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Electronic theses: The story so far

Electronic theses: The story so far. Theo Andrew Edinburgh University Library. ETD?. Electronic Thesis OR Dissertation Idea first openly discussed in 1987 Initial pilot study in 1996. ETD!. The ETD is similar to its paper predecessor, but..

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Electronic theses: The story so far

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  1. Electronic theses: • The story so far Theo Andrew Edinburgh University Library

  2. ETD? • Electronic Thesis OR Dissertation • Idea first openly discussed in 1987 • Initial pilot study in 1996

  3. ETD! • The ETD is similar to its paper predecessor, but.. • It provides a technologically advanced medium for expressing your ideas

  4. Theses management at EUL • EUL opted out of the British Theses Service in 1992 • ~ 600 PhD theses submitted a year • Access to theses via: - special collections reading room - ILL request

  5. Reading room statistics

  6. ILL requests • 2002- 155 estimates, 58 copies sent • 2003 (to date) - 110 estimates, 47 copies sent • High cost - 300 pages £60 +VAT/P&P - 300-600 pages £100 +VAT/P&P

  7. …so why ETDs? • current demand for access inhibited by physical restrictions and cost • most theses are ‘born digital’ • better presentation of research not available in paper format (multimedia files, dynamic data presentation, programmes and code, hyperlinks) • and in the longer term, less expense to authors and libraries? (less printing/binding/paper/cataloguing/ storage costs)

  8. International ETD programmes • NDLTD (Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations) • 185 members worldwide • To date 49 universities worldwide require electronic submission, but many more have or are acquiring ETD capability.

  9. The UK and ETDs • Reasons for sluggishness • How we are tackling the problem • What might work in the UK • The Theses Alive! project

  10. Why is the UK so slow? ZZZZzzzzz

  11. A centralised environment for distribution?

  12. A distribution system that (sort of) works?

  13. Tools which can’t be bettered?

  14. Tools which can’t be bettered?

  15. A fondness for hard copy?

  16. A fondness for hard copy?

  17. Heterogeneity?

  18. The fact is, the UK is slow • Non-assertive library-academic relationships • Highly devolved structures in research universities • Heterogeneous model of postgraduate administration

  19. Are ETDs a solution in search of a problem? • We cannot use the journals pricing crisis argument • So if it ain’t broke … • Research value of theses not appreciated • Could publisher lag be partly to blame? • But in the digital age we are learning the importance of impatience

  20. And yet … • 100% of recent and new theses are ETDs-in-waiting • The demand is there • Much preferable to conventional interlibrary loan • Visibility increases demand • Theses authors want it

  21. The proof?

  22. But there is a fear of dragons • Theses will be considered as ‘prior publication’ (‘Ingelfinger thinking’) • Too risky • “The valuable research will eventually be published anyway”

  23. In other words … • A combination of (understandable) academic self-interest and the relatively small size of the perceived problem is denying access to a rich world of research literature • But the cavalry is here! (JISC FAIR, OAI-PMH, NDLTD)

  24. How do we do it? • Make submission easy • DSpace • Make ETDs complementary • Don’t build a door with a brick wall behind it • Permit restriction • Win/win • Work community by community • Informatics first?

  25. Theses Alive! • lead site Edinburgh • pilot partners • Cambridge, Cranfield, Leeds, Manchester Metropolitan • funding: JISC (FAIR programme) and UoE • duration: 2 years, November 2002 – October 2004

  26. Broad aims • to develop an infrastructure which enables e-theses to be ‘published’ on the web • to produce a ‘checklist approach’ for universities to use as they develop e-theses capability

  27. A solution at hand?

  28. Why DSpace? • Rich functionality (available or planned) • Solution-efficiency (ETDs, eprints, learning objects) • Standards-aware • Digital preservation • DSpace@Cambridge • Support

  29. Theses Alive! • Pilot project • Repository publication • Source customisation for UK • FAQ • Technical and dialogue help

  30. Conclusion: we need to show how … • We contribute to the research corpus • And at the same time … • We provide research impact data to our own institution • Requires a new role for the Library/Information Services – not simply a replacement for traditional interlibrary loan

  31. Thank You!theo.andrew@ed.ac.ukwww.thesesalive.ac.uk

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