JorumOpen: OA learning and teaching resource repository

Based on DSpace software, Jorum now offers an open access learning and teaching resource repository JorumOpen. This new service allows access to resources licensed under Creative Commons, free to anyone, worldwide. JorumOpen compliments Jorum’s original service JorumUK which although free to use by members of the UK HE and FE communities, required an institutional subscription to access and deposit resources.

Having created a number of learning objects for the repository community, the WRN thought it would be apposite, to aid further distribution, to deposit these into JorumOpen. We had already deposited them into our institutional repository CADAIR. However, when searching for the best collection within JorumOpen to deposit them in, we made a discovery- one had already been deposited! Unfortunately, several elements of the metadata record were incorrect including the depositor passing themselves off as the publisher. In fairness to JorumOpen they were extremely cooperative in trying to amend the record, eventually taking it down so that I could create a new record for the item. Evidence of a take-down policy in action!

Item records for all three of our current learning objects are now available within JorumOpen. The registration process for deposit was simple and live deposit was instant. This is a good service to recommend to any keen individuals within your institution who wish to make any of their learning objects available to the wide world if your current IR collection policy does not include resources of this type.