Abstract
ABSTRACTFor the past several years, many libraries have been developing institutional repositories to house their Open Access publishing efforts, creating a showcase for their faculty’s research. Some of those same libraries have also been creating sizable digital collections, often built from digitized versions of materials in their special collections. The University of South Florida Tampa Library combined these two groups as a new department, Digital Scholarship Services. The marriage of these two repositories has created new synergies between staff in complementary areas of the library, combining unique skill sets from each group to offer new services to faculty. This article discusses why this change was made, examines some of the benefits and growing pains of this change, and showcases some of the unusual projects that have resulted. These collections not only highlight the university’s work but provide materials professors can use to enhance their course curricula, leveraging technology to engage students in new and innovative ways.
Highlights
As libraries develop separate institutional repositories and digital collections, there are synergies in the skill sets needed to maintain each that can create a stronger infrastructure for the two types of repositories and enhance faculty services
The unique skill sets that each group of staff brings to the table have strengthened the overall effort of providing open access to research material produced or hosted by the university
Two additional Open Access journals were initiated before the library subscribed to Digital Commons from bepress and started Scholar Commons, the University of South Florida (USF) institutional repository
Summary
As libraries develop separate institutional repositories and digital collections, there are synergies in the skill sets needed to maintain each that can create a stronger infrastructure for the two types of repositories and enhance faculty services. For the past several years, many libraries have been developing institutional repositories to house their Open Access publishing efforts, creating a showcase for their faculty’s research. The University of South Florida Tampa Library combined these two groups as a new department, Digital Scholarship Services.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
