DSpace is a groundbreaking digital repository system that captures, stores, indexes, preserves, and redistributes an organization's research data. DSpace is jointly developed by Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Libraries and Hewlett-Packard Labs. The DSpace software platform serves a variety of digital archiving needs. DSpace is freely available as Open Source Software.
Contents of Dspace
DSpace accepts all forms of digital materials including text, images, video, and audio files. Possible content includes the following:
Documents, such as articles, preprints, working papers, technical reports, conference papers
DSpace also includes batch tools to import and export items in a simple directory structur
DSpace exposes the Dublin Core metadata for items that are publicly (anonymously) accessible
DSpace uses the CNRI Handle System for creating identifiers
DSpace supports uploading and downloading of bit streams as-is. This is fine for the majority of commonly used file formats such as PDFs, Microsoft Word documents, spreadsheets
Document discovery and retrieval
Digital preservation
Reasons to Use DSpace
Largest community of users and developers worldwide
Free open source software
Completely customizable to fit our needs
Used by many educational, government, private and commercial institutions
Can be installed out of the box
Can mange and preserve all types of digital content
Open source software is freely distributed and must be available to anyone to use for any purpose. If software is open, then programmers can read modify and redistribute the source code for the software and this enables the software to evolve at a high speed. Any number of people can fix bugs, adapt the software to better meet their needs, or improve it and then share their efforts with larger community of interested parties. The term open source refers to software in which the source code is freely available for others to view, amend, and adapt. In this sense, Open Source is similar to peer review, which is used to strengthen the progress of scholarly communication.
Open Source promotes software reliability and quality by supporting independent peer review and rapid evolution of source code. To be certified as open source, the license of a program must guarantee the right to read, redistribute, modify, and use it freely. Open Source Software differs from commercial and proprietary software. Open source software includes the original code for the program, whatever language it is written in and that it also may be subsequently redistributed for free.
Adopting Open Source Software requires the same type of evaluation as purchasing commercial software, but with some modification. Using Open Source Software to provide core functionality, such as library management system might be seen as too risky, while open source software that provides stand-alone functionality that complements current systems might be acceptable.
Open Source Software is software licensed under an agreement that conforms to the Open Source Definition
• Access to Source Code
• Freedom to Redistribute
• Freedom to Modify
• Non-Discriminatory Licensing (licensee/product)
• Integrity of Authorship
• Redistribution in accordance with the Open Source License Agreement
Open Source Software is distributed with its source code. The Open Source Definition has three essential features
• It allows free re-distribution of the software without royalties or licensing fees to the author
• It requires that source code be distributed with the software or otherwise made available for no more than the cost of distribution
• It allows anyone to modify the software or derive other software from it, and to redistribute the modified software under the same terms.
RFID stands for radio frequency identification. It is an automatic identification technology whereby digital data encoded in an RFID tag or “smart label” is captured by a reader using radio waves. Put simply, RFID is similar to bar code technology but uses radio waves to capture data from tags, rather than optically scanning the bar codes on a label. RFID does not require the tag or label to be seen to read its stored data—that's one of the key characteristics of an RFID system.
