Advancing Open Repositories in Ireland: A Survey and Strategic Recommendations for National Progress

The National Open Research Forum (NORF) Survey of Open Repositories in Ireland, conducted from April 24 to May 30, 2023, presents a comprehensive overview of the status of open repositories in Ireland. The survey, involving respondents from educational, governmental, and research institutions, aimed to assess various aspects of repository provision and management across key performance indicators. Findings show metadata alignment is viewed as a critical need for repositories to support ambitious open research goals and projects across Ireland, which currently lags compared to some European peers in terms of coordinated national infrastructure. The survey found that repository metadata practices in Ireland are fragmented and require comprehensive national cooperation and coordination. Although there are concerted attempts to align individually with international metadata standards, such as OpenAIRE, alongside Plan S requirements, further work and support on the national level is urgently needed. Also, most repositories assign persistent identifiers; however, standardisation, expansion and integration in this area are also required to fully realise the potential workflow and efficiency benefits. Disparities in staffing and resource allocation were observed, highlighting the necessity for dedicated personnel and robust resource allocation for efficient repository management and open requirements.

The report concludes with recommendations for collaborative initiatives, training, metadata standardisation and national alignment, and regular assessments, providing a solid foundation for enhancing open repository networks in Ireland and addressing challenges in serving academic and research communities. Shared national or regional infrastructure and advocacy are critical solutions, along with closer coordination, training, and technical support. Areas of concern include the fragmented landscape of educational, governmental, and research repositories, with the data indicating that some repositories are struggling to maintain sustainability while others are better supported by their individual institutions. The data suggests increasing collaborative initiatives, training programs, standardised metadata adoption, and regular assessments to enhance Irish open repository progression on a par with European peers.