[OAI-general] Re: [EP-underground] Sustaining ePrints

[Bob Kemp]

Hi again,

Thanks for the contributions from Chris, Mike and Stevan.

Stevan says:

>The longevity of Eprints is a legitimate concern. But creating an
>ever greater momentum to fill university Eprints archives is an
>even more substantive concern, and success in meeting it is the best
>way to meet the first concern as well.

I agree totally - it's a case of making a commitment and jumping in at the 
deep end. However, there's an element of Catch-22 here. Eprints will be 
sustainable if ePrints is successful. But ePrints will be (more) successful 
if we can show it to be sustainable....we have to get over the initial hump.

More specifically, the problem is that at local institutional level not 
everybody is ready for an eprint commitment. We are going through a process 
of education and persuasion in order to convince people that what we are 
engaged in is a feasible and legitimate activity that will provide an 
important long-term service. This involves a number of issues, and Stevan 
for one has provided plenty of good arguments to deploy.

What we're developing here is another argument, being able to point to the 
underlying tools and say that these are going to be available, stable, and 
supported for many years to come. Having these contributions from 
Christopher, Mike and Stevan certainly makes it easier for me to make a 
case here at Strathclyde, and I imagine this applies elsewhere.

Cheers,

Bob


Dr Bob Kemp
Information Officer, Digital Information Office
Centre for Digital Library Research
University of Strathclyde, Glasgow G4 0NS

Phone: +44 (0)141 548 2379              FAX: +44 (0)141 548 2102