IU Indianapolis ScholarWorks Communities and Collections
What are communities and collections?
Communities and collections are the structuring mechanisms by which content is arranged. Communities may contain any number of other communities ("sub-communities") and any number of collections, but they don't contain individual items (records, with associated files). Collections may contain any number of individual items, but only items. Other than these restrictions, there is considerable flexibility in the arrangement of communities and collections.
Top-level communities and sub-communities tend to correspond to IU Indianapolis academic or administrative units (e.g., a department, institute, or research center) that produce research and scholarly work. Collections can be organized around a topic, or by type of information (such as working papers or datasets) or by any other sorting method a community finds useful in organizing its digital items. Many types of collections are possible and will be considered on a case-by-case basis. The IU Indianapolis Libraries reserve the right to determine and to change the location of collections and communities. To start a new collection, please fill out the request form.
Each community and collection has its own entry page which can display relevant information, images, and links for that group.
A collection may be administered by a Collection coordinator who acts as a liaison with the IU Indianapolis Libraries. The Libraries reserve the right to perform collection coordinator functions for those collections lacking a designated coordinator.
What are the benefits of having a collection coordinator?
If a coordinator has assumed administrative responsibilities for a collection, then those responsible for that collection have the right to:
- Decide policy regarding content to be submitted (in accordance with the Content Collection Policy).
- Decide who may submit content to their collection or community.
- Define an item submission workflow for each collection or community.
- Request and approve the addition of or elimination of sub-communities or collections.
What responsibilities does a collection or community coordinator assume?
If a coordinator has assumed administrative responsibilities for a collection or community, then that coordinator agrees to:
- Understand and observe all ScholarWorks Policies. The technological ability to perform operations that are not consistent with policies does not constitute permission to circumvent those policies.
- Arrange for deposit and description of content.
- Educate depositors to their collection(s) about these policies.
- If a coordinator assumes responsibility for the deposit of items into ScholarWorks, then they also assume the responsibilities of depositors.
- Establish submission and access guidelines for their collection.
- Make decisions about community, sub-community and collection (as appropriate) definitions and names.
- Clear copyright for items deposited when copyright owner is other than author(s) or university.
- Notify ScholarWorks staff of organizational changes affecting deposits.
- Reply to periodic confirmation of collection information.
- Communicate specialized needs and requests to ScholarWorks administrators and staff in order to identify mutually acceptable solutions.
- Abide by the recommendations of ScholarWorks administrators and staff.
If there is a community or collection in ScholarWorks for which you may be an appropriate coordinator, please contact us.
How will the Library assist the ScholarWorks collection/community coordinator?
The University Library will:
- Educate the coordinator on using ScholarWorks, policies, best practices and guidelines.
- Provide support and guidance to the coordinator for any collection-related questions.
- As necessary, work with a coordinator to deposit large numbers of items in batch.
- As necessary, review and revise metadata in accordance with metadata staff recommendations and ScholarWorks best practices.
- Notify the coordinator of significant changes to content management, software, and policies and procedures.
