Leading roles for reference librarians in institutional repositories: One library's experience

摘要

Purpose - Aims to describe one academic health science center library's experience with expanding reference librarian leadership roles in implementing institutional repository initiatives. Design/methodology/approach - The institutional repository project development phases are briefly documented. The rationale for selecting reference librarians to lead the initiative and resultant role changes is discussed. Findings - Reference librarians are strategically placed to promote and administer institutional repository initiatives successfully. The professional challenge rests in reference librarians' readiness to become scholarly publishing change agents. Practical implications - This case study documents a successful approach to incorporating institutional repository projects into existing library roles in addition to providing new leadership opportunities for reference librarians. Originality/value - Reference librarian roles in institutional repository projects and the evolution of organizational roles are not addressed in the heavily technology- and marketing-based institutional repository literature.