Falling into Apotheosis: Effective advocacy for achieving institutional repository success

http://www.sherpa.ac.uk

http://www.rsp.ac.uk

Falling into ApotheosisEffective advocacy for achieving institutional repository success

Breakout Session Umbrella 2007

Gareth J JohnsonSHERPA Repository Development OfficerSHERPA/RSP, University of Nottingham

[email protected]


Apotheosis?!?


SHERPA

• SHERPA Project (2002-2005)– Setting up IRs with partners institutions (7 rising to 23)

• SHERPA (2006-)– Now ongoing project based team– Broader portfolio of projects– Funded by JISC, CURL, OSI, SPARK Europe, Wellcome

• Respected voice in OA development– SPARC Europe 2007 Award for Outstanding Achievements in

Scholarly Communication

• Focus for bids and proposals for new work• Provides services seen as “vital to OA infrastructure”


RSP

• Expanding SHERPA’s ethos nationally– 2.5 year JISC funded project

• Support– Site visits & enquiry service– Technical & operational advice

• Outreach & training– 2006 summer school– 2007 summer schools (Wales & Scotland)– Briefing papers & guides – Roadshow & conferences planned



Why is Advocacy Key?

• To embed & enable your repository successfully– Cultural change must be achieved– Funding, staffing, ethos and policies must be agreed

• One of the most effective tools is advocacy– Getting the right message to the right people– Tone and content varied by target audience

• SHERPA Partner Experience– Focussed on advocacy successes & challenges– Each institution has unique approaches & landscape


Why Institutional Repositories?

• They have greater longevity– JISC model favours them– Emerging standard model

• Subject repositories more at risk in the long term– From projects ending or individuals losing ability to support– Some subject repositories being adopted by institutions

• IRs allow easier management of intellectual assets– Allows co-ordained approach to capture, storage and retrieval– Practically local advice, training and support available

• Provide readily reusable material & information– Generates informative metrics – Metrics being used for internal promotion in some institutions


Repository Types


Advocacy Basics

• An informed awareness must be built– A core message & ethos is essential– Neglecting advocacy will result in repository decline

• Real cultural change is a crucial achievable– Need real engagement from and with academics– But takes an uncertain amount of time and effort

• Be prepared for knock-backs– The right level of engagement is crucial– Advocacy fatigue

• The slightest barriers are enough to stymie– Technological, awareness, temporal…– High expectations for short timescale


7 (& a bit) Advocacy Pillars

1. Set Achievable Targets2. Discipline & Community3. Educate & Clarify4. Seize the Moment5. Allies & Comparators6. Enable Effective Deposition7. Achieve Quick Wins7.5…Challenges


Engaging with Advocacy

• Intellectual & emotional engagement– Reasons why OA & self-archiving is important, useful,

vital etc.– Addressing the bottom What’s in it for me? Line

• Advocacy strategy blends– Top down (mandates, steering groups)– Bottom up ( hearts & minds, graduates)– Champions (laureates, media darlings)– Serendipitous (scatter-gun, ad hoc)


Today’s Challenge

• Advocacy looks easy, but success can be elusive– Understanding stakeholder mindsets– Appreciating the global dimension– Adapting for the unique environment– Avoiding repetition of errors


Hands-on Part 1

• Understanding the environment

• Resources– Information packs– Role studies

• Task 1– Your role’s concerns with OA?– Your role’s reactions to funding mandates?– Feedback in ~15 minutes


Hands-on Part 2

• Advocacy campaigns

• Resources & personal experience

• Task 2– The role of the library in OA advoacy– The major obstacles you face– Core message

• Share experiences in ~20 mins


Conclusions



Gareth J Johnson

SHERPA Repository Development OfficerSHERPA, University of Nottingham

[email protected]

0115-84-67544

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Falling into Apotheosis: Effective advocacy for achieving institutional repository success

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