Repositories

From RSCWMWiki

Introduction

Learning providers are increasingly looking for systems to help them manage and share resources such as research outputs and learning objects, internally and with the outside world. This short article introduces learning object repositories and some sources of advice and information on the issues to be considered when planning and managing a repository. The article includes links to a range of national and regional repositories, as well as more information on different repository software platforms. JISC have put significant funding into research into the use of repositories, through the Repositories Programme let by UKOLN, this article includes links to resources from these programmes.

What is a repository?

A repository is a collection of digital assets (usually stored in a database), with a searchable Web interface. In Further Education, the assets tend to be learning objects (IMS packages, sound files, images, Word documents); in Higher Education, repositories are commonly used for storing research outputs, such as articles and theses. As well as holding the assets, repositories also commonly offer a collection of services to users, such as different search methods and a means to access and view the materials, as well as deposit new content. Repositories exist at national level, regional and institutional level - see the examples below.

Here is the JISC-funded Repositories Support Project definition

Repository examples and software

Jorum This is the national, free repository for UK further and higher education, funded by JISC. You can sign up as a user or contributor to deposit or download a wide range of learning objects.

FENC FENC (Further Education National Consortium) is a charity which exists to promote the sharing of resources among FE colleges. As a paid subscriber you get full access to resources developed by FENC, free membership gives you more limited access.

Mr Cute Mr Cute 2 is a JISC-funded repository module and block for use in the Moodle virtual learning environment (VLE). It allows simple tagging, uploading and searching for institutional learning objects or objects from other repositories, including Jorum.

More information about the JISC project can be found here

CoRE is a repository and content submitter developed by City College Coventry.

OpenDepot is a repository open to researchers world-wide, who don't currently have a repository at their own institution for depositing research outputs.

OpenDoar is a world-wide directory of open access repositories and associated policies, the site also allows searching of repository content.

Welsh Repository Network. A collaborative venture between the Higher Education institutions in Wales to create a network of interoperable repositories.

External links

The Repositories Support Project is a major JISC initiative to support the establishment and development of a UK repositories network. The JISC repositories programme ended in March 2009

UK Repositories Jiscmail list

Repositories bibliography