Guidelines for creating digital repositories

The aim of this Master’s thesis is to present guidelines for making a digital repository. To attain this, useful factors for creating an archive were examined. Also different organisations’ strategies were analysed. The method used is evidence-based practice, including reading literature and e-mail interviews. Five people in Sweden working with digital repositories were e-mail interviewed. The theory behind the investigation is based on Sheila Corrall’s and Elizabeth Orna’s research on the creation of information strategies. Three main areas were identified: environmental issues, strategic focus and strategy formation. The literature study identified different areas that are involved in creating a digital repository. These are administrative factors, technical aspects, content, publication forms, cultural factors and marketing. In a similar way the interviews clarified why the repositories were created, such as administrative factors, technical aspects, how to publish, quality aspects, marketing, cultural factors and good advice. The literature and the interviews were compared and conclusions were made. These conclusions were used to set up guidelines for developing a digital repository. To create a strategy, the chosen organisation has to be evaluated, which was beyond the scope of this thesis. It is suggested that the thesis is suitable for a starting point, initiating work on digital repositories.Uppsatsnivå: