Corrie Marsh, our Scholarly Communications & Collection Developent Librarian respresented ODU Libraries last month at the Charleston: Issues in Book and Serial Acquistion conference. She presented with Dillon Wackerman, Head of Center for Digital Scholarship and Digital Archivist at Stephen F. Austin State University (SFA) on the topic of Elements of the Successful Institutional Repository. This is a very timely topic for libraries, and ODU Libraries implemented the ODU Digital Commons last summer.
The presentation focused on promotion and development of Institutional Repositories (IRs). At her former institution, Corrie created and sustained an effective IR program. The SFA Center for Digital Scholarship, only 13 months old, has developed an IR with diverse content incorporating traditional and non-traditional resources combined with multi-media and 3D objects. Achieving this diversity came about through extensive promotion and faculty interaction. This program advancement included customized services, forums, and constant presentation at all levels of the university community. These IR activities have included a focus on student digital humanities classes and projects, as well as faculty e-Research collaborations. The wide variety of content includes open access journals, electronic books, events and conferences, research projects, and art galleries. The entire campus is involved in the IR and attuned to the latest projects. Corrie and her co-presenter shared their strategies for launching the new IR and shared the components for ongoing efforts with an IR that is a popular and integral element of university scholarship.