Perspectives of subject librarians on institutional repositories as an information resource

Abstract

There is very little research on promotion of institutional repositories as an information resource. The result of the lack of research is that it is difficult for libraries to find out about the effects of how they have or have not promoted institutional repositories as an information resource. This MLIS research project looks at the perspectives of nine New Zealand subject librarians towards institutional repositories as an information resource. This qualitative research study used Rogers' Diffusion of Innovations Theory for the theoretical framework. The research was approached using the interpretivist paradigm and phenomenology methodology. The results indicated that few subject librarians were promoting institutional repositories as an information resource. Subject affiliation appears to determine whether or not subject librarians are promoting institutional repositories as an information resource. Subject librarians seem open to the idea of promoting institutional repositories as an information resource in the future if they are not already promoting them. An increase in the quality and quantity of content seems to be the biggest motivator for subject librarians to start promoting institutional repositories as an information resource.