| Abstract: | Objective:This paper describes the Lamar Soutter Library''s process and costs associated with digitizing 300 doctoral dissertations for a newly implemented institutional repository at the University of Massachusetts Medical School.Methodology:Project tasks included identifying metadata elements, obtaining and tracking permissions, converting the dissertations to an electronic format, and coordinating workflow between library departments. Each dissertation was scanned, reviewed for quality control, enhanced with a table of contents, processed through an optical character recognition function, and added to the institutional repository.Results:Three hundred and twenty dissertations were digitized and added to the repository for a cost of $23,562, or $0.28 per page. Seventy-four percent of the authors who were contacted (n = 282) granted permission to digitize their dissertations. Processing time per title was 170 minutes, for a total processing time of 906 hours. In the first 17 months, full-text dissertations in the collection were downloaded 17,555 times.Conclusion:Locally digitizing dissertations or other scholarly works for inclusion in institutional repositories can be cost effective, especially if small, defined projects are chosen. A successful project serves as an excellent recruitment strategy for the institutional repository and helps libraries build new relationships. Challenges include workflow, cost, policy development, and copyright permissions.Highlights- The Lamar Soutter Library partnered with the University of Massachusetts Medical School Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences to digitize doctoral dissertations for inclusion in a newly created institutional repository.
- Seventy-four percent of dissertation authors (209/282) gave permission for the digitization. The cost to process the entire dissertation collection in-house was $23,562, only $1,062 more than the estimate to outsource.
- Digitizing the dissertation collection increased access: the print collection was used 723 times in the past 5 years, while the electronic collection was used 17,555 times in 17 months.
Implications- Digitizing student works is an effective way to begin populating an institutional repository.
- In-house digitization projects can be cost-competitive with outsourced alternatives.
- A repository can be a catalyst for developing relationships in the institution by providing the library with a new avenue for outreach.
- Skills and experience gained from a small project can be applied to larger-scale projects.
|
