A well-chosen, well-informed and committed Steering

Group can make an important contribution to the

sustained success of a repository. This Briefing Paper

highlights some of the issues for consideration when

planning the role, remit and composition of a repository

Steering Group

Burke, R.

Moyle, M.

English

UCL Discovery

OverviewA well-chosen, well-informed and committed Steering Group  can  make  an  important  contribution  to  the sustained success of a repository. This Briefing Paper highlights some of the issues for consideration when planning the role, remit and composition of a repository Steering Group.The role of the Steering GroupA repository Steering Group (or Project Board, Management Committee,  Working  Group,  etc.)  undertakes  the  high-level management of a repository on behalf of a Higher Education Institution. The Steering Group helps to ensure that the strategic objectives of a repository are aligned with those of the parent organisation, and to ensure that the necessary resources are made available for the repository to be effective. It is a forum for discussion and decision-making,  for  the  approval  and  signing-off  of  plans  and actions, for arbitration and solution-finding, and it should also champion all the publicity and dissemination activity linked to the repository.A Steering Group may be formed with a limited lifespan, to oversee a fixed-term repository project; or it may have a  remit  for  a  repository  as  a  longer-term,  independent concern, with or without a project element.Terms of referenceTerms  of  reference  help  participants  and  others  to understand  the  role  of  a  Steering  Group. The  terms  of reference  for  a  typical  repository  Steering  Group  might embrace some or all of the following themes:Overseeing the implementation and operation of the repository.Policy-making and strategic decision-taking.Monitoring  budgets  and  staffing  resources:   ensuring  that  necessary  resources  are  committed to  the  repository,  and  ensuring  that  any  plans  are achievable.Monitoring  progress  against  plans  and  agreed objectives; evaluation.••••Overseeing  and  championing  advocacy  of  the repository at all levels within the HEI, and maximising opportunities for publicity and dissemination.Reviewing outcomes and their impact within the HEI and elsewhere.Maintaining  an  awareness  of  similar  activities  and initiatives,  and  funding  opportunities,  nationally  and in the wider world.Regular reporting, either to a named senior individual, or to a parent committee.Securing the long-term sustainability of the repository, ensuring  that  it  is  firmly  embedded  in  the  strategic thinking of the institution.HEIs  often  have  standard  terms  of  reference  for  their Project  Boards  and  Committees.  If  so,  these  would normally  be  used  as  a  starting  point,  with  adaptation where appropriate to reflect the repository remit.Typical decisionsThe work of a repository Steering Group may range across a wide variety of issues. A repository is more likely to be successful if it is developed in alignment with the needs and priorities of its institution. A good Steering Group can help to identify and address those concerns, and make sure that they are reflected in repository decision-making. It can ensure that the repository continues to evolve in sympathy with the changing needs and priorities of the institution, over time. It can also help to shape the future strategic priorities of the institution.Issues associated with the day-to-day management and population of the repository might include:The respective merits of mediated deposit and true ‘self-archiving’.  Is  one  or  other  more  likely  to  result in  deposited  content,  and  what  are  the  resource implications of success?Copyright policies and institutional risk tolerance.The collecting policy: what types of research output should be eligible?The advocacy programme. When to target a particular audience, and how best to gain their support?The  evaluation  of  opportunities  for  external  project funding.••••••••••Briefing Paper  July 2008support@rsp.ac.ukRepository Steering Groups Issues relating to the place of the repository in the wider institutional strategic framework might include:The  potential  for  the  repository  to  serve  as  a comprehensive publications database.Supporting  an  institution’s  preparation  for,  and success in, external research assessment.The  potential  for  the  repository  to  contribute  to institutional performance in national and international web rankings and league tables.Examples  of  longer-term  strategic  issues  for  the  HEI, which might be influenced by a repository Steering Group, include:The  managed  curation  of  digital  objects  other  than research  outputs,  such  as  primary  datasets  and departmental image collections.Institutional digitisation strategy.Institutional strategy on digital preservation.CompositionFor  the  Steering  Group  to  be  influential,  and  for  it  to keep in touch with wider institutional strategy, it should be chaired by a senior member of staff - ideally, the VP for  research,  or  the  chair  of  the  ‘parent’  committee  (if applicable).In addition to the Chair, and the Repository Manager, the Steering Group might include:the Chief Librarian, and relevant Library staff.Senior computing support staff.Research Administration staff.Staff with research assessment responsibilities.Representation  from  the  Corporate  Communications/Marketing department.Academic  researchers  from  different  disciplines. Seniority is less important than an ability to report the needs of researchers and to champion the repository within  a  given  constituency.  (The  Arts,  whose ••••••••••••practices and formats, particularly in the Fine Arts, can present  some  interesting  challenges,  should  not  be overlooked!)Frequency of meetingsThe  Steering  Group  needs  to  meet  with  sufficient frequency to support continuity, without meeting so often that it becomes immersed in day-to-day detail. In a HEI, termly meetings may suffice.  Some considerations when planning the meetings structure are:The  institution’s  usual  pattern  of  committee meetings.The  meetings  schedule  of  the  ‘parent’  committee, where applicable.The timing of internal funding rounds.The demands and timescales of any specific projects for which the Steering Group is responsible.Briefing the Steering GroupTo make an effective start, the Steering Group will need to be  adequately  briefed. The  Repository  Support  Project’s Briefing Papers series (see below) may be useful as part of the induction of a new Steering Group.••••Further information :Repositories Support Project  http://www.rsp.ac.uk/The Repositories Support Project (RSP) aims to co-ordinate and deliver good practice and practical advice to HEIs to enable the implementation, management and development of digital institutional repositories. SHERPA-LEAP  http://www.sherpa-leap.ac.uk/SHERPA-LEAP (the London Eprints Access Project), funded by the Vice-Chancellor of the University of London, has helped to develop institutional repositories, supported by a cross-searching service, at 13 University of London HEIs.Repository Steering Groups support@rsp.ac.ukBriefing Paper  July 2008Authors:Martin  Moyle,  Digital  Curation  Manager,  UCL Library Servicesm.moyle@ucl.ac.ukRussell  Burke,  Electronic  Resources Coordinator, King’s College Londonrussell.burke@kcl.ac.ukOn behalf of the SHERPA-LEAP Consortium

Repository Steering Groups

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