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Repository Enhancement for e-space, the digital e-prints repository at Manchester Metropolitan University

Overview

Manchester Metropolitan University has had a repository project, e-space, since April 2005 which led to the launch of its repository of research publications in October 2006. The project was led by Library Services as a natural extension of its role of managing information and assisting scholarly communication.

This JISC funded project will address key issues and challenges relating to repository enhancement: advocacy; content acquisition; embedding of the repository into University strategy and workflows. It will undertake surveys of research staff and present formative and summative evaluation reports from a post-1992, multi-site and multi-discipline university that has outsourced its hybrid e-prints repository service.

Aims and objectives

  • To test the hypothesis that an increase in advocacy will lead to increase in content for repositories and also, the embedding of the repository into University strategy, policies and workflows, in particular, into library workflows.
  • To determine the extent of MMU research and to make it freely available via e-space to the global community.
  • To produce formative and summative evaluation reports from a post-1992, multi-site and multi-discipline university that has outsourced its hybrid e-prints repository service.
  • To present the experience of e-space as a unique case study including the sharing of all findings and best practice in the start-up and management of an outsourced repository.

Anticipated outputs and outcomes

  • A service oriented approach, underpinned by a policy which embeds e-space into University strategy and policy and into administrative and technical workflows/procedures, in order to develop more efficient workflows based on common and/or best practices and upon the newly emerging national deposit API as appropriate.
  • Provide interoperability with the MMU Research Management System to create a single research repository, improving both administration and dissemination of research output.
  • Quantifiable targets for content and a critical mass of content to support the RAE 2008 submissions process.
  • Open Access policy.
  • Advocacy plan.

Project documents

Current usage survey 1 report:

Current usage survey 2 report:

For more information about the project visit the JISC project website or contact –

Helen Standish, Project Manager
Manchester Metropolitan University
Library Support Services
Minshull House, 47-49 Chorlton Street
Manchester , M1 3FY
Tel: 0161 247 6109
Fax: 0161 247 6352
Email: h.standish@mmu.ac.uk