Introduction

This study investigates the challenges in populating repositories in Europe based on six good practices. These case studies have been selected to represent the current types of repository and repository service models in existence, with which most repository or related service managers can identify. Good practices have been chosen as a means to inspire the challenged or even disheartened. Cases have been analysed on a number of aspects such as policy issues, organisational choices, the establishment of the repository or service, population mechanisms, take-up, services, advocacy and legal issues. This contribution is intended as a guide to models which stimulate the population of repositories. The in-depth analysis of the cases on the DRIVER website www.driver-community.eu is of advantage to the reader who is seeking detailed information about a particular context.

This chapter has been primarily written for the repository manager. This can be an institutional repository manager, a departmental one, or a broader-reaching national or international disciplinary one; it can also be the manager of a service which has been established to bring together research from a number of sources. However, all managers have one thing in common: populating their archives is a challenge. A choice of solutions to the common problem will be provided and common guidelines to improve on population efforts conclude lessons learnt from these cases. The library director or information manager responsible for research information will also be interested in this study. It is important for these senior managers and policy makers to comprehend the complexities surrounding the challenges in populating repositories in order to make the necessary cultural changes. Higher-level European policy makers can use the results of this study for policy and funding programme development.

This study particularly focuses on the policy and organisational issues which have influenced deposit rates, which includes highlighting repository services. It likewise investigates take-up mechanisms on levels of senior management as well as within the research community. Various advocacy initiatives will be outlined which have supported these. Legal issues which either prevent or even stimulate the deployment of content are included in the analysis. These areas and their critical success factors and inhibiting factors for the population of the digital repositories and services are used as the basis for identifying concrete guidelines for better guaranteeing researcher take-up and content deployment in the future.