Gaz J JohnsonChair, UK Council of Research Repositories@llordllama@ukcorr

Open Repositories 2012, Edinburgh9th July 2012www.ukcorr.org

The Stars Like DustEstablishing and Maintaining an Effective Independent UK Repository Workers Organisation

Pebble in the Sky

“UKCoRR has a vision of the work of repository management as a professionally recognised and supported role within UK research institutions.”

Independent body for UK repository workers Three key drivers

1. Promotes repository management as a recognised and respected profession

2. Provides a forum for discussion and exchange of experience

3. Collectively represents the views and concerns the membership

Foundation

2006 SHERPA Plus programme of events and activity

2007 May: Launch meeting and Website established June: UKCoRR Discussion list launched Nov: Managing committee established

2009 April: First elected committee meeting and Governing

Charter May: Blog rolled out

Foundation’s Edge

2011 UKCoRR wins UKeIG Jason Farradane Award

2012 Jan: Members’ meeting and governance review begins March: Memorandum of understanding with DRF, Japan April: Website upgraded and relaunched May: Charter revised Nov: Members’ meeting at Teesside

2013 January: New Committee structure and governance in place

The Caves of Steel

Membership of UKCoRR Individual not institutional Limited to people currently working as UK repository

administrators, practitioners, and managers Open to professional and para-professional staff Free of charge

New applicants are lightly vetted Exceptions to the norm discussed by Committee Periodic membership reviews to check continued eligability

Safe harbour and Chatham House Rules on list Remains key membership USP Some membership reports and blog open access

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25

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75

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125

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275

May

-07

Jul-0

7

Sep-

07

Nov

-07

Jan-

08

Mar

-08

May

-08

Jul-0

8

Sep-

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-08

Jan-

09

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-09

May

-09

Jul-0

9

Sep-

09

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-09

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-10

May

-10

Jul-1

0

Sep-

10

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-10

Jan-

11

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-11

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-11

Jul-1

1

Sep-

11

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-11

Jan-

12

Mar

-12

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-12

Jul-1

2

Mem

bers

UKCoRR Membership Levels 265

Representing 121 organisations

Foundation and Empire

Lightweight operational ethos “More a set of guidelines…” Governance encourages flexibility and adaptability Ethical, transparent, consultative and accountable

5 Committee Officer posts Light nomination and election process Chair, Secretary, Web & Publicity, Technical and External Liaison Yearly terms of office (can stand indefinitely unless challenged) Committee rarely meet face to face

Governance review in progress Slight expansion of Committee planned for 2013- Office terms to become 2 years

All the Troubles of the World

No fee means no funding Independence from funding assures no conflicts of

interest No membership paywall – “£1 too much!” But induces constraints on activity

Lack of membership fee a USP for UKCoRR But are there opportunities for a funded UKCoRR? Membership in paying organisations not an option

Ethics of accepting funding a hot Committee topic With (great) funding comes great responsibility

(obligation?)

Satisfaction Guaranteed

Facilitating exchange of best repository practice Lobbying scholarly publishing sector stakeholders Advocacy & representation of repository worker

community's interests Publication of briefing papers or position

statements Conducting research into activities across sector Seeking funding for activities and development Membership recruitment

Popularity

Source: UKCoRR Membership Survey 2011

Forward the Foundation

Facilitate exchange of best practice, concerns and solutions Discussion list and annual members meeting Engage membership regularly for insight on their concerns Annual membership survey seeks zeitgeist

Communication within and without Enable membership representation on committees and

projects Facilitate stakeholder communication

Raise visibility and impact of UKCoRR Raising awareness and challenging assumptions Positional statements and responses to developments or news To be more impactful, must increase our brand recognition

The Last Question

The Finch Report and reactions to it Terminology and parlance for end users Repositories and CRIS interactions Repository search engines and optimization Scholarly exchange and open access

journals The Academic Spring

Gaz J JohnsonChair, UK Council of Research Repositories@llordllama@ukcorr

Open Repositories 2012, Edinburgh9th July 2012www.ukcorr.org

The Stars Like DustEstablishing and Maintaining an Effective Independent UK Repository Workers Organisation