Institutional Repositories and the Institution's Repository: What Is the Role of University Archives with an Institution's On-line Digital Repository?

Abstract

Many college and university libraries have recently begun implementing or experimenting with "institutional repositories" and other on-line digital repositories that allow for the centralized management and sharing of locally produced electronic publications and records. This article reviews some of the literature advocating that libraries implement on-line digital repositories, and notes that the role of the campus archives is generally overlooked. The article then examines how institutional repositories could benefit college and university archives and argues that archivists need to be involved in their planning and design.