The South African Higher Education Institution (HEI) sector had to move to 'emergency' online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, and they embraced a humanistic approach underpinned by the need to complete the academic year in 2020 and support all students. Because this emergency online learning accelerated the digital shift, evidence of…

This article first defines what constitutes a "Special Collection" and what constitutes a "digital archival collection". Some background on the evolution of surrogate primary sources, from microfilm, through online databases to Open Access resources is presented. The article then explores the literature relating to the…

The article explores the recent experiences encountered by the Bindura University of Science Education (BUSE) Library, Zimbabwe in the daily operations of its institutional repository (IR) with emphasis on security and ethical issues. It examines the present scenario in the management of the IR. BUSE Library set up an IR to archive and enable…

Promoting an institutional repository (IR) to both faculty and end-users can be challenging. We surveyed academic libraries with an IR in Texas, and asked both library administrators and IR managers about their efforts to promote and grow their IR in both size and downloads. In addition, we studied the websites of Association of Research Libraries…

This article examines whether implementing visualizations on an institutional repository webpage increases traffic on the site. Two methods for creating visualizations to attract faculty and student interest were employed. The first is a map displaying usage of institutional repository content from around the world. This map uses Tableau software…

Research libraries have been engaged in discussions of the functionalist approach versus the liaison model. While some have adopted a hybrid model that overlays functionalists with liaisons, few have abandoned the liaison structure. This article demonstrates a successful nonliaison approach that prioritizes teaching and focuses on building…

This article describes the ongoing efforts at University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) Libraries to evolve the role of the institutional repository (IR) and to effectively position it within the context of the Libraries' collections, research support, and scholarly communication services. A major component of this process is re-examining the…

This article discusses how RADAR, the institutional repository (IR) at the Glasgow School of Art (GSA), has been modified to house an Annual Research Planning (ARP) template. A case study on the implementation of this research planning tool will outline the role that a repository and its staff can play in supporting individuals, enhancing…

In 2013, the Center for Digital Scholarship at Miami University was established and coincided with the redesign of the Children's Picture Book Database, which had a successful web presence for nearly 20 years. We developed the Digital Literacy Partnership (DLP) website project in order to upgrade the project to Omeka as a new digital management…

This practical article presents findings of a small scale study undertaken at a large U.K. University. The purpose of the study was to encourage academic engagement with Open Access (OA) and the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) mandate with the measurable impact being increased engagement with the Repository and dissemination…

Open access institutional repositories can be ill-equipped to manage the complexity of research outputs from departments of fine arts, media, drama, music, cultural heritage, and the creative arts in general. The U.K.-based Kultur project was funded to create a flexible multimedia repository model using EPrints software. The project launched the…

New research needs, global developments and local shifts in emphasis are demanding a broader range of interactions by librarians with researchers and are challenging previous staffing structures. Research has a higher institutional profile and academic libraries have responded by creating new roles and staffing models, with stronger linkage across…

Librarians at universities continue to seek new ways to engage and partner with researchers in order to enhance and enrich the way that they work. This article looks at some of the ways that libraries have been doing this in recent years, what has worked, and what needs to be done to continue to develop these important partnerships. These…

Using a mixed methods research approach this study explores faculty perceptions of LORLS at DBS. Data generated by the study will inform advocacy, marketing and training initiatives to promote the platform. The study concludes with a number of deductive and inductive findings. The first is that although DBS faculty are highly predisposed to using…

Effective communication is one of the most important resources for successful outreach efforts. This article addresses the benefits that can emerge from successful communication as well as the negative effects that may stem from ineffective communication. A case study of Florida Gulf Coast University Archives, Special Collections, & Digital…