RFID (radio frequency identification) is a technology similar in theory to barcode identification. With RFID, the electromagnetic or electrostatic coupling in the RF portion of the electromagnetic spectrum is used to transmit signals. An RFID system consists of an antenna and a transceiver, which read the radio frequency and transfer the information to a processing device, and a transponder, or tag, which is an integrated circuit containing the RF circuitry and information to be transmitted. RFID systems can be used just about anywhere, from clothing tags to missiles to pet tags to food -- anywhere that a unique identification system is needed. The tag can carry information as simple as a pet owners name and address or the cleaning instruction on a sweater to as complex as instructions on how to assemble a car. Some auto manufacturers use RFID systems to move cars through an assembly line. At each successive stage of production, the RFID tag tells the computers what the next step of automated assembly is. One of the key differences between RFID and bar code technology is RFID eliminates the need for line-of-sight reading that bar coding depends on. Also, RFID scanning can be done at greater distances than bar code scanning. High frequency RFID systems (850 MHz to 950 MHz and 2.4
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is a location determination technology that has been receiving a lot of commercial attention in recent times, especially in the areas of asset tracking and supply chain management. The functionality and benefits offered by the RFID systems match the needs and areas of improvement for libraries. RFID technology can help streamline major library processes such as stocktaking and book searches. Already approximately 8 per cent of libraries worldwide are using RFID, and it will be incorporated into many items libraries purchase in the future. The development and evaluation of the Library Application has demonstrated that RFID can be successfully integrated into library systems. RFID systems can be integrated into existing library systems to improve the efficiency of the main processes carried out in any library and increase the quality of services provided. The ability of RFID to uniquely identify every item is very suitable for libraries (Curran, 2007). Cox (1998) describe that the most inspiring ideal of librarianship, embodied in the public library service is of free access to information for all. On the face of it security is part of the more niggardly side of library work, conjuring up images of closed access shelves and books on chains. In practice of course making sure one user does not steal or damage books is essential to guarantee access to the next user. Balancing the two needs for security and open access is a key part of the function of the librarian.
Byfield (1996) Examines the increasing use of radio frequency identification (RFID) owing to the falling prices of transponders and other equipment. Briefly describes the current situation of the RFID industry and outlines some of its applications. Concludes by asking where the industry is heading and predicting a bright future
The basic advantages of an RFID application in a library are as follows:
1. It makes the documents transaction process faster and self driven
2.For patrons using self-charging, there is a marked improvement because they do not have to carefully place materials within a designated template and they can charge several items at the same time
3. The use of an RFID system provides better security and theft protection using EAS (Electronic Article Surveillance) capabilities at the gate.
4. The readers are highly reliable. Several vendors of RFID library systems claim an almost 100 percent detection rate using RFID tags.
5. A unique advantage of RFID systems is their ability to scan books on the shelves without tipping them out or removing them.
6. It keeps track of movement of documents from one room to other.
7. Another application of RFID technology is automated materials handling.
8. RFID tags last longer than barcodes because nothing comes into contact with them.
9. It reduces manpower dependency and increase swiftness, accuracy and efficiency inlibrary document transaction and services.
10. Less repetitive work for library professional and increase in interaction with the patrons.
RFID vs. Barcodes
Feature RFID Tags Barcodes
Read more than one item at a time Yes No
Read while item is moving Yes No
Programmable Yes No
Line of site read not required Yes No
Lifetime guarantee (100,000 reads) Yes No
Able to resist water damage Yes No
Built-in security Yes No
Inventory tool without handling items Yes No
Able to locate specific items on shelves Yes No
Use with borrower self checks units Yes No
Use with automatic returns units Yes No
Use with automated sorting and handling systems Yes No
Five Reasons for a Library to Invest in RFID Technology:
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology is an investment for libraries. To decide if the rewards justify making this investment, library management must look at the benefits, the near-term costs, and the arguments for waiting or using another technology.
In recent years, many large and small library systems have installed RFID systems. Usually, they identify four reasons for making what can be a significant investment:
The intellectual capital of any organization is represented by the scholarly publications & research material. In a developing country like India there are many academic and research organizations. With shortage of resource materials available to these organizations, it is imperative that the available materials be preserved and made visible to all professionals in various streams of academic or research areas.
Institutional Digital Repositories are emerging technologies for knowledge sharing and management in academic and research institutions, which can help facilitate reform of the scholarly communication system. Institutional Digital Repositories help collect, preserve, index and distribute knowledge intensive research material and scholarly publications of faculties, researcher and students in any academic or research institute. Institutional Digital Repositories contain articles, research papers, theses and dissertations, published and unpublished research materials, peer reviewed works, etc., depending upon the purpose for which the repository was created.
Availability of Open Source System Software’s has facilitated the setting up of repositories. The commonly used open source software’s for creation of the Institutional Digital Repository are DSpace and EPrints, others being MyCoRe, Fedora, Greenstone, Archimede, ARNO, CDSware, Tor, and OPUS.
