february, 2006 open repositories, sydney, australia transition to a broader participation:...

February, 200February, 20066

Open Repositories, Sydney, AustraliaOpen Repositories, Sydney, Australia

Transition to a Broader Transition to a Broader Participation: Experience from Participation: Experience from

the DSpace Projectthe DSpace Project

MacKenzie SmithMacKenzie Smith

MIT LibrariesMIT Libraries



DSpace is two things…DSpace is two things…

Service modelService model for Open Access and long- for Open Access and long-term archiving of digital scholarshipterm archiving of digital scholarship

Open source softwareOpen source software technology platformtechnology platform

Used in various settings to implement different Used in various settings to implement different service modelsservice models



Where Are We?Where Are We?

Jul 20052nd user group meeting

140 attendees, 22 countries

Nov 2002 - Mar 2004HP/MIT development;

community support

Nov 2002DSpace 1.0 Released

Mar 2004First user group meeting

120 attendees, 7 countries

Apr 2004Committer group formed

Mar 2005DSpace workshopBangalore, India

Mar 2006Governance advisory

board meeting

Open Source communityresearch/development

Mar 2004 -

Feb 06DSpace UG

meeting, Sydney

Nov 2000 - Nov 2002HP-MIT development of DSpace 1.0



Where Are We?Where Are We?

Phase one (2003)Phase one (2003)• Lots of places experiment, “pilot” IRLots of places experiment, “pilot” IR• HP and MIT support and enhance softwareHP and MIT support and enhance software

Phase two (2004)Phase two (2004)• With experience, other people answer questions and help outWith experience, other people answer questions and help out• But they also complain… “why can’t DSpace do x?” and “when are you But they also complain… “why can’t DSpace do x?” and “when are you

going to add y?” (vendor syndrome)going to add y?” (vendor syndrome)

Phase three (2005)Phase three (2005)• Many organizations go “live” with their IRMany organizations go “live” with their IR• Serious development outside MIT or HP, important contributionsSerious development outside MIT or HP, important contributions• Community grows, wants structure, stabilityCommunity grows, wants structure, stability



DSpace CommunityDSpace Community

Mostly higher education, related businessesMostly higher education, related businesses

Large library constituency for “IR” service modelLarge library constituency for “IR” service model

Many DSpace sites lack large IT departmentsMany DSpace sites lack large IT departments• Need more technical support than typical OSS communitiesNeed more technical support than typical OSS communities• Lack spare programmers to help with non-essential work (e.g. core Lack spare programmers to help with non-essential work (e.g. core

infrastructure)infrastructure)

Some commercial support options availableSome commercial support options available• HP Global Solutions GroupHP Global Solutions Group• Biomed Central Open RepositoryBiomed Central Open Repository• CILEA in Italy, other national service bureausCILEA in Italy, other national service bureaus• Private consultantsPrivate consultants




Atypical open source software projectAtypical open source software project Users are Users are organizationsorganizations, not individuals, not individuals

DSpace is an DSpace is an entire applicationentire application, not a tool, not a tool

DSpace is an DSpace is an end-user applicationend-user application, not , not middleware or productivity toolmiddleware or productivity tool

Features and functions decided by Features and functions decided by domain domain expertsexperts, not programmers, not programmers



Open Source Software and the Open Source Software and the Total Cost of OwnershipTotal Cost of Ownership



Total Cost of OwnershipTotal Cost of Ownership

TheThe cost model cost model for DSpace depends on for DSpace depends on the specific the specific service modelservice model

Cost Categories for typical IRCost Categories for typical IR SoftwareSoftware Product (or Service) ManagementProduct (or Service) Management User SupportUser Support Ancilliary or “added-value” servicesAncilliary or “added-value” services Collection ManagementCollection Management




Software costs for DSpaceSoftware costs for DSpace AcquisitionAcquisition

OSS free, commercial software for feeOSS free, commercial software for fee

Ongoing system administrationOngoing system administration Big expense in all cases, whether hosted locally or remotelyBig expense in all cases, whether hosted locally or remotely

Local customizations and improvementsLocal customizations and improvements Potentially big expense, but avoidablePotentially big expense, but avoidable

Ongoing software maintenance/improvementsOngoing software maintenance/improvements Applies to OSS, can apply to commercial software (e.g. paying Applies to OSS, can apply to commercial software (e.g. paying

vendor for new features)vendor for new features) Can run into “free rider” problem hereCan run into “free rider” problem here




