A collaborative effort by OpenAIRE, LIBER, SPARC Europe, and COAR has resulted in a comprehensive report shedding light on the state of repositories in Europe. Released in response to the paradigm shift brought about by Open Science, the report emphasizes the crucial role of repositories in providing researchers with unparalleled access to an extensive corpus of research for analysis, text and data mining, and other innovative research methods.
In the spring of 2023, the four organizations conducted a survey to assess the European repository landscape. The findings underscored that European repositories collectively acquire, preserve, and provide open access to tens or possibly hundreds of millions of invaluable research outputs. Serving as indispensable, not-for-profit infrastructure, these repositories play a critical role in shaping the European open science landscape. They are positioned to support the expansion of open science practices and contribute to the ongoing reform of research assessment across the continent.
While acknowledging the pivotal role played by European repositories, the survey identified key areas for improvement to ensure the network is robust and capable of meeting the evolving needs of the research community. Three primary areas were highlighted: Software Platforms: The importance of maintaining up-to-date, highly functioning software platforms was emphasized to enhance the overall efficiency and effectiveness of the repository network; Good Practices: Ensuring the application of consistent and comprehensive good practices, particularly in terms of metadata, preservation, and usage statistics, emerged as a critical factor for strengthening the repository landscape; and Visibility: Gaining appropriate visibility in the scholarly ecosystem was identified as an area where improvements could significantly contribute to the impact and reach of European repositories.
The survey findings provide essential data that will serve as the foundation for a joint strategy to enhance and strengthen European repositories. Over the coming months, stakeholders will collaborate to develop a strategic plan aimed at addressing the identified areas of improvement and ensuring that European repositories remain at the forefront of supporting open science initiatives.
This report not only highlights the current state of repositories in Europe but also sets the stage for collaborative efforts to fortify these essential components of the open science infrastructure.
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