Open archives and access initiatives in Scotland

Repositories

A metadata repository is a collection of catalogue records (metadata) which can be copied (harvested) over the Internet using the OAI Protocol for Metadata Harvesting (OAI-PMH). This only governs access by other computers, so it is possible for a particular repository to be inaccessible for direct human searching. Instead, its records will become accessible when they are copied into a harvested repository which has a search interface.

HaIRST provides such a harvesting repository for the Glasgow Colleges Group, John Wheatley College, and Napier University. They in turn each use a static repository which allows harvesting, but has no search interface of its own.

HaIRST also harvests from St Andrews University and Strathclyde University which have local search interfaces to their own repositories. Inclusion in HaIRST allows the records of all five members to be searched together using a single interface.

HaIRST is also harvesting metadata from the Victorian Times service hosted by the Centre for Digital Library Research at Strathclyde University, as well as the Glasgow ePrints Service and Edinburgh Research Archive (see below).

There are several Scottish academic institutions offering pilot or operational repositories.

Repositories in Scotland

Name	Institution
Edinburgh Astronomy Preprints	Royal Observatory
Edinburgh Research Archive	Edinburgh University
Glasgow DSpace Service	Glasgow University
Glasgow ePrints Service	Glasgow University
HaIRST	Chartered Institution of Library and Information Professionals in Scotland; Glasgow Colleges Group; John Wheatley College; Napier University; St Andrews University; Strathclyde University
RGU ETD	The Robert Gordon University
St Andrews Eprints	St Andrews University
Strathprints	Strathclyde University
University of Stirling Digital Research Repository	Stirling University

Repository can also refer to a collection of institutional resources themselves, held in digital form in a central electronic location.

A searchable metadata repository provides access to these resources as well as those scattered amongst many electronic addresses.

The Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) has published briefing papers on digital repositories, prepared by Helen Hayes:

This service cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information it presents.
Contact Gordon Dunsire with comments, queries, and suggestions.