1. Linking Repositories Scoping Study Key Perspectives Ltd University of Hull SHERPA University of Southampton

2. Purpose o Scope technical and organisational models … o … to support user-oriented services … o … across institutional and other digital repositories … o … in particular, open access repositories … o … with a view to the establishment of a national repository services infrastructure or framework

3. Elements User requirements User requirements Roles and responsibilities Roles and responsibilities Technical architecture Technical architecture Business models (viable, sustainable) Business models (viable, sustainable)

4. Users (of aggregated services) Most end users know little and care less about national aggregators Most end users know little and care less about national aggregators National service users would probably fall into three groups: National service users would probably fall into three groups: Sophisticated primary users with a particular cultural or geographical scope of interest Sophisticated primary users with a particular cultural or geographical scope of interest Secondary users (intermediaries between primary users and the data) Secondary users (intermediaries between primary users and the data) Meta-users: research councils, RAE experts, (OA) people working on metrics Meta-users: research councils, RAE experts, (OA) people working on metrics

5. End users Delivery should be to communities of practice if take-up is to be achieved Delivery should be to communities of practice if take-up is to be achieved Differences between user groups Differences between user groups Different types of information Different types of information Search in different ways Search in different ways Supply different types of information Supply different types of information Unsophisticated searchers (in general) and are increasingly Googlised Unsophisticated searchers (in general) and are increasingly Googlised

6. Technical model(s): scope Focused on user-oriented services Focused on user-oriented services Also including machine services where these underpin user-oriented services Also including machine services where these underpin user-oriented services Focused on open access repositories Focused on open access repositories Recognition of heterogeneous repository landscape Recognition of heterogeneous repository landscape Identify standards/architectures/gaps Identify standards/architectures/gaps

7. Technical architecture and infrastructure: existing picture 2004 Delivery, Management and Access Model for Eprints and Open Access Journals 2004 Delivery, Management and Access Model for Eprints and Open Access Journals ePrints UK project and reports ePrints UK project and reports OAIster, ARC, UIUC, Virginia Tech OAIster, ARC, UIUC, Virginia Tech 2005 JISC/SURF/CNI IR Conference 2005 JISC/SURF/CNI IR Conference Repository infrastructure can support service layer Repository infrastructure can support service layer

8. The harvesting model

9. Content and connection Open access repositories include: Open access repositories include: E-prints, e-theses E-prints, e-theses But also But also Datasets, multimedia, learning objects etc. Datasets, multimedia, learning objects etc. How far can services provide access across different item types? (and to what extent would they want to?) How far can services provide access across different item types? (and to what extent would they want to?) Connection between different item types may be one such reason Connection between different item types may be one such reason Need and point of entry Need and point of entry Open access repositories include: Open access repositories include: E-prints, e-theses E-prints, e-theses But also But also Datasets, multimedia, learning objects etc. Datasets, multimedia, learning objects etc. How far can services provide access across different item types? (and to what extent would they want to?) How far can services provide access across different item types? (and to what extent would they want to?) Connection between different item types may be one such reason Connection between different item types may be one such reason Need and point of entry Need and point of entry

10. Technical issues (I) Identifiers (policies, granularity, standardisation, multiple identifiers, versions) Identifiers (policies, granularity, standardisation, multiple identifiers, versions) Packaging (how does a service deal with Packaging (how does a service deal with Rights Rights Cataloguing practice & richness (e.g. is it more sustainable to shift post-creation automated metadata enhancement up to services?) Cataloguing practice & richness (e.g. is it more sustainable to shift post-creation automated metadata enhancement up to services?) Metasearch parallel (shares the same problems, even though it appears to offer value) Metasearch parallel (shares the same problems, even though it appears to offer value) Metadata!

