Introduction to DSpace

1
Erpanet Workshop Richard Rodgers DSpace
Federation Systems Manager MIT Digital Library
Research Group
2
DSpace

• Vision (1999)
• A federated repository that makes available the
  collective intellectual resources of the worlds
  leading research institutions
• Mission
• Create a scalable digital archive that preserves
  and communicates the intellectual output of MITs
  faculty and researchers
• Support adoption by and federation with other
  research institutions

3
DSpace is

• An open source technology platform
• A service model for open access and/or digital
  archiving
• An ongoing research and development program in
  digital repositories

4
Open Source Platform

• Java classes and documentation maintained at
  SourceForge (bug tracking, etc)
• Accessible cvs tree with regular release cycles
• Current committers technical project managers
  are MIT HP developers
• BSD license
• dspace-tech primary technical forum
• Open source component mandate

5
Service Model

• Predicated on business plan
• Tiered service offering core vs premium
• Residing in the library
• Content acceptance guidelines
• Format support policies
• See dspace.org for many more details

6
RD program

• Digital preservation strategies and technologies
• Educational technology support and interoperate
  with LMS DSpace as a learning object
  repository
• Federated services
• E-publishing platform

7
High-level Design Principles

• Institution-based, not content-based
• Multiple content types
• Open access mandate
• Long term custody and preservation
• Breadth-first functionality
• Toolkit disguised as an application
• Lightweight and extensible
• Standards-based

8
DSpace Functionality

• Captures
• Digital research material in any formats directly
  from creators (e.g. faculty)
• Describes
• Descriptive, technical, rights metadata
• Persistent identifiers
• Distributes
• Searches metadata
• Delivers via Web, with necessary access control
• Preserves
• Large-scale, stable, managed long-term storage

9
Possible Content

• Preprints, articles
• Technical Reports
• Working Papers
• Conference Papers
• E-theses
• Datasets
• e.g. statistical, geospatial, scientific

• Images
• visual, scientific, etc.
• Audio files
• Video files
• Learning Objects
• Digitized library collections

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Metadata

• Qualified Dublin Core
• based on Library Application Profile
• Crosswalk from MARC
• based on Library of Congress crosswalk
• Crosswalk from SCORM/IMS
• Minimal technical/preservation metadata