[Dspace-general] ETDs and Communities in DSpace

[Scott P. Muir]

We are in the early stages of creating a repository of Theses and 
Dissertations.  I am trying to develop an analysis of our options for 
organizing materials, especially with an end-user approach.

My reference librarians advise that most students come in and ask to 
see all the (print) thesis written by students in a particular 
discipline, e.g. Biology, History, etc.  If we chose a "communities" 
structure model that is based on our Colleges and Departments 
structure that would readily address that issue. However, it could 
also create a situation where in the initial stages of this work, one 
might find only one thesis in the History repository, which might not 
look so good.  On the other hand, if we collected all the thesis into 
a single "thesis" community, then it becomes harder for the History 
or Biology department to claim those publications as part of their community.

As we weigh the pros and cons of the possible approaches, and there 
are likely others, I thought perhaps many of you had already 
addressed these questions.  Would anyone out there be willing to 
share their thoughts, the options you considered and why you chose 
one particular model over another?  I do realize that this is a 
question for which there is not a right or wrong answer, but I would 
be interested in what your processes were.

My thinking has even led me to ask who is the end user?  Is it a 
community or is it what we librarians consider our typical library 
patron, Designing for these two different communities could have 
different outcomes too.

Anyway thank you for any assistance you can offer.

Scott P Muir
Associate University Librarian
Bruce T. Halle Library, Room 200F
Eastern Michigan University
955 West Circle Drive
Ypsilanti, MI  48197-2207

734.487.0020 x2222 (voice)
734.484.1151 (fax)
http://www.emich.edu/halle/

mailto:scott.muir at emich.edu