Digital Archiving in Higher Education: The Role of Institutional Repositories in Maharashtra’s State Universities

Year : 2025 | Volume : 12 | Issue : 02 | Page : 31 36
    By

    Roshan P. Gajbhiye1,

  • Sudhir Astunkar,

  1. Librarian, Dr. Ambedkar College of Arts, Commerce and Science, Chandrapur, Maharashtra, India, ,
  2. Librarian, Vivekanand Mahavidyalaya, Bhadrawati, Maharashtra, India, ,

Abstract

Digital archiving plays a pivotal role in the preservation, organization, and dissemination of scholarly materials in the landscape of higher education. With the exponential growth of digital content and the increasing need for open access, institutional repositories (IRs) have emerged as essential platforms for ensuring the long-term accessibility, security, and visibility of academic resources. These repositories facilitate seamless academic collaboration, improve the discoverability of research outputs, and enhance the overall impact of scholarly work. Institutional repositories store and manage a wide array of digital assets, including peer-reviewed research papers, doctoral theses, dissertations, conference proceedings, datasets, institutional reports, and historical archives that reflect the intellectual output of academic institutions. This research work investigates the role of institutional repositories in state universities of Maharashtra, India. It examines how these repositories contribute to academic excellence by preserving institutional memory, supporting research visibility, and promoting knowledge sharing among scholars and researchers. Furthermore, the study explores the strategies adopted for the development and maintenance of these repositories, as well as the technological frameworks and software platforms employed (such as DSpace and EPrints). The study also addresses the challenges faced in implementation, including infrastructure limitations, policy issues, lack of skilled manpower, and low awareness among stakeholders. Through the analysis of existing repositories, case studies from selected universities, and a review of best practices, the research aims to assess the current status and propose recommendations for enhancing the effectiveness of digital archiving. The findings underscore the potential of institutional repositories to serve as powerful tools for digital preservation, academic collaboration, and sustainable knowledge management in the evolving higher education environment.

Keywords: Digital archiving, institutional repositories, higher education, Maharashtra, state universities, open access

[This article belongs to Journal of Advancements in Library Sciences ]

How to cite this article:
Roshan P. Gajbhiye1, Sudhir Astunkar. Digital Archiving in Higher Education: The Role of Institutional Repositories in Maharashtra’s State Universities. Journal of Advancements in Library Sciences. 2025; 12(02):31-36.
How to cite this URL:
Roshan P. Gajbhiye1, Sudhir Astunkar. Digital Archiving in Higher Education: The Role of Institutional Repositories in Maharashtra’s State Universities. Journal of Advancements in Library Sciences. 2025; 12(02):31-36. Available from: https://journals.stmjournals.com/joals/article=2025/view=212002


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Regular Issue Subscription Review Article
Volume 12
Issue 02
Received 01/04/2025
Accepted 01/05/2025
Published 10/05/2025
Publication Time 39 Days
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