Technology mediated tools as drivers of library - researcher collaboration: the case of Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BIUST) Institutional Repository (IR)

Abstract

Research in every higher learning institution is essential for the growth of the intellectual content and elevation of the academic reputation. Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BIUST) is committed to undertake, promote and facilitate research and scholarly investigations that would accelerate Botswana economic growth. This means that all scholarly content produced by BIUST researchers should be capable of selling the institutional research capability. BIUST library has developed processes, tools and services to align the university’s research landscape with the dictates of the emerging information led revolution. This library developed technology mediated tools and used multiple interfaces to reach to users in their different environments. Strategies were developed to promote access and usage of research management tools. A flagship project in the BIUST research agenda has been the piloting of an institutional repository (IR). The newly introduced services affected and impacted library space; technologies; library users; and staff at the Directorates of Research and Information Technology. The library team also had to recreate itself so as to be able to drive the needed change. This paper presents a qualitative description of these trans-formative processes and services. The discussion briefly touches on processes involved in the introduction of both the technology mediated tools and the research data management so as to demonstrate the importance of library- researcher collaboration at all stages of conducting research. The larger part of the paper is on the IR as a main vehicle that the library intends to leverage to drive the university into the Open Access information highway. The shared experiences; conclusions and recommendations are to contribute to the global discourse on libraries as change agents in the research landscape and also to dialogue with fellow librarians on strategic positioning of people, spaces and technologies for this fourth industrial revolution