PCG Academia has signed an agreement with the Jagiellonian University in Kraków to implement the latest version of the digital repository DSpace 7. Under the agreement, PCG Academia will install DSpace 7 on the university’s servers, integrate DSpace 7 with SAP, USOS and Sciencecloud systems, as well as design and implement a new, attractive user interface. This will be the first stage of a project aimed at replacing the open source engine on which the Jagiellonian University Repository (RUJ) is currently based.

The order will be completed in a record time of 21 days from signing the contract with the University and it will be the first implementation of DSpace 7 on the Polish educational market.

What is DSpace?

DSpace is open source software used by over 2,000 research institutions, including some of the world’s top universities such as Princeton, Cambridge, and Humboldt Universities (full list of DSpace users here). Designed in 2002 by MIT and Hewlett-Packard, DSpace is developed and maintained by an international community of companies and experts through which universities can obtain a free license to use it. Most commonly, DSpace is used as a tool to enable open access to and management of scholarly output in academic libraries and other higher education institutions.

What’s new in DSpace 7?

DSpace 7 is the long-awaited successor to the widely used DSpace 6, whose main features include:

  • Modern, responsive user interface based on Angular and Bootstrap technologies;
  • Extensively redesigned, self-documenting REST API integration interface;
  • Advanced configuration features that enable to build journal hierarchies and map the organizational structure of the university (departmental context);
  • New workflows with easy drag-and-drop functionality and automatic extraction of metadata from commonly used formats such as PDF.

PCG Academia’s experience

Since 2019, PCG Academia has been working closely with the Jagiellonian Library and is responsible for the development and maintenance of the Jagiellonian University Repository (RUJ) based on DSpace. To this end, PCG Academia created a dedicated team specializing in the use of DSpace technology to build university repositories.

Since 2021, PCG Academia is a certified partner of LYRASIS, a non-profit organization developing DSpace and a number of other products such as Fedora or VIVO. This means that PCG Academia works closely with the community responsible for the development and popularization of the DSpace repository in Poland and worldwide. Thanks to this, we have direct access to knowledge about upcoming updates, new features, or technical support. We also have the opportunity to contribute to activities aimed at technological development and popularization of DSpace among universities.

Our services

PCG Academia offers the following services related to the launch and use of DSpace:

  • Software installation and configuration in any environment indicated by the university (on-premises, private cloud, public cloud), or
  • Updating an existing instance of the repository, including transferring data, functionalities and integrations made individually at the university;
  • Design and development of the user interface, adapted to the university’s graphic identity and brand book;
  • DSpace integration with other systems at the university, including ERP systems, OJS/OMP/OCS, and also with user authentication systems, e.g. CAS, LDAP, Active Directory, or Azure AD;
  • Design and implementation of new functionalities on individual request of the university;
  • Backup and archiving of data stored within the repository, also using distributed cloud technology;
  • Maintenance and development, including an agreed package of hours and response times to requests recorded in the JIRA system.

Contact and more information

PCG Academia offers a free quote for projects aimed at implementing or updating the repository of scientific publications based on DSpace 7. You are welcome to contact us by phone: +48 17 777 37 00 or by e-mail: info@pcgacademia.pl