When Iowa State first launched a digital repository in 2012, giving university scholars an easy way to freely share their work, the platform it was built on was a ready-to-go software package that didn't offer much customization. For an institution just beginning to construct an open online collection, the simplicity was ideal.
FAQ video
Have questions about the migration to DSpace? Check out this FAQ video from Hope Craft, digital repository specialist.
Since then, more than 93,000 papers have been uploaded to the repository, which has hosted 29.5 million downloads -- more than 7.5 million in the last year. As the repository expands, faculty increasingly expect more from it than the current platform can deliver.
"We've kind of outgrown it," Hope Craft, University Library digital repository specialist, said of the existing repository software. "I get sick of telling faculty 'I can't help with that.'"
That will change next month when the repository migrates to a new platform, DSpace. The open-source program, set to go live Jan. 19, will add capabilities that aren't possible with the existing system and offer opportunity to adjust in the future.
"It feels like we're controlling our own destiny now," Craft said.
More functional, better search
Library staff identified improvements faculty wanted during the two-year process of moving to a new platform. New features will include improved integration with modern identification standards for both researchers (ORICD iD) and research material (digital object identifiers), streamlined forms so authors can upload their own work, automatic submission from journals with open-access agreements with Iowa State and an option to link to DataShare, ISU's open research data repository.
Better searchability will be one of the most noticeable public-facing differences. The search engine within DSpace includes full-text search and other advanced features, which will make finding an item significantly easier. Craft said she has difficulty locating articles in the existing repository, even when searching by an author's name for a paper she knows is there.
"Now, it's easier a lot of times for people to go to Google to find something," she said. "DSpace is going to be much faster and much more accurate."
What's staying the same
In addition to providing ongoing adaptability, using an open-source platform for the repository conforms with the University Library's openness principles and will save money in the long run. DSpace is free software, but the library has contracted with a software development firm to customize the platform and migrate the current collection.
Developers are ensuring links to the current repository stay live and that author profiles and download statistics transfer smoothly to the new system. Though a rebranding may be considered at some point, the name of the repository won't change for now, Craft said. Faculty who use the repository don't have to do anything as the platform changes.
"You won't need to recreate anything. We're doing all the heavy lifting," she said.
The copyright management process is staying the same, too. A three-person team of library staff is available to help determine the copyright status of published faculty research and, if needed, negotiate with publishers to secure a version of their work for the ISU repository.
Before the new platform goes live, the library will release how-to videos explaining the process for setting up an author profile and for submitting an article.
"We're trying to make this as simple as possible for everyone," Craft said.
Repository's reasons
Nearly 900 ISU faculty have submitted a paper to the digital repository since 2012, a higher rate of participation than most universities, Craft said. The benefits are clear for faculty, especially those working on tenure or a rank promotion. Using the digital repository increases the availability and impact of faculty research, making it more likely to be cited.
At an institutional level, a digital repository is a powerful embodiment of the land-grant mission to share the university's knowledge with the world.
"This is the best avenue for doing that," Craft said.
