Design and development of a National Digital Repository System (NDRS) for Bangladesh

Abstract

(R&D). Access to right information in right time is strongly required for decision making and policy implementation. Researchers are conducting research in different fields from different perspectives and creating knowledge. But very often users cannot access easily to the finding of the research due to scatter sources and other access barriers. As a result, research finding cannot contribute to the development activities as expected. Accordingly, managing and providing timely access to those pertinent explicit knowledge has become a vital issue for the knowledge management professionals. Appropriate knowledge management tools are required to ensure the accessibility and visibility of recorded knowledge. Information professionals are initiating and adapting different knowledge management systems to cope with the changing pattern of information management tools and services. Digital Repositories (DR) have received wide attention in recent years by allowing access to digital information. DR have become widely accepted and preferred information sources in the areas of education, science and technology. Institutional Repository (IR) is common part of Digital Repository. Collective IR efforts lead many countries to hoist national Digital Repository network. ICT facilities and services are increasing rapidly in Bangladesh. With the availability of technological apparatus and demand from both user and administrators Institutional Repository (IR) has been gaining importance in Bangladesh. Some well-infrastructural institutions implemented IR in Bangladesh while a lot of other organizations are on pipeline. But there are differences among the existing IR practices. Accordingly, the study aimed to identify the scenario of repository management in Bangladesh. Additionally, the study also investigated the constraints as well as assessed the needs of national based DR platform. One of the major aims was to design a DR platform considering the present scenario of DR in Bangladesh. With this view related literatures were reviewed, primary data were collected from around 300 researchers and 36 library heads. The study observed that both libraries and individual researchers have different types of intellectual resources. It is found that around 50% users possess journal articles, more than 85% libraries have thesis and dissertation while 82.86% libraries have conference papers and 80% libraries have annual report and other collections. But there were differences in terms of management and dissemination of scholarly output. It is identified that a large number of researchers (40%) preserve their research output in personal computers and around 34% researchers disseminate their research output by e-mail to the fellow colleagues and other concern. But those resources are difficult to access and use by other information seekers. However, the study identified that 48.31% researchers think having IR in their respective organizations is very important. Accordingly, more than 83% researchers like to preserve their research output in their respective IR. Most of the users (59.91%) strongly agree that with the help of IR archiving of their scholarly resources will be very easy. Librarians are considered as the main custodian of administering and managing intellectual resources of the concerned organization. Library professionals are trying to meet the demand of web-based repository management activities maintaining the gear and tear. But very often they feel difficulty for managing so. The study identified that 44% library head identified lack of IT support stuff is the most challenging factor for establishing IR in Bangladesh. In addition, 45.71% library heads think ‘inadequate financial support’ and ‘inappropriate infrastructure facilities’ hinders IR development in Bangladesh. Besides, 45.71% librarian think ‘inappropriate infrastructure facilities’ is obstacle for establishing IR. The study revealed that most of the librarian/library in- charges (68%) think that National Digital Repository System (NDRS) is very important for Bangladesh. Besides, more than 77% librarians/library in-charges assume that NDRS will be very useful for their organizations. Most of the librarians/library in-charges (69%) are strongly in- favor of joining NDRS framework. Accordingly, after a thorough consultation of different repository software and the requirements of the country the study proposed a National Digital Repository System (NDRS) model for Bangladesh. The proposed NDRS may be a gateway for individual researchers and research organizations to contribute to a national repository. The shared platform will ensure the standard, access opportunity and preservation protocol for all repositories of Bangladesh. Besides, an open access repository platform may help policy makers and analysts, academicians, training nstitutions, researchers and government and non-government organizations to know which research is already done in a particular topic, where to get the output or whom to contact. Users will be also able to search, browse and download full text report free of cost in a single platform. Moreover, by collaboration with leading online search engines viz. Google and Google Scholar, National Digital Repository System will increase the international visibility of research originating from Bangladesh. Open access to scientific literature will increase h-index of a scientist or scholar. It will also reflect the aggregated research output of all fields of the country. Above all, the NDRS will serve as a focal point for Research and Development (RD) as well as scholarly activities in Bangladesh. The study also described different issues relating to policy and implementation including smooth operation of NDRS. Finally, the installation process, guidelines and functional overview discussed in this study will be helpful for building national repository in other countries.