US Repository Network

Background: In 2021, the U.S. Repository Network was formed to promote collaboration among library and repository professionals. It is directed by a 17-member steering group and relies on input from a variety of participating libraries. USRN is an initiative supported by SPARC and the Confederation of Open Access Repositories (COAR).

Mission: USRN is an inclusive community committed to advancing repositories in the U.S. through advocacy, good practices, and community building, including all open research repositories based in the U.S. regardless of content, host, or platform.

Community over Commercialization:

“The community over commercialization theme resonates with USRN because we are all about building a community of repositories as core open access infrastructure. We have long been saying that APCs are not the way to go – and to see that spelled out so clearly is a good thing. In the US, we rely on commercial enterprise, of course, and universities benefit from industry partnerships. But we want this whole landscape to be driven by the interests of the academic community first and foremost.”

“We are trying to build a community approach to innovative new models for scholarly communication and that's all about creating a network of repositories as a foundation for those services. The reason we started the network was that there was a sense of not really having a community of people who work together on these things.”

“This focus on community is about true transformation, to have, first and foremost, the interests of the academic community, at the center. For that, the models need to change. USRN is building this foundation to facilitate the ability to have those new models as an alternative to reader paywalls and author charges.

“USRN is about community. It's meant to bring together all these people who have this common academic interest. Our job is to make sure that scholarship is as open as possible. Our job is not to make a profit.”

“We all depend on commercial entities. But the important thing for us is to retain ownership of the content and not be so dependent on a few big players.”

-Martha Whitehead, Co-Chair US Repository Network

"Science is necessary for communities to flourish. The exchange of knowledge associated with scientific research should align with the needs of the community in order for the community to advance. I have some concerns regarding the potential of corporate interests to influence the research agenda. The reason being, that corporate interests can drive research away from what is in the best interest of the public and academic communities. Also, corporate interests may foster biased outcomes of scientific research."

“USRN’s work supports equitable access to information by promoting open access repositories in the U.S. Our vision is for repositories to be interoperable, accessible to all, and reflective of knowledge produced by diverse cultures. Not everyone can afford the cost of journal subscriptions or the costs associated with article processing charges. Open access repositories provide a more affordable alternative to traditional publishing models.”

“I feel positive about the future and I believe that open access repositories can broaden access to research and enable a more level playing field. But realistically, as publishing models evolve, I believe that some for-profit interests are looking at ways to commercialize those changes. I’m glad there are organizations such as USRN and SPARC that bring awareness to the potential implications of publishing model changes.

-Vicki Coleman, Co-Chair, US Repository Network