Electronic Theses at Rhodes University presented by Irene Vermaak Rhodes University Library National ETD Project CHELSA Stakeholder Workshop 5 November 2007

Content About the Electronic Theses Project ReRR (Rhodes eResearch Repository) Strategies for content filling & promoting Providing access to data & sharing data Usage statistics Challenges and problems Future developments

About the RU Electronic Theses Project Voluntary submissions since : access via OPAC & web pages : access via ReRR & OPAC Higher Degrees Guide & Calendar entries Electronic Access Approval Form author & supervisor permissions for open access OR embargo option of 1-5 years Staff involved (periodically)

Higher Degrees Guide & Rhodes Calendar entries “Candidates are also encouraged to submit an electronic version of the corrected thesis for deposit in the open access Rhodes eResearch Repository (ReRR). Candidates and supervisors who would like an embargo period of between 1 and 5 years before deposit in the ReRR should specify this in a statement supplied with the electronic version. …..” - Rhodes University Calendar 2007, p. 37, para 56.4

RU Theses Submissions : Print vs Electronic

The ReRR (Rhodes eResearch Repository) research output from the Rhodes University community include full-text theses, journal articles and papers from conferences, workshops and other events open access running on Eprints software; O/S: FreeBSD; server & software maintained at IT Division

Strategies for content filling & promoting the repository Launch – February 2006 ReRR Task Team Role of Information Services Librarians Promotion – ownership, visibility Owned by the University, not limited to the Library Library Director on Joint Research Committee Dean of Research

ReRR Task Team Quarterly meetings (Director, Heads of Technical & Public Services, 2 Info Services Librarians, Repository Administrator, ICT Expert, E-Resources Librarian) Policies and Guidelines Content guidelines Submission guidelines for authors Workflow, quality control Strategies (content filling & promoting the Repository)

Role of Information Services Librarians E-theses permissions from authors and supervisors follow up incomplete forms retrospective permissions (pre-2005) Mediated submissions Promoting & increasing visibility Visits to departments Newsletters, leaflets Presenters at workshops and conferences Copyright & publishers’ permissions

Providing access to data & sharing data Links to the e-theses from OPAC WorldCat/FirstSearch Add links in the WorldCat records Register as a data provider to allow harvesting of data OAI-PMH compliant

Access via WorldCat/FirstSearch: (add ReRR link in WorldCat record)

Registered data provider OAI-PMH compliance (Open Archives Initiative Protocol for Metadata Harvesting) Configuring the OAI interface Site description Metadata policy (use of metadata harvested via the OAI interface) Data policy (data held in the repository) Submission policy (submission of content) Test OAI2.0 Interface

Registeries of repositories ROAR (Registry of Open Access Repositories) entries 10 South African entries graph indicates successful harvesting OpenDOAR (Directory of Open Access Repositories)

ROAR : Registry of Open Access Repositories

ETD data harvested from the ReRR OCLC harvests ETD metadata for the NDLTD (Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations) sub-collections can be harvested define type thesis as a subset (OAI config code) to exclude other types in repository access from Scirus/NDLTD search portal

Examples of search services that index the ReRR OAIster (University of Michigan) union catalogue of digital resources provides access to these digital resources by "harvesting" their descriptive metadata (records) using OAI-PMHOAI-PMH Google and Google Scholar Scirus/NDLTD search portal (Theses)

ReRR thesis indexed on OAIster

ReRR thesis retrieved from NDLTD/Scirus search portal

Google Scholar example

Google Scholar’s “Library” link

Usage statistics by (1) abstracts & downloads

Usage statistics by (2) country

Most viewed eprints in 2007 – first 30 all theses!

Usage statistics: individual eprints

Web-based repository site statistics

Challenges and problems (1) Ownership – ReRR still perceived as just another library tool Motivating for ReRR to become part of the University’s research strategy Open access – realised need to provide varied levels of access From voluntary to mandatory submissions User expectations for access to an e-version continued …

Challenges and problems (2) Verifying the electronic version – whose responsibility? Permissions – e-access approval forms Lack of staff no dedicated staff for ReRR no new posts integrating ReRR functions internally amongst staff, e.g. cataloguers to do metadata input motivating staff – opportunity to learn new skills

New developments Improvements in IR systems, e.g. EPrints 3 – embargo option, request a copy button, flexible workflows, import & export Standardization of IR usage statistics: IRStats software – announced 30/10/07 More SEALS institutions to start ETD projects National ETD project Portal for South African e-theses?

Thank you!