The UAB Research Repository: A pilot project between Lister Hill Library and the School of Optometry

The project’s objective is to create an institutional repository using DSpace open source software to collect, share, and preserve the intellectual properties of the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB)’s School of Optometry. The goal is to seamlessly connect the School’s data, knowledge, and scholarship to the greater global health and vision community by providing online access to images, data sets, streaming media, protocols, lab notes, article preprints, works in progress, and brain-mapping data. Specifically, the initial start up of the repository will focus on openly sharing digital assets created by the faculty and students of UAB’s School of Optometry and its Center for the Development of Functional Imaging. UAB’s School of Optometry was selected as an inaugural partner because of the broad range of disciplines that contribute to vision science, including visual psychophysics, neuroscience, computational vision and cognitive psychology. While some ophthalmology departments have similar repositories for their in-house users, few schools of optometry have such repositories and there is little involvement from the optometry and vision science community in university repositories. The Library is a long-time member and supporter of the Association of Vision Science Librarians (AVSL), whose mission is to develop mechanisms for improving access to vision information. A repository of optometric materials would be a unique resource for the vision health community.

1. To distribute unique data resulting from scientific pursuits in progress that cannot be found through conventional publication channels.
2. To share intellectual knowledge, generated by scholarly pursuits, and make this information accessible to the global health community.
3. To provide the UAB community a cohesive platform to self-archive scholarly research and materials.

The goal is to make primary and unique materials created at UAB immediately accessible on the Internet to students, researchers, and consumers. An institutional repository will ensure the widest possible sharing of professional works in the health information community.

Initially the repository will include neuroimaging and behavioral datasets from three research groups associated with the Center for the Development of Functional Imaging. In accordance with HIPAA guidelines, all datasets will be anonymous, with no protected health information included. The repository will also include: protocols, source codes, notebooks, and article preprints. Users will submit their own data and content. We anticipate this data-sharing effort will spur increased data sharing and collaboration. Making this collection available in conjunction with making it freely searchable and accessible on the Internet is vital to increasing the knowledge base of the vision science network of scholars.

1. Design Phase: July 2010 – August 2010. Select materials, write a draft scenario of project workflow and responsibilities, and select appropriate standards, platform, and equipment.
2. Set up Phase: September 2010 – October 2010. Purchase server, install and test DSpace. Integrate repository authentication with UAB’s centralized authentication system. Define repository item types. Plan the organization of users (communities). Plan the organization of data (collections). Plan the submission workflow, access policy, and approval process for each item type. Plan the scheme for cataloging items (metadata).
3. Beta Test Phase: November 2010+. Set up initial collections and communities. Migrate identified content to DSpace institutional repository and add metadata. Train initial pilot users. Collect usage statistics and feedback from initial users. Test and debug the initial design.
4. Promotion Phase February 2011+. Publicize the project and recruit additional participants. Since this is a pilot project there will be some redesign and refinement at this stage. Collect usage statistics and user feedback.

Thursday, September 16,^, 2010 at 3:45 p.m. at Hill University Center Auditorium

View Liz and Mark's Presentation

Tuesday, October 19^, 2010 at 12:00 p.m. at the Ireland Room, Lister Hill Library

More dates for 2011 will be announced later.