Why So Many Repositories? Examining the Limitations and Possibilities of The Institutional Repositories (IR) Landscape. Issue 3 (3rd April 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Arlitsch, Kenning; Grant, Carl
• Is Part Of: Journal of library administration. Volume 58:Issue 3(2018)
• Page Start: 264
• Page End: 281
• Publication Date: 2018-04-03
• Subjects: institutional repositories -- digital repositories -- IT management -- library administration -- open access -- collective action -- network effect -- enterprise institutional repositories; Library administration -- Periodicals; 025.1
• DOI: 10.1080/01930826.2018.1436778
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0193-0826

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Academic libraries fail to take advantage of the network effect because they manage too many digital repositories locally. While this argument applies to all manner of digital repositories, this article examines the fragmented environment of institutional repositories (IRs), in which effort and costs are duplicated, numerous software platforms and versions are managed simultaneously, metadata are applied inconsistently, users are served poorly, and libraries are unable to take advantage of collective data about content and users. In the meantime, commercial IR vendors and academic social networks have shown much greater success with cloud-based models. Collectively, the library profession has enough funding to create a national-level IR, but it lacks the willingness to abandon local control.