Is It Something We Didn't Ask? Examining Our Faculty's Motivation to Use Our University's IR

Room B

How can we encourage faculty to deposit their scholarly works in our university’s institutional repository (IR)? This is a common question asked by repository managers when building, and populating, an institutional repository on campus. What motivates faculty to self-archive, and to continue their participation in the IR? The who self-archives question can be easily answered by generating reports. The why questions involve more rigor to find answers. A common theme in the literature regarding IRs is that the majority of faculty do not self-archive, with various reasons cited in available literature ranging from lack of awareness about the repository, time constraints, and concern about the security of the work that is deposited. While there has been considerable attention dedicated to the development, implementation, and the initial population of content into the IR at Montclair State, there has been no data collection used to evaluate the IR, especially with regards to faculty awareness, and motivation to participate, and continued participation, that can help to strategically influence outreach efforts. Our current research study explores the value of collecting qualitative data to explore the wants and needs of the users, and intended users, of Montclair State University’s institutional repository, Montclair State University Digital Commons. This IRB approved research study began in September 2020, and continues through summer 2021, utilizes qualitative data collection through semi-structured interviews of faculty. We will share our preliminary results, and how we intend to use this data.