Institutions wishing to disseminate their scholarship on a wide scale have influenced the need for institutional repositories (IR). These repositories Show moreInstitutions wishing to disseminate their scholarship on a wide scale have influenced the need for institutional repositories (IR). These repositories provide institutions the opportunity to display and preserve what they have to offer in an open access environment. The University of Louisiana at Lafayette (UL Lafayette) had attempted to adopt an IR for years and finally achieved this goal. Many issues impacted the adoption, including funding, deciding on the appropriate platform solutions, and marketing the need for contributions from faculty and university administration. There is much optimism for the IR, as it is also included in the university’s Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) accreditation to disseminate undergraduate student research. While there is still much more to accomplish, the university’s Edith Garland Dupré Library is taking steps to ensure the IR’s success. This article will discuss the history of the UL Lafayette’s institutional repository adoption, factors that influenced the platform decision, plans for its usage regarding undergraduate research, and anticipated challenges moving forward. Show less
