History
The Alliance Digital Repository (ADR) is a consortial digital repository service offered by the Colorado Alliance of Research Libraries to Member institutions and affiliates. Initiated at the request of Alliance Members and positioned to be as broadly applicable as possible, the ADR is in a state of constant development, building on open source platforms and establishing a preservation-oriented system, with periodic releases reflecting enhancements to the core software and functionality behind the ADR.
In October 2006, following more than two years of due diligence by the Alliance Institutional Repository Investigation Taskforce (IRIT) and recommendations from Alliance Member Council, the Alliance Board of Directors voted to support a draw on the Alliance investment portfolio of $445,000 to self-fund an initial 20 month start-up period of ADR services. In July of 2008, this funding will be exhausted and continuing support of the ADR service will be secured through the annual Alliance Member assessment.
By early 2007, the Alliance hired a project director and software engineer to be the administrative and technical leads for the ADR. A committee of representatives from member libraries was formed to provide guidance during the development and implementation period, as well as several working groups focused on policies, metadata, and electronic theses and dissertation support within the ADR. Dedicated hardware was purchased and installed at the Alliance offices; and the ADR staff began developing an alpha repository prototype, building on Fedora and Fez open source repository software.
In June 2007, the Alliance released ADR Beta – a preview of the services and functions of the ADR to come – for member library consideration and prototyping. ADR Beta was available through December 2007 and offered a provisional foundation for members to begin to build their
In September 2007, the ADR was included as part of the technological infrastructure in an IMLS grant awarded to Denver Public Library to digitize, provide access to, and preserve city and county records and historical materials. Also in September, ADR Policies 1.0 was completed and presented to Member Council and, later, the Board for approval.
In March 2008, the Alliance released a “production-ready” version of ADR, pending the finalization of legal agreements and institution-branded interfaces.