11. Technical issues (II) Repository/service interfaces Repository/service interfaces What is available for services to use? How is repository content exposed for use by services? What is available for services to use? How is repository content exposed for use by services? Services as brokers for other services. Need to consider whether they may wish to make their own content available (for harvesting) for use by other services Services as brokers for other services. Need to consider whether they may wish to make their own content available (for harvesting) for use by other services

12. Aims of services D2D integration D2D integration Discovery - Google does this! Discovery - Google does this! Locate - Repositories hold full content (usually) Locate - Repositories hold full content (usually) Request – Lots of scope for services: linked to rights issues Request – Lots of scope for services: linked to rights issues Delivery - Repository to desktop Delivery - Repository to desktop What services do we wish to offer? What services do we wish to offer? Considerations of use guiding targeted services Considerations of use guiding targeted services What services would repository owners like to see developed? What services would repository owners like to see developed?

13. Roles and responsibilities with respect to existing repository services What requirements do you have if you are to play a role in any JISC-managed overarching repository services? What requirements do you have if you are to play a role in any JISC-managed overarching repository services? What organisational aspects are relevant here, what implications would it have for you and what would JISC need to take into account? What organisational aspects are relevant here, what implications would it have for you and what would JISC need to take into account? What does your experience tell you are the challenges that a repository service would face (organisational and cultural?) What does your experience tell you are the challenges that a repository service would face (organisational and cultural?)

14. Other issues to reflect upon Costs of a service (per annum) Costs of a service (per annum) Business models Business models Scalability Scalability Risks Risks

15. Organisation-related issues Institutions are (always) at different stages of maturity (need shared motives and understandings) Institutions are (always) at different stages of maturity (need shared motives and understandings) Institutional attitude (territorial, roles) Institutional attitude (territorial, roles) Workflow isnt worked out Workflow isnt worked out HE / FE differences in core mission - actually unclear for FE sector (e.g. preserve vs dispose) HE / FE differences in core mission - actually unclear for FE sector (e.g. preserve vs dispose) What repositories are for: the purpose of each repository must be mapped onto the technical architecture and will define the business model (and thus the roles involved) What repositories are for: the purpose of each repository must be mapped onto the technical architecture and will define the business model (and thus the roles involved) Mission creep (characters of repositories shift over time) Mission creep (characters of repositories shift over time) Mediation issue and who is taking responsibility Mediation issue and who is taking responsibility Version control ditto Version control ditto

16. Organisation-related issues contd… FoI considerations (objects can be open and closed at different times) FoI considerations (objects can be open and closed at different times) Providing content and access to it via metadata are two different things (in many cases conflated) and services would need to ensure this is sorted out Providing content and access to it via metadata are two different things (in many cases conflated) and services would need to ensure this is sorted out Role of the national libraries, with their legal collecting rights and obligations: where do they fit into the picture? Role of the national libraries, with their legal collecting rights and obligations: where do they fit into the picture? Branding Branding

17. Organisation-related issues contd… Non-open access content Non-open access content Open-but-very-controlled access to specific types of material Open-but-very-controlled access to specific types of material Who has the repository (some collections of great value reside at department or individual level)? Who has the repository (some collections of great value reside at department or individual level)? How much do repositories want to provide in terms of services on their repository? Or do they provide the repository and buy in services from outside (e.g. The Digital Picture project) How much do repositories want to provide in terms of services on their repository? Or do they provide the repository and buy in services from outside (e.g. The Digital Picture project) Integration with the e-learning framework etc Integration with the e-learning framework etc

18. Technical model Harvesting model works well Harvesting model works well Possibly simplistic (as designed!) Possibly simplistic (as designed!) Useful as the foundation Useful as the foundation Look at refinements Look at refinements Use existing building blocks (standards) Use existing building blocks (standards) Flexibility: separation of architectural layers in a move towards service-oriented architecture (as promoted by the e-framework) Flexibility: separation of architectural layers in a move towards service-oriented architecture (as promoted by the e-framework) Repository and services Repository and services Communication and planning Communication and planning