Chapter 9 summary

In this chapter the results of the DRIVER inventory study are summarised (9.1) and discussed in detail (9.2). Furthermore, these findings are discussed in light of a European agenda for digital repositories (9.3). This last part of this chapter is summarised below.

Towards an agenda for establishing an infrastructure for digital repositories in the European Union

What is the current state of digital repositories for research output in the European Union? From this inventory study it is clear that digital research repositories are already well established throughout many countries in the European Union. In 2006 approximately 230 institutes had implemented one or more digital repositories for research output. In addition, from the contacts with respondents in various EU countries it appears there is a growing and active interest in implementing digital repositories at other institutes. Recent surveys in the US show similar results. Clearly, digital repositories for research output are on their way to become a permanent part of the scholarly communication and documentation infrastructure.

Next steps in stimulating an integrative infrastructure for repositories

What are the next steps to stimulate a connecting and integrative infrastructure for digital repositories at a European level? The further deployment and development of the digital repositories will follow a two-tier approach:

• – Deployment of digital repositories at research institutions that do not have one yet.

• – Increasing the coverage of the existing digital repositories of published and unpublished textual research output, with a possible future expansion of the coverage of digital repositories to other, nontextual types of research output (e.g. images, video, and research data sets).

Seven items for the European repository agenda

With regard to such a two-tier approach, an agenda for activities at the European level can be formulated. Based on the results of this inventory study, such an agenda should include the following seven items:

• 1. Increased visibility by increasing retrievability

• 2. Best practices for the depositing processes

• 3. A nuanced approach to effective mandatory depositing policies

• 4. Flexibility in forms of access

• 5. Awareness and interest among academics and decision makers at research institutes

• 6. Development of services, such as citation index services or preservation services.

• 7. Development of further technical standards and a possible close collaboration between the various software solutions’