An Institutional Repository Experience at a Large Health Care System

ABSTRACT

Institutional repositories (IRs) collect, preserve, and disseminate the scholarly output of an organization. Though common in academic settings, they are less so in hospitals or health care systems. The librarians for Aurora Health Care decided to create a primarily citation-level IR to organize and promote the scholarly output of Aurora faculty, residents, and fellows using the proprietary software Digital Commons, a product of the company bepress. The repository also hosts a newly published peer-reviewed journal and includes digitized historical images and institutional memorabilia. Suggested alternatives are given for hospitals or health care systems that may not currently be able to pursue a full-fledged IR.

KEYWORDS:

• Bepress
• Digital Commons
• health care systems
• hospitals
• institutional repositories
• scholarly publishing
• scholarly research

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Brenda Fay

Brenda Fay, MLIS ([email protected]) is Research and Instructional Services Librarian, Marquette University, Raynor Memorial Libraries, P.O. Box 3141, Milwaukee, WI 53201-3141.

Jennifer Deal

Jennifer Deal, MLIS, MA ([email protected]) is Librarian Lead, Aurora West Allis Medical Center, Ziebert Medical Library, 8901 W. Lincoln Ave, West Allis, WI 53227.

Vicki Budzisz

Vicki Budzisz, MLIS ([email protected]) is Application Support Analyst, Aurora St. Luke’s Medical Center, Medical Library, 2900 W. Oklahoma Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53215.