An institutional repository consists of formally organized and managed collections of digital content generated by faculty, staff and students at an institution. The content of these repositories can be available for integration with on-campus library and course management systems, and can also be made available to colleagues and students at other institutions, as well as to the general public.
When we use the term “repositories” today, we can be speaking about one of many different technologies that support the storage and distribution of digital content:
Collection-based digital repositories which are managed by library professionals
Course management system and associated file stores
Collection of research data and reports managed by academic departments
Institutional file storage system
Digital asset management workflow systems
Web content management systems used by institutions or departments to store and stage web content
While many of these components can play roles in capturing and managing digital content, an institutional repository is a more specific concept – a centrally managed collection of institutionally-generated digital objects designed to be maintained in perpetuity. An institutional repository will be capable of indexing and serving a wide range of static and moving images, and will be seamlessly visible from course management system, integrated library systems, administrative workflow systems, and via public portals. Institutional repositories can be viewed “as a natural extension of academic institutions’ responsibility as generators of primary research seeking to preserve and leverage their constituents’ intellectual assets; and as one potentially major component in the evolving structure of scholarly communication.”
Importance
Digital preservation of the documents using IDR
Online access for the Institutional Research publications
A user friendly Information Retrieval System
Multi-user access facility at the same time
A better service to institution’s learningcommunity
Contributing to the reform of the entire Institution of scholarly communication and publishing
Reducing user dependence on Library’s print collection
A solution to the problem of preserving Institution’s intellectual output
Opportunities for new forms of scholarly communication
Flexible ways to develop existing scholarly communications
History
Repositories began with man’s first storing and protection of artifacts and information succeeded by the formalization of those efforts through libraries and museums. In 1988, Peter Drucker’s 1988 Harvard Business Review article “The Coming of the New Organization” declared that an organization’s knowledge was its most important asset and to manage that asset well was to ensure the organization’s success. Thus began the knowledge management movement of the 1990’s that reached beyond book and article “containers” and placed value on all knowledge explicit and tacit, in datasets and graphics, in e-mails and sketches. By 2000, it was becoming easier for individuals and groups to create and disseminate content using desktop tools and networking which challenged universities to coordinate, share, and preserve its digital assets. In 2002, two seminal events occurred when the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) collaborated with Hewlett-Packard Corporation to launch an open-source Institutional Digital Repository entitled DSpace and the Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition (SPARC) published, “The Case for IDRs: A SPARC Position Paper. From DSpace emerged a new strategy for universities to capture their creativity and research as well as pose an alternative to the high-costs of scholarly communication. In 2003, with funding from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and other sources, MIT's DSpace was replicated and the software released under an open source arrangement, greatly lowering cost and expediting development. While the MIT software is not the only option available (e.g., University of Southampton in the U.K. (http:// www.eprints.org), it has become the most general-purpose. The synergy of the Internet, the decrease in online storage costs, and the development of standards set the stage for Institutional Digital Repository experimentation and eventual implementation.
What can we store in a Repository?
The focus of this study is to enable repository services that support storage of,
Academic publications: articles (published articles in journals, magazines and newspapers; peer-reviewed, copyright approved post-print articles; pre-print materials related to published peer-reviewed articles), books, book sections (including conference proceedings and abstracts)
Theses and dissertations: Doctoral theses, Masters theses and dissertations
Grey literature: patents (published only), technical reports, software, project reports, internet publication, documentation and manuals, working and discussion papers, non peer-reviewed conference and workshop materials (posters and speech/lecture materials)
The visibility of the academic output will be increased
A repository enables the institute to publish its own scientific research and to make it available to all of its researchers
The quality of the institute’s intellectual output can be disseminated effectively and efficiently
Facilitates improved research collaboration
Preserves and provides long-term access to the scholars’ research output
Make possible easy access to Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETD). However only print version of theses, dissertations were available a few years back
It has a safe, backed-up and secure place to store institution scholarly works
It can be access 24 hours a day
More than one person can access a particular document at the same time
Provide new opportunities for the archiving and preservation of valuable digital works
Reduce duplication of records and inconsistencies in multiple instances of the same works
Provides a global platform for local research and hence improved visibility
