Building an institutional repository : sharing experiences at the HKUST Library

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to document Hong Kong University of Science and Technology's (HKUST's) experiences in developing its Institutional Repository and to highlight its programming developments in full-text linking and indexing, and cross institutional searching. Design/methodology/approach – This paper describes how HKUST Library planned and set up its institutional repository, how it acquired and processed the scholarly output, and what procedures and guidelines were established. It also discusses some new developments in systems, including the implementation of OpenURL linking from the pre-published version in the repository to the published sources; the partnership with Scirus to enable full-text searching; and the development of a cross-searching platform for institutional repositories in Hong Kong. Findings – The paper reveals what and why some policy issues should be adopted, including paper versioning, authority control, and withdrawal of items. It notes what proactive approaches should be adopted to harvest research output. It also shows how programming work can be done to provide usage data, facilitate searching and publicize the repository so that scholarly output can be more accessible to the research community. Practical implications – The paper provides a very useful case study for other academic libraries who want to develop their own institutional repositories. Originality/value – HKUST is an early implementer of institutional repositories in Asia and its unique experience in policy issues, harvesting contents, standardization, software customization, and measures adopted in enhancing global access will be useful to similar institutions.