Digital Common+ Great Lakes User Group 2015
Type of Program
Presentation
Location
Bernath Auditorium, Undergraduate Library, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
Start Date
31-7-2015 9:00 AM
End Date
31-7-2015 9:30 AM
Program Description
Growing an institutional repository at a small university library with limited resources brings a number of challenges, and VU is no different. The Christopher Center Library has no dedicated employees who work solely with its IR, ValpoScholar, and instead relies on a mix of interns and other employees to create records and upload works in their spare time. VU has had some success in finding faculty works for ValpoScholar through self-submissions for an annual celebration of faculty research and by searching databases but wanted to see if there was still a better way. In Fall 2014, the library began to develop a new workflow with the goal of automating parts of record creation and copyright checks so that VU could sustain growth. Although a small number of university and research libraries have published their workflows, most of those deal with DSpace-based repositories, meaning it’s hard if not impossible to adapt them for repositories run through Digital Commons, which includes ValpoScholar. Following Tim Gunn's sage advice to "Make it work," this project followed a patchwork process of adapting ideas from these published workflows and finding new ways to accomplish the same tasks using available resources. The resulting workflow, which is still in the beta stage, takes advantage of open source coding, batch uploading and free and open programs. This presentation will review how VU’s workflow has changed to the new process, the pros and cons of semi-automated record creation and what areas need more development.
"Make It Work": Patching Together a New IR Workflow to Sustain Growth
Bernath Auditorium, Undergraduate Library, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
Growing an institutional repository at a small university library with limited resources brings a number of challenges, and VU is no different. The Christopher Center Library has no dedicated employees who work solely with its IR, ValpoScholar, and instead relies on a mix of interns and other employees to create records and upload works in their spare time. VU has had some success in finding faculty works for ValpoScholar through self-submissions for an annual celebration of faculty research and by searching databases but wanted to see if there was still a better way. In Fall 2014, the library began to develop a new workflow with the goal of automating parts of record creation and copyright checks so that VU could sustain growth. Although a small number of university and research libraries have published their workflows, most of those deal with DSpace-based repositories, meaning it’s hard if not impossible to adapt them for repositories run through Digital Commons, which includes ValpoScholar. Following Tim Gunn's sage advice to "Make it work," this project followed a patchwork process of adapting ideas from these published workflows and finding new ways to accomplish the same tasks using available resources. The resulting workflow, which is still in the beta stage, takes advantage of open source coding, batch uploading and free and open programs. This presentation will review how VU’s workflow has changed to the new process, the pros and cons of semi-automated record creation and what areas need more development.