Andrew Wesolek. - Making Institutional Repositories Work

Making Institutional Repositories Work sums it up very well. This book, the first of its kind, explains how IRs work and how to get the greatest results from them. As many of us know, numerous IRs launched with high hopes have in fact languished with lackluster results. Faculty have little interest, and administrators see little promise. But the many chapter authors of this very well edited book have made their IRs successful, and here they share their techniques and successes. This is a necessary book for anyone contemplating starting an IR or looking to resurrect a moribund one.

Richard W. Clement
Dean, College of University Libraries & Learning Sciences
University of New Mexico

This volume presents an interesting cross-section of approaches to institutional repositories in the United States. Just about every view and its opposite makes an appearance. Readers will be able to draw their own conclusions, depending on what they see as the primary purpose of IRs.

Stevan Harnad
Professor, University of Qubec at Montral
& University of Southampton

Approaching this volume as one of those of us who have been furiously working to cultivate thriving repositories, I am very excited about what this text represents. It is a broad compilation featuring the best and brightest writing on all the topics Ive struggled to understand around repositories, and it also marks a point when repository management and development is looking more and more like a core piece of research library work. Callicott, Scherer, and Wesolek have pulled together all the things I wished Id been able to read in my first year as a scholarly communication librarian. As I tweeted while reading a review copy: To my #scholcomm colleaguesthe forthcoming Making Institutional Repositories Work will be essential.

Micah Vandegrift
Digital Scholarship Coordinator
Florida State University Libraries

Whether your IR is new, you are new to an IR, or you want to learn how other institutions are successful in specific areas, Making Institutional Repositories Work offers valuable and practical guidance. Each topic is addressed from multiple angles, as 39 authors share a range of varied experiences with selecting platforms, adopting policies, recruiting content, understanding metrics, and more. All readers are likely to see their own academic library within these pages. Making Institutional Repositories Work is a book I wish had been available when I launched an IR a few years ago.

Janelle Wertzberger
Assistant Dean and Director of Scholarly Communications
Gettysburg College

Making Institutional Repositories Work should be required reading for any librarian involved in the establishment of an institutional repository. Covering fundamental topics such as platform selection and policy creation, this book can help new repositories start with a clear plan for success. It will also be a welcome addition to the shelves of seasoned IR managers, as its thoughtful thematic sections and case studies provide real-world approaches to assess, sustain, and improve repositories on any campus.

Andrea Wright
Science & Outreach Librarian, University Copyright Officer
Furman University

Institutional repositories manage and provide access to the results and products of research. And, when networked, repositories collectively represent a key component of the evolving global open science infrastructure. As the momentum for open access grows and universities take on greater responsibility for managing their research outputs, the role of repositories is, equally, gaining in importance. This book provides a valuable overview of the current trends in institutional repository services and offers helpful guidance in terms of addressing challenges and adopting best practices from key North American experts in the field.

Kathleen Shearer
Executive Director, Confederation of Open Access Repositories

Charleston Insights in Library, Archival, and Information Sciences Editorial Board

Shin Freedman

Tom Gilson

Matthew Ismail

Jack Montgomery

Ann Okerson

Joyce M. Ray

Katina Strauch

Carol Tenopir

Anthony Watkinson