JISC

Repositories containing research papers, learning and teaching materials, research data, images, theses and much more, can not only support open access to those materials but can also enable an institution to manage their intellectual assets. So says Neil Jacobs, programme manager of JISC’s £3.5m digital repositories programme, in a feature article published today in the e-zine Free Pint.

Giving a clear and accessible introduction to the many technical, administrative and cultural issues surrounding the growth of digital repositories, Neil reports on JISC’s work in this area, and links it to wider national and international trends in scholarly communications.

As well as making research papers and materials more openly available, he says, repositories can also support administrative processes, enabling an institution to manage its assets effectively. In addition, they can provide, writes Neil,

“a tool to implement various strategies, such as an [institutional] information strategy, research strategy or education strategy”.

Linking to research data is another major benefit of repositories, writes Neil:

“While access to publications is vital, the research that it enables is greatly enhanced where researchers can also access the data on which the publications were based. With the advent of Grid computing and computer applications based on Web Services standards this is increasingly possible, though the challenges are not trivial.”

The article also explores the potential impact of repositories on learning and teaching and on the provision of multimedia resources, with the growth of repositories leading many to ask, Neil suggests, “whether the sector can do more to share the resources it already has, as well as making better use of licensed content from elsewhere.”

View the full article.