Background
ScholarWorks is the University of Vermont’s institutional repository. It provides open access to the university’s research, scholarship, creative work, theses, dissertations, reports, journals, and other digital materials.
For UVM Libraries, the repository is more than a technical system. It is a public showcase for the university’s academic output and a service that supports faculty, students, departments, centers, and the wider research community.
As repository needs evolved, UVM looked for a platform that could support both continuity and flexibility: continuity for existing ScholarWorks content, and flexibility for future repository workflows.
The Open Repository platform
Atmire provided UVM with a hosted Open Repository environment, including the core repository platform, infrastructure support, platform maintenance, and upgrades. This gave UVM Libraries a managed foundation for ScholarWorks without having to carry the full operational burden in-house.
The platform also supports common repository needs such as persistent identifiers, administrator support, test and production environments, and ongoing maintenance. For UVM, this means the repository can continue to evolve while remaining supported by a team with deep DSpace and repository experience.
See repository here: https://scholarworks.uvm.edu
A careful Bepress Digital Commons migration
UVM’s migration from Bepress Digital Commons required careful planning around content, workflows, and user experience.
- Preserving a familiar repository structure. ScholarWorks already had an established organization of communities and collections. UVM needed this structure to carry forward in a way that still made sense to users after the move.
- Migrating content with care. Metadata and full text needed to be moved into Open Repository in a structured, reviewable way, with space for UVM to check and refine mappings before launch.
- Protecting access to existing scholarship. Repository links are often shared in faculty profiles, course pages, library guides, search engines, and citations. UVM needed a migration approach that considered continuity for existing links.
Tools for better repository management
UVM’s Open Repository service includes features that help administrators manage content, monitor use, and improve repository quality over time.
These include advanced statistics analysis, in-browser PDF viewing, institutional single sign-on, and metadata quality tools for batch editing and duplicate detection. Together, these features support a better experience for both repository staff and end users.
For library teams, these tools make day-to-day repository work more practical. For users, they help create a smoother experience when browsing, reading, and accessing materials.
“Open Repository offers the features that the University of Vermont needs in order to share the scholarly and creative works of UVM faculty, staff and students. We’ve been able to customize individual collections and to share workflow responsibilities with different units from throughout the university.”
— Donna O’Malley, Scholarly Communication Librarian, University of Vermont
Next steps
With ScholarWorks now on Open Repository, UVM Libraries can continue refining collections, supporting campus partners, and expanding the repository’s role as a public showcase for UVM scholarship.
The new platform gives UVM a strong foundation for long-term access, local stewardship, and open dissemination of scholarly and creative work.
Repository project for you?
Planning a move from Bepress Digital Commons or looking for a more flexible repository platform? Request a call or demo with Atmire to explore the right path for your institution below.