Hardware and Software for Open Access Repositories

Hardware and Software

The hardware for a standard repository is a basic UNIX / Linux server.

There are a number of different software systems being produced to create repositories. These all follow similar lines, allowing material to be put into the repoistory ("ingested"); metadata to be associated with each item; and the metadata exposed to third party collection ("harvesting") using OAI-PMH. Most of these systems are Open Source, and downloadable for free.

The principal software systems are GNU eprints.org; DSpace; FEDORA, BePress and OPUS. There are many others. A guide to repository software is available from the BOAI. The repository directory OpenDOAR allows repositories to be listed by the software that is being used. The appearance and functionality of different repository systems can be compared by using this system.

GNU EPrints

EPrints.org software is "dedicated to the freeing of the refereed research literature online through author/institution self-archiving." It was produced at the University of Southampton and is maintained there.

There are a number of sources of information on EPrints.org software - most available through its home page. Of particular interest is the documentation for the software and the technical mailing list with its archive.

To start using EPrints.org software, the site provides a handbook, with sections including a guide to starting self-archiving, managing an EPrints service, and installing an EPrints server for system administrators. The EPrints.org team have also set up a useful demonstration page, for interested parties to be able to see the process of depositing an eprint and a demonstration of some of the features of the EPrints.og system.

DSpace

DSpace is the result of a collaboration between MIT Libraries and Hewlett-Packard and offers similar functionality to GNU EPrints software for eprints, but additionally is designed to accept other material, such as video, multimedia artefacts, etc

The main DSpace site supports a FAQ, and has information on technical issues, including guidance on installing the system.

DRIVER Review of Technical Standards

DRIVER has carried out a study titled: DRIVER Review of technical standards - This study was conducted by the DRIVER partners at CNRS, France. The first part of the study looks at types of content that have to be related to institutional repositories in the eResearch content layer. The second part shows the current mechanisms implemented in institutional repositories. The third part analyses the experience of lead users of the OAI-PMH protocol. The fourth part describes initiatives that include the institutional repositories content into a larger framework. The study is intended for institutional managers, service creators and repository software developers and aims to raise discussions and motivate initiatives for the integration and development of new standards.

Last updated: 04-Feb-2010