I wonder if readers could provide me with some ammunition to try to
convince university administrators that an institutional repository
would be a good idea. When I periodically bug our librarian in charge
of things digital about this, he says there is no interest at all
among deans and vice-presidents for a repository. Although I am an
anthropologist, I have very little understanding of how this local
tribe (the administrators) thinks and acts. It seems to me that a
campus obsessed with raising its external image would want to exploit
its many productive units and make their work widely visible and
available. But what do I know about the rarified atmosphere in
administration-land?
Now with the state of Arizona in a financial crisis and budgets being
cut across the campus, things do not look promising for new
initiatives. My immediate plan is to try to set up a small repository
for my own unit (with help from the Library) and hope the campus
comes on board later. But it would help to have some succinct
arguments and evidence, presented in a form that administrators will
understand. Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Mike Smith
Michael E. Smith, Professor
School of Human Evolution & Social Change
Arizona State University
www.public.asu.edu/~mesmith9
http://publishingarchaeology.blogspot.com
http://calixtlahuaca.blogspot.com
Received on Fri Aug 22 2008 - 15:32:22 BST