JISC

The project will deliver a fully-fledged repository integrated with UCLan's internal technical, governance and operational systems and using national and international storage, retrieval and accessibility standards. This repository will be populated with a wide variety of content demonstrating its functionality and collaborative potential. The repository will become a key part of UCLan's intellectual culture with research, teaching and learning and administrative staff committed to the principles and benefits of open-access sharing within an appropriately managed and protected environment.

The project will develop common standards and coherent strategies for the capture, protection, retrieval and dissemination of digital assets that will bring together projects and materials in a secure yet accessible repository. This will encourage collaboration and cooperation across the University and discourage the development of silos of isolated material unable to be used or developed to its full potential. Moreover, these standards will ensure coherence and mutual interoperability with existing and future repositories in the UK and internationally.

Initially the project will concentrate on defining the needs of the various communities in the University and the wider sector and identifying an appropriate software solution and governance strategies capable of
delivering these needs. From the start software solutions will be integrated with the University's existing systems including the document management and collaboration system that uses Sharepoint as well as library resource management systems and the vle. The Repository will need to be able to support and enable the interaction of research, teaching and learning and student or community generated digital product.

One of the greatest challenges for the project will be to create a culture in the University committed to the principles of open-access publishing and a large part of the effort will concentrate on establishing these principles
within the workflows and procedures at a high level. This will ensure that the repository attracts content from across the community through mandated deposit as well as through demonstrated benefits of inclusion.

Lead Institution

• University of Central Lancashire (UCLan)