latrobe.edu.au CRICOS Provider 00115M Perceptions of ETDs at La Trobe University, Australia Eva Fisch, Collection Development Manager Simon Huggard, Digital Infrastructure Manager La Trobe University Library 24 July 2014

2La Trobe University La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia Established in 1964, now more than 26,000 students 18% are postgraduates, 23% are international 5 faculties: Science & Engineering, Business & Law, Education, Health, Humanities and Social Sciences Main campus in Melbourne; 4 regional campuses in Victoria

3La Trobe University Image area Overview The La Trobe University thesis program Issues in our move to online The research we are undertaking Key themes from the stakeholders Future directions Image from the La Trobe University Collection Treasures Online

4La Trobe University Click here to enter Title Click here to enter Text La Trobe University theses Time lineHow manyComments 1969 to October 2010 approximately 3,000 print PhD theses Submitted to ( University Archives?) and the Library From Approximately 55 theses voluntary Australian Digital Thesis program From November theses ( 12 of these are embargoed) University mandates electronic deposit into the Library run University Repository (FEDORA) From (as at 20/7/14)Mandatory online submission for examination, and the final (corrected) version is then deposited into the Repository

5La Trobe University Moving the 3000 print theses to online 1.KaiserEmilia22/Aug/1969 STUDIES ON MONOTHIOCARBAMATE COMPLEXES OF SOME TRANISITION METALS 2.MacBeanIan05/Jun/1970 THE GENETIC CONTROL OF QUANTITATIVE CHARACTERS IN DROSOPHILA 3.ScollaryGeoffrey 26/Jun/1970 TITLE UNKNOWN AT TIME OF NEWSIS DATA TRANSFER Rationale Previous experiences Funding and budget Outsourcing Process and personne l

6La Trobe University Image area Issues Identification and sourcing of theses for digitization Outsourced scanning Embargoes Access and takedown policies and procedures Image from hlibrary/sets/

7La Trobe University PERCEPTIONS OF ELECTRONIC THESES & DISSERTATIONS Image from /

8La Trobe University Perceptions – stakeholder interviews What do you know or have you heard about digital theses at La Trobe University, or at other Universities? In your role, how have you been involved with electronic theses and dissertations? What do you think are the benefits of e theses? and the risks of etheses? How have electronic theses changed the way you research/ study/give advice? What advice would you give those individuals and groups about to embark on an e thesis project?

9La Trobe University Image area What they told us (1) - Discoverability and citation Exposing text to GOOGLE Exemplars and HDR training Ethesis traffic: ̶Scholarly ̶Community interest Image from the La Trobe University Collection Treasures Online

10La Trobe University What they told us (2) - Embargo and Publishing Access to Thesis – Consent form “La Trobe University provides immediate public access to both print and electronic forms of all theses UNLESS the author requests the University to restrict access. Requests for restrictions must be approved by the PVC Graduate Research who will determine the duration of restricted access. I request La Trobe to restrict all access to my thesis (electronic) and have attached a signed approval from the PVC Graduate Research. (If you tick this box you must attach a statement explaining why you wish to restrict access)”

11La Trobe University What they told us (3) - Preservation and version of record

12La Trobe University Image area What they told us (4) – Quality and reputation University reputation Thesis quality Predatory publishers Image from /sets/

13La Trobe University Image area What they told us (5) – Risk and risk aversion Plagiarism Third party Copyright IP – Intellectual property Privacy Photo Credit: derekGavey

14La Trobe University From University of Wollongong “ attempts at contacting alumni resulted in very low response rates (around 15%)... Instead we advertised through the Alumni association and the Library website... We also decided that we would not argue (much) with any author who requested we remove their thesis, or that we not put it up in the first place. In four years.. only a handful of authors requested their theses be removed, and all have been satisfied at our response. “we initially removed third party Copyright material from theses, where permission had not been gained. More recently the Library decided that we would retain the third party content, in order to provide the best possible service to researchers. We haven’t had a single complaint about this (the University’s website has a Copyright takedown form that has never been used), but we’d assume the position of “take down first, then investigate”.

15La Trobe University Image area What they told us (6) - New types of theses? Publish as you go Open Access Changing the way authors think about their work eg are now enbedding urls, etc. New formats, data sources Image from

16La Trobe University What they told us (7) – Helping (higher degree) scholars tell their stories Generate a ‘New thesis’ list Packaging publications by author/research group/topic Encourage readers to follow authors Tag theses (including social tagging) Showcase our doctoral production cutting edge research theses most used theses Image from the La Trobe University Collection Treasures Online

17La Trobe University Where to next Work with the new Graduate Research School IP, Privacy, 3 rd party copyright Tell the story of etheses Plan for the thesis of the future Work with Faculties and Media services Showcase our doctoral production increase citations

Thank you latrobe.edu.au CRICOS Provider 00115M Eva Fisch Collection Development Manager

19La Trobe University Thesis 1

20La Trobe University Reader of the future see:

21La Trobe University Plagiarism or logo for Turnitin