Student Scholarship in Institutional Repositories

Abstract

INTRODUCTION Research on institutional repositories (IR) has primarily focused on issues related to faculty scholarship. Thus far, little has been written on issues related to student scholarship. This lack is problematic for planners developing or extending their IR content who may be considering adding student scholarship. METHODS A 23-question survey of library professionals was conducted to explore size of institution, existence of an IR, IR software packages utilized, individuals involved in system management, levels of support for inclusion of student work in IRs, types of student work included, and workflow submission policies. RESULTS The findings present an environmental scan of the current state of student scholarship within IRs. Findings suggest that most libraries, regardless of size, are archiving a variety of student-generated content including honors projects, capstone papers, conference papers, multi-media projects, and student research papers. The survey results also indicate that libraries are spearheading the administration of IRs, but other campus departments may also be involved. Both undergraduate and graduate students were equally represented in IRs. Practical procedures for uploading student scholarship were also addressed in the survey and include submission processes, faculty involvement, and workflow logistics. DISCUSSION The inclusion of student scholarship in IRs is becoming the norm. Student-created content is expanding from the traditional, ETDs, to more varied materials including capstone projects, peer-reviewed articles, and multi-media projects. This situation underscores that IR administrators need to be prepared to create policies and procedures for diverse materials and students, especially related to embargoes and the actual submission process. To continue to ensure the quality of their IR, administrators should look to faculty to endorse student content. CONCLUSION IR administrators should consider including student scholarship along with faculty scholarship in their repositories.