Institutional Repositories

After reading Green & Gutmann's Institutional Repositories, Building Partnerships Among Social Science Researchers, Institution-Based Repositories and Domain Specific Data Archives (2007), I started to think about how an institution might feel about its repository. It seems natural that an institution would feel proprietary about the information within its repository.  After all, they have paid for the research; it is their investment and surely they should reap all rewards and benefits.  Yet, this mindset truly limits the growth and expansion of knowledge.  The resources in one institution may inspire work at another institution.  Each institution can gain from the sharing.  This makes domain specific repositories, where those working in the field share knowledge, resources and information,   preferable to institution specific repositories.

The Twenty-first century has the appearances of being an age of collaboration.  Millenials are leading the way with their natural inclination to work together.  Perhaps institutional boundaries will be blurred and information can be freely shared inspiring new directions within a field and new insights in knowledge.  In fact, a Research Libraries UK 2012 report indicates "The increasingly competitive research environment demands greater collaboration (across disciplines, institutional and national boundaries)..." (Jaguszewski & Williams, 2013, 8).

Domain specific repositories are a step in the right direction, but education is becoming more interdisciplinary.  Trends in K-12 have thematic or integrated units can allow teachers and students to dive deeper within a subject. (Fiorella).  Higher education may also be moving in this direction. If it is not already, the students and faculty of the future may demand it.  Even as we establish domain specific repositories, we should ensure that there are universal guidelines and access that cross institutions and disciplines.  This allows greater collaboration among institutions and among disciplines.  There are differences across disciplines as to how information is accessed and assessed but we should work to find the commonalities for greater access going forward.

There is value in having domain specific repositories available to those working within a field. Yet there also seems that there needs to be collaboration within disciplines going forward.  After all, no field exists in a vacuum.  Institutional repositories are not domain specific therefore they allow cross-disciplinary access to the information.  Yet, these are not readily available to those outside the institution.  Domain Specific repositories are more available to those working in a field yet they are less readily available to those outside of the field.   As disciplines and their research intersect with other disciplines and their research, a third option should be available.  This does not have to be a new inter-discipline repository but it should be accessible to those within and outside a field.


References

Fiorella, P. (nd). K-12 lesson plans and thematic units.  Retrieved from http://drpfconsults.com/k-12-lesson-plans-and-thematic-units/

Green, A.G. & Gutman, M.P. (2007).  Institutional repositories, Building partnerships among social science researchers, institution-based repositories and domain specific data archives. OCLC Systems & Services: International Digital Library Perpectives. 23 (1), 35-53.

Jaguszewski, J.M. & Williams, K. (2013, August).  New roles for new times: Transforming liaison roles in research libraries.  Retrieved from http://www.arl.org/storage/documents/publications/NRNT-Liaison-Roles-final.pdf.