• Top-down– heads of Schools (deans), senior administrators

• Bottom-up– individual creators/owners of material

• Formal– letters, press releases, articles, presentations

• Informal– visits, word of mouth, surveys of websites

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Early adopters - selection criteria

• Variety of content & file formats– test workflow processes – test digital preservation

• Enthusiasm– willingness to invest in test programme

• High profile/political clout– need long-term support

• Safety net– rescue process for material under threat

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Early adopters- first wave

• Genizah Collection, University Library– digitised images (closed access)

• Fitzwilliam Museum– collection records and digitised images

• Moving Image Studio (Architecture)– films: 'Cambridge Ceremonies and Buildings'

• Social Anthropology– digitised films: 'Anthropological Ancestors'

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Early adopters- second wave

Potential ‘early adopters’ include…– scholarly papers (all subjects)– teaching programmes (Management,

Pathology)– databases (Physics, Earth Sciences)– e-theses (Engineering)– archives (Oriental Studies, Central Admin)– e-Science collaboration (biomedicine)

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DSpace@Cambridge- search interface

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DSpace@Cambridge- communities

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Local policy decisions

• Submission criteria (who? what? when?)• Definition & responsibilities of user communities • Acceptable file formats (supported, unsupported)• Levels of access (public, restricted)• Metadata standards (quality assurance)• IPR issues (management of rights & obligations)• Who pays?• Short-term v. long-term ‘ownership’• Responsibility for non-Cambridge material?

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Liaison

• Advisory groups– user communities; library; IT

• Publicity (press, seminars, documentation)• Project website• Email discussion lists • Other projects

– SHERPA, Theses Alive!, Digital Curation Centre

• DSpace Federation– development; shared experience; policy co-ordination

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DSpace@Cambridge- links

DSpace@Cambridge www.lib.cam.ac.uk/dspace/

DSpace at MIT Libraries dspace.mit.edu/

DSpace Federation www.dspace.org/

Cambridge University Library www.lib.cam.ac.uk/

Cambridge-MIT Institute www.cambridge-mit.org/

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Contact details

Peter Morgan

Project Director

DSpace@Cambridge

Cambridge University Library

West Road, Cambridge CB3 9DR

01223 333130

pbm2@cam.ac.uk