SUNScholar/Practical guidelines for starting an institutional repository (IR)

"There is nothing more difficult to plan, more doubtful of success, nor more dangerous to manage than the creation of a new system. For the initiator has the enmity of all who would profit by the preservation of the old system and merely lukewarm defenders in those who would gain by the new one. " ~ Machiavelli

Introduction

These guidelines are targeted at developing nation academic institutions world wide, who want to start an online open access research repository archive and who want to build long term support capacity for open scholarship publishing practice. The focus during development of the open system has been long term research repository preservation and interoperability on the internet using the self-hosting value proposition.

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12 steps to an accredited open access research repository archive

After reading all of the steps below and then taking time to slowly and carefully install a test prototype system on some spare or old/retired server hardware, it should be possible, with the knowledge and experience gained, to derive a business plan/model to solicit funding or prepare a fairly comprehensive initial capital expenditure foundation budget and then a production implementation plan/schedule for long term support and management.

Step 01 - Open Access Policy, Repository Preservation and Audit
Step 02 - Marketing Friendly (Vanity URL), Persistent URL and Preservable Digital Objects
Step 03 - Employ Repository Management Personnel
Step 04 - Build Repository IT Infrastructure
Step 05 - Install DSpace Repository Software
Step 06 - Repository System Backup & Monitoring
Step 07 - Repository Launch and Registration with Harvesters
Step 08 - Capture Research Records and Submit Research Items
Step 09 - Repository Self-Help and News
Step 10 - Engage Research Partners
Step 11 - Continuous System Improvement and Maintenance (Preserve forever)
Step 12 - Repository Support and Management Help

Latest information for systems using DSpace with an Ubuntu based server

Use the online wiki when doing test/development/production/backup system installations because the wiki has the latest information. See the links below.

INSTALLATION
CUSTOMISATION
OPERATIONS
DIGITISATION
SYSTEM ADMINISTRATION

Convenient Shortened Web Links

Please use the following shortened links when referencing this guide in academic literature or on other web sites.
PS: It is also easy to remember should you want to do an online presentation using this guide, to promote/solicit institutional support.

http://bit.ly/goodir

http://bit.ly/garpir

References

• Click on the heading above to view a full list of references.
• 2010 - NSF - ENSURING LONG TERM ACCESS TO DIGITAL INFORMATION
• 2010 - NRF - SOUTH AFRICA - MANAGING DIGITAL COLLECTIONS
• 2007 - NISO - A FRAMEWORK OF GUIDANCE FOR BUILDING GOOD DIGITAL COLLECTIONS - VIEW ONLINE
• 2006 - OCLC - DIGITAL PRESERVATION POLICY
• 2003 - ARL - CLIFFORD LYNCH - INSTITUTIONAL REPOSITORIES: ESSENTIAL INFRASTRUCTURE FOR SCHOLARSHIP IN THE DIGITAL AGE
• 2002 - SPARC - INSTITUTIONAL REPOSITORY CHECKLIST AND RESOURCE GUIDE
• 1994 - HARNARD - A SUBVERSIVE PROPOSAL
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Institutional_repository
• In addition click here, to view the IRTalk mailing list archive that provided further insight for the guide.
• Please also refer to: http://currentcites.org