It’s a Repository, it’s a Depository, it’s an Archive...: Open Access, Digital Collections and Value
Jean‐Claude Guédon · Arbor · 2009
In the context of Open Access to scientific and scho- larly literature, repositories, both institutional and subject-based, have come to play an important role. However, the nature of re- positories appears to be difficult to pin down as each category of people involved seems to have a different vision. The shifting interpretation of repositories has been a source of weakness in the promotion of these instruments. It is suggested here that this situation is not unique to repositories; on the contrary, all socio- technical objects go through such a phase if we are to follow some of the important studies coming from the Social construction of technology school of thought. This suggests that technical ob- jects succeed when relevant social groups interpret the meaning and function of a particular technology. By examining a number of events around repositories, in particular struggles around the pos- sibility of mandating deposits, it is possible to identify a number of relevant social groups, as well as examine how they can either ally with each other or are displaying conflictual fault-lines between them. Using this form of analysis should help develop strategies to develop repositories.