Developers are warmly invited to create import and export plugins for the EPrints repository platform.
EPrints is a mature repository platform that has a particular emphasis on interoperability. EPrints repositories operate in complex information environments consisting of mobile devices, user desktop applications, library environments, institutional databases and Internet services. EPrints is looking to increase its range of interoperability capabilities with more community-developed plugins.
EPrints Services is offering prizes for the best plugins submitted to the EPrints open source package repository by January 31st 2008. EPrints Services is the repository hosting company that funds EPrints development.
First Prize: Apple iPhone plus contract
Second Prize: iPod Touch
Third Prize: iPod Nano ...
EPrints has a growing list of plugins that can handle requirements as diverse as importing publications from PubMed or creating mashups using Google Maps. EPrints supports institutional repositories, but it is also suitable for individual student projects and research environments, as its import and export features allow existing digital collections to be used and reused in innovative ways.
The open access movement:
Putting peer-reviewed scientific and scholarly literature
on the internet. Making it available free of charge and
free of most copyright and licensing restrictions.
Removing the barriers to serious research.
I recommend the OA tracking project (OATP) as the best way to stay on top of new OA developments. You can read the OATP feed on a blog-like web page or subscribe to it by RSS, email, or Twitter. You can also help build the feed by tagging new developments you encounter.