Repository software developers need to engage more with those who run the repositories, that is, those who choose and use the software. For open source software this would appear to be a natural process, but can it help make the software more sustainable? And can the community that evolves to do this be sustainable too?
The EPrints Community project set out to investigate both questions. It produced a sparkling new version of EPrints software (v3), but showed why successful and sustainable community involvement remains a difficult and elusive goal. The report has lessons for repository software, community building and the management and commercialisation of related services. How these approaches evolve and interact is going to have a big impact on which repository software is successful in the longer run.
To find out more, see the final report from the EPrints Community project.
Posted by
Peter Suber at 12/08/2007 01:34:00 PM.
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.
