Management of institutional repositories (IR) in higher education perspective
| Date | 11 November 2019 |
| Pages | 543-557 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/LM-12-2018-0094 |
| Published date | 11 November 2019 |
| Author | Scholastica Chizoma Ukwoma,Ngozi E. Osadebe,Chibuzor Livina Dim |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science |
Management of institutional
repositories (IR) in higher
education perspective
Scholastica Chizoma Ukwoma
Nnamdi Azikiwe Library, University of Nigeria, Enugu, Nigeria and
SIRGS, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa
Ngozi E. Osadebe
University of Nigeria, Enugu, Nigeria, and
Chibuzor Livina Dim
Nnamdi Azikiwe Library, University of Nigeria,
Enugu, Nigeria
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to ascertain the management of institutional repository (IR) in
Nigerian universities.
Design/methodology/approach –The study took the form of a descriptive survey, gathering data from
academics and repository mangers from 15 universities that have their IR captured on OpenDOAR.
Findings –The results showed that most academics submit their work for archiving in IR, and the types of
materials submitted are mostly journal articles and conference proceedings. Contents are archived, using
self-archiving and mediated submission. Some universities do not provide support and motivation towards
the research works of their staff.
Practical implications –The implication of the study lies in the adoption and implementation of the
framework presented in this work to ensure the growth and sustainability of IR.
Originality/value –The study is based on the findings presented a framework to guide repository
managers to ensure effective management of IR.
Keywords Nigeria, Management, Academics, Archiving, Research publications, Institutional repository
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
Institutional repository (IR) is used for preserving and creating visibility for research
publications emanating from an institution. Michelle (2014) o pined that research
dissemination is the mission of institutions. IR is a system through which institutions
can achieve this as encapsulated by the statement of Ferreras Fernández et al. (2013), which
stated that institutional repositories are for storing, disseminating and preserving the digital
documents of institutions. Much has been written on the importance of IR to institutions
(Moahi, 2009; Anunobi and Okoye, 2008; Ukwoma and Dike, 2017). Universities in Europe
and America started using IR around the year 2000 (Holderied, 2009). Many academic
institutions in Nigeria have adopted it as a platform for preserving their research output and
enduring heritage starting with UNIJOS in 2009 (Akintunde, 2009). However, the excitement
with which Nigerian institutions of higher learning embraced it is dulled by the attitude of
researchers and authors to submitting content.
Content management has been a major challenge facing IR development; this could be
easily seen from most IRs that are online. It is still a contentious issue at institutions of
higher learning in Nigeria, even in the developed countries, to persuading academics and
graduate students to deposit their research output in an IR. Shampo (λ) posits that faculty
members and research scholars are reluctant to publish their research in IR. Similarly,
Molteno (2016) observed that African researchers are largely invisible outside because only
Library Management
Vol. 40 No. 8/9, 2019
pp. 543-557
© Emerald PublishingLimited
0143-5124
DOI 10.1108/LM-12-2018-0094
Received 18 January 2019
Revised 29 March 2019
Accepted 16 April 2019
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/0143-5124.htm
543
IR in higher
education
perspective
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