Hardware costs Hardware costs (open source and commercial)(open source and commercial) ServersServers

• Usually not most expensive, since archives are high-Usually not most expensive, since archives are high-value, low-accessvalue, low-access

StorageStorage• Can be very expensive depending on content Can be very expensive depending on content

policiespolicies Network connectivityNetwork connectivity Backup and disaster recoveryBackup and disaster recovery




Product management Product management (open source and commercial)(open source and commercial) Defining local service modelDefining local service model

• What problem is more urgent for your institution?What problem is more urgent for your institution?• What are the library’s priorities?What are the library’s priorities?

Defining local policies and proceduresDefining local policies and procedures• Just faculty research, or other types of material too?Just faculty research, or other types of material too?

Developing business planDeveloping business plan• What support can be provided for free and what needs to be What support can be provided for free and what needs to be

cost-recovered?cost-recovered? Performing outreach and marketingPerforming outreach and marketing

• What will faculty and administrators find compelling?What will faculty and administrators find compelling?




User support User support (open source and commercial)(open source and commercial) Establishing communitiesEstablishing communities

• Setting up new usersSetting up new users• Capturing legacy content and metadataCapturing legacy content and metadata

User training and documentationUser training and documentation• For metadata provision, format support, etc.For metadata provision, format support, etc.

Ongoing end-user supportOngoing end-user support• Who do people call when things go wrong?Who do people call when things go wrong?




““Added-value” services Added-value” services (open source and commercial)(open source and commercial)

ScanningScanning CatalogingCataloging UploadingUploading Copyright checkingCopyright checking

Not required, but many service models Not required, but many service models choose to offerchoose to offer




Collection Management Collection Management (open source and commercial)(open source and commercial)

Least well-understood, but includesLeast well-understood, but includes• Setting, maintaining policies (>50 categories!)Setting, maintaining policies (>50 categories!)• Description practicesDescription practices• Digital preservationDigital preservation• ReportingReporting• Legal responsibilitiesLegal responsibilities




Open source software free to acquire, Open source software free to acquire, not to usenot to use

Commercial software costs to acquire, Commercial software costs to acquire, and to useand to use

Open source softwareOpen source software can outsource work (e.g. hire consultant, HP, BMC Open can outsource work (e.g. hire consultant, HP, BMC Open

Repository, etc.)Repository, etc.) or do yourself with local IT staffor do yourself with local IT staff



Bringing it back together…Bringing it back together…

DSpace and other open source software allow DSpace and other open source software allow unlimited customization, enhancementunlimited customization, enhancement

Cost to maintain core system (infrastructure) is Cost to maintain core system (infrastructure) is shared by the communityshared by the community

• Currently borne by small number of institutions Currently borne by small number of institutions • Sustainability requires commitment to support the coreSustainability requires commitment to support the core

New challenge for higher education, libraries, New challenge for higher education, libraries, archives, and research organizationsarchives, and research organizations




Need to more clearly distinguishNeed to more clearly distinguish GoalsGoals

• Open Access agenda, digital preservationOpen Access agenda, digital preservation Service modelsService models

• IRs, LORs, DLs, etc.IRs, LORs, DLs, etc. ApplicationsApplications

• DSpace, Eprints, FEZDSpace, Eprints, FEZ InfrastructureInfrastructure

• Fedora, Cocoon, SRBFedora, Cocoon, SRB




Successful evolutionSuccessful evolution

Continuing good willContinuing good will Lots of ideas for improved service modelsLots of ideas for improved service models Solid community tech supportSolid community tech support Increasing contributions of new featuresIncreasing contributions of new features

But…But…




Need well-defined community Need well-defined community management, governance processesmanagement, governance processes

Need more commitment from repository Need more commitment from repository managers to maintaining, improving managers to maintaining, improving core core system system over timeover time



Will This Work?Will This Work?

““When several villages are united in a single When several villages are united in a single complete community, large enough to be complete community, large enough to be nearly or quite self-sufficing, the state nearly or quite self-sufficing, the state comes into existence, originating in the comes into existence, originating in the bare needs of life, and continuing in bare needs of life, and continuing in existence for the sake of a good life.existence for the sake of a good life.””

AristotleAristotle

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