DSpace for E-Theses at the University of Edinburgh and Robert Gordon University

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DSpace for E-Theses at the University of
Edinburgh and Robert Gordon University

• Theses Alive! http//www.thesesalive.ac.
  uk/
• Electronic Theses http//www2.rgu.ac.uk/library
  /e-theses.htm

http//www.dspace.org/
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The RGU Led Electronic Theses Project
University of London Library
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A FAIR Project

• Phase 1 Electronic Theses
• (July 2002 - July 2004)
• Aim To evaluate a wide range of existing
  practices of e-theses production, management and
  use against a set of criteria in order to produce
  models for use within the UK information
  environment.
• Phase 2 Developing E-Theses in a Service
  Environment
• (October 2003 - September 2004)
• Aim To develop e-theses in a service environment
  taking account of the needs of an independent
  repository and a broader Virtual Research
  Environment (VRE).

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UK ETD Metadata

• Why produce a recommended set?
• Streamline workflows
• Standard format to encourage national uptake
• The selection process
• 3 UK eFAIR cluster teams met at RGU
• Identified suitable fields/qualifiers
• How it fits in with DSpace
• Easily configured for ETD usage in standard
  DSpace install
• Standard in EUL tapir DSpace Add-on

http//www2.rgu.ac.uk/library/guidelines/metadata.
html
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ETD Software _at_ RGU

• Initial research of software options identified
  E-Prints and DSpace as preferred software
• Both E-Prints and DSpace installed on Solaris 9
  platform
• Archive comparison
• Identical content archived on both systems
• Varied media and file formats used to identify
  and potential differences in capability

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DSpace for ETDs

• Installation and testing of tapir (EUL DSpace
  Add-on)
• Further customisation of DSpace Web-UI to allow
  for deeper integration with existing
  institutional and departmental WebPages
• Live archive planned for student use in October
  2004
• Detailed student guidelines for the creation of
  ETDs covering all institutional departments to
  encourage use of multimedia
• Workshops and promotion of the benefits and
  capabilities of ETDs
• COPELAND, S. PENMAN, A. The development and
  promotion
• of Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs)
  within the UK.

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DSpace VRE USE and Evaluation

• Customisation
• Communities and Collections configured for VRE
  use
• Additional functionality added (via DSpace JSPs)
• Evaluation
• 6 week trial period with 10-15 researchers
• Focus group sessions to discuss and identify
  issues
• Back to the drawing board
• Additional ideas incorporated for 2nd stage of
  testing
• Authentication link with existing Novell
  system?
• Sustainability issues considered

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RGU ETD website and further information

• Papers, Articles Event info.
• Suggested Regulations
• Suggested UK Guidelines
• Student Staff F.A.Q
• UK Metadata Core Set

http//www2.rgu.ac.uk/library/e-theses.htm
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Introducing Theses Alive!

• Adapt and develop an open source package for use
  across the UK
• Produce an OAI-compliant E-Thesis repository
• Develop a pilot national service with the aim of
  supporting E-Theses creation and management for
  UK universities
• Produce an institutional guide to adopting and
  managing E-Theses.
• Collect 500 E-Theses in the UK segment of the
  NDLTD

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Why DSpace at EUL?

• Jones, R. (2004), DSpace vs. ETD-db Choosing
  software to manage electronic theses and
  dissertations, Ariadne, Issue 38.
• http//www.ariadne.ac.uk/issue38/jones/

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Tapir

• Theses
• Alive
• Plug-in for
• Institutional
• Repositories

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Tapir Add-On (1)

• Supervised Workspace
• Communication between supervisor(s)/advisor(s)
  and student
• Hands-On supervision (edit metadata and add
  files)
• Hands-Off supervision (observe and comment but
  not modify)
• Supervision Administrative Tools
• Add/Remove Supervision Orders
• Modify supervision group policies
• Restriction System
• Request and apply a number of different sorts of
  restriction types, including domain restrictions
  and time-dependencies

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Tapir Add-On (2)

• Thesis Metadata Capture
• Using recommended UK E-Theses metadata set
• Submission system to sit alongside other
  submission systems
• Flexible Licencing system to allow multi-part
  licences
• Metadata Export (on demand)
• Custom metadata records for services who are not
  harvesting via OAI (e.g. British Thesis Service)
• Library catalogue records (MARC21)
• Interface Upgrades
• Ensure that it is clear what document types the
  client is viewing
• Make the relevant metadata elements appear in
  view item mode

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Workflow in DSpace
The Thesis Submission Workflow
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Common Issues

• Apache and Tomcat configuration
• Deploy Tomcat as Standalone
• Documentation (lack thereof)
• Situation improving
• Handle Server
• Local Development
• Modular approach planned for 2.0

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Thank You for Listening
Andrew Penman Research Assistant Robert Gordon
University Aberdeen Scotland a.penman_at_rgu.ac.uk
Richard Jones Systems Developer Edinburgh
University Library Edinburgh Scotland r.d.jones_at_ed
.ac.uk