Institutional Repositories

Institutional Repositories manage and preserve an institution’s own content. Since their introduction over 25 years ago, Institutional Repositories have been established in universities and institutions around the world. Yet many people, even within the scholarly world, are unaware of the work that repositories carry out, and the essential role they play. Institutional Repositories is a much-needed guide to repositories, past and present. Written by a repository manager and trainer, this fully peer-reviewed book assumes no prior knowledge, and guides the reader through all the activities carried out by the repository team, including (but not limited to) ensuring green Open Access, and ensuring maximum impact for the institution’s research output, as well as providing a collective memory for the organization, often capturing content that would otherwise be lost.

Cromwell achieves something rare: a book that is comprehensive, detailed, readable, and useful all at once. He understands the benefits and untapped potential of the global network of open-access repositories, and offers practical advice for taking full advantage of this community-led infrastructure. Recommended for all institutions hosting or planning to host a repository.

Peter Suber, Director of the Harvard Open Access Project

Josh C. Cromwell is the scholarly communications manager at The University of Southern Mississippi. He has worked with Aquila, the university’s institutional repository, since its launch in January 2012, and has been its administrator since July 2013. He published the edited volume Rethinking Institutional Repositories (2024) with ACRL, and he developed and co-teaches an institutional repositories course for ALA Core. He is also the lead organizer of the Southern Miss Institutional Repository Conference, which attracts IR managers, staff, and other librarians from across the USA.