1. Putting Eprints Software into the User Community An invitation-only international roundtable workshop organised by JISC and the School of Electronics and Computer Science (ECS), Southampton University Wednesday June 23, 2004, at The School of Oriental & African Studies (SOAS), University of London

2. Eprints software is a success! Thanks to you. "The EPrints software has the largest - and most broadly distributed - installed base of any of the repository software systems" Open Society Institute Guide to Institutional Repository Software Eprints is free software for creating online digital archives, principally those that store the research output of an academic institution and make it openly accessible to users and OAI service providers on the Web. It has been developed at the University of Southampton. http://software.eprints.org/

3. What is changing and why? Number of users: A larger user community will demand more, and more varied, support than one developer institution alone can provide at a time when Eprint archives are beginning to assume greater importance in the digital infrastructure of institutions Funding: JISC funding for Eprints is being reviewed Alternatives: competing software performing similar functions

4. Purposes of the meeting and framework for the day To consider the transition towards a more community-led approach for Eprints software on: Technical development User support Business models and management

5. Some issues: technical development What are the technical requirements of future implementations? Can technical development of Eprints be managed as distributed open source software within the community? How can the danger of fragmenting the software be avoided?

6. Some issues: user support How can institutions attract users, and how can these users be properly supported? Is there a need for an expanded Eprints user forum (beyond current Eprints mailing lists), and what shape should it take?

7. Some issues: business models and management How should the transition towards more community participation be managed? What are the funding needs of a new business model, and how should these be met? Is there a market-based solution, or is some direct funding still necessary?

8. This meeting is about you! This is your chance to shape the strategy that will guide Eprints software through this important transition. Make your views known.