[Dspace-general] ETDs and Communities in DSpace

[courtois@ksu.edu]

At Kansas State University (http://horizon.ksu.ksu.edu:4001/dspace/), we
decided to create a single collection for all ETDs.  We plan to have
students submit their own ETDs, and we didn't want to have to maintain
a separate submit group for each department.  Some DSpace sites seem to
have found a way around this by integrating DSpace with their LDAP
directory, but it's likely to be sometime till we're able to address
that.

Similar to MIT, we plan to map ETDs to department-based collections. 
The mapping process is simple, and although it's a manual process, I
think it's something that won't be that time consumung to construct.

We're still in test phase now with about 30 ETDs online.  At present we
have just one collection, but I hope to create the mapped collections
later this summer.  We plan to require electronic submission of
dissertations in Fall 2006.

Marty

Martin Courtois
Information Technology Assistance Center
509 Hale Library
Kansas State University
Manhattan KS 66502
Phone: 785 532-4428
Fax: 785 532-3199
E-mail: courtois at ksu.edu


Quoting "Scott P. Muir" <smuir1 at emich.edu>:

> 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
>
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