Dspace – Preserving Information with Digital Technology

The methods of preserving information using modern technology are still not widely known in our country. Universities, government and private organizations, NGOs, and privately owned institutions all possess large amounts of information, such as documents, manuscripts, photographs, audio, video, and more—all of which are highly valuable for the country and its people. Various universities have different types of research papers, research materials, publications, and brochures that are necessary not only for themselves but also for teachers and students in other institutions. Often, students struggle to collect these resources. Many times, crucial information is unavailable when needed. Moreover, research results from one university might be needed by professionals at other universities and in different fields, which can lead to further complications. The solution to such problems lies in using modern technology at a low cost. One such modern preservation system is the Dspace software. Dspace is a software solution where any university or organization’s important reports, documents, audio/video files can be digitally archived and accessed from anywhere in the world with an internet connection.

What is Dspace?

Dspace is an open-source software package. It can digitally preserve many types of data. Known as an Institutional Repository, Dspace is capable of storing various types of material, such as audio, video, or any kind of text and PDF files. All information stored in Dspace can be easily shared through the internet. It allows the creation of indexes so users can effortlessly find the information they need. Digital information can be preserved for extended periods. Dspace organizes research papers, publications, and similar materials in a very attractive and orderly fashion, making them even easier and more appealing to use in the future.

Dspace was developed in 2002 through a joint initiative of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Hewlett-Packard (HP). Currently, it is used by more than 240 organizations worldwide. In Dspace, you can archive any type of information, such as research papers, 3D digital images, movies, videos, research materials, published brochures, and more.

Because Dspace is open source, anyone can use it for any organization and modify or customize it according to their needs.

How is information preserved in Dspace?

Dspace is very easy to use. You can use web browsers such as Internet Explorer, Mozilla, or Firefox to store or access information. To store data, you need to provide details such as the type of information, its name, role, published data, etc., which is known as metadata.

What are the benefits of using Dspace?

The biggest advantage is that it is completely free, and you can use it as you wish. To use it, you need some technical knowledge, a server computer, and a domain name with an IP address. If you want to set up your own server, you will need a server computer with an IP address, or you can purchase any web server and install Dspace on it. Dspace allows any organization to use their preserved digital content much more conveniently than before. Its search engine is very advanced. There are multiple search methods. Since Dspace is an internet-based open-source software, information can be shared and accessed with other institutions from anywhere in the world. Here are some additional benefits of Dspace:

1. Research results can be disseminated worldwide very quickly.

2. Syllabi, educational materials, and teachers’ lectures can be archived for students’ study purposes.

3. Archived data can also be displayed on personal websites.

4. Students’ research papers or projects can be stored.

5. Personal publications or published books can be stored.

6. Along with publications or published books, images, films, and videos can also be stored.

Who can use Dspace?

As Dspace is open-source software, any educational institution, government, semi-government, or private institution, research organization, or even individuals for personal information archiving can use Dspace.

How to install Dspace?

Installing Dspace is not very complicated, but some technical knowledge is required. You can download the Dspace software and the installation guide from the Dspace website and follow the instructions to install it. The following software components are required before installing Dspace:

Apache-Ant

Java

Jakarta-Tomcat web server

Postgresql

Java-Postgresql-jdbc driver

And finally, Dspace software itself

For more details, you can visit the Dspace website (www.dspace.org).

Md. Kamal Parvez email: [email protected]

Firoz Alam email: [email protected]

Reference:
www.dspace.org

http://www.hp.com/hpinfo/newsroom/press/2007/070717a.html

http://www.news.com/2100-7344_3-6197345.html