Evaluation of metadata workflows for the Glasgow ePrints and DSpace services

Robertson, R.J. (2006) Evaluation of metadata workflows for the Glasgow ePrints and DSpace services. University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK.

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Abstract

The institutional repositories at the University of Glasgow which began as part of the DAEDALUS project have developed into an integral part of Glasgow University Library's services. Using both EPrints.org and DSpace, they provide access to, and permit management of, the University's academic digital assets. This evaluation analyses and comments on the metadata workflows of these services, their support for metadata quality, and how changes in purpose, which have accompanied their transition from project to service, have influenced the repositories. This evaluation will be of benefit not only to DAEDALUS but also to other institutional repositories facing the transition from project development to operational service. The metadata workflows supporting the management and retrieval of ePrints offer a number of paths for metadata creation - each of which has seen shifts in their relative importance as the purpose of the repository has evolved and become clear. The management and retrieval of other academic content in the DSpace service is entirely mediated by repository staff and follows a basic workflow. The quality of metadata in both services has been maintained through staff training and the ongoing involvement of professional cataloguers. The strengths of both repository services lie in their clarity of purpose, utilisation of appropriate software to support those purposes and their successful integration into Glasgow's institutional context. Although they also present a significant opportunity, the new challenges faced by the repository services arise from the emerging involvement of non-specialists in the creation of records and their potential involvement in the administration of sections of the DSpace repository. To address these challenges, the repository services will have to maintain their clarity of purpose, monitor metadata quality, capitalise on opportunities for efficiency, and continue to significantly engage in advocacy and user training.

CORE (COnnecting REpositories)