The End of Institutional Repositories & the Beginning of Social Academic Research Service: An Enhanced Role For Libraries

Stuart Basefsky, UCSD

Abstract

The concept of the institutional repository (IR) is too narrowly focused to develop the value that universities should be extracting from its existence. Is it not possible for IRs to serve as full-fledged electronic libraries and thereby serve the greater purpose of collecting, disseminating, analyzing and exchanging useful digital information for academic purposes? Should not the IR be coupled with the full range of academic and research support services that new technologies permit? In an era of social networking, why is the university not moving quickly to develop what I call a social academic research service that can enhance the role of libraries, librarians, and IT specialists in the academic endeavor? It is the assertion and questions above that I hope to address in this presentation. Many of the points will be made by using the example of the Catherwood Library of the ILR School (School of Industrial & Labor Relations) at Cornell University.