A temporal analysis of institutional repository research

Due to the vast array of fields that use or have used institutional repositories, and the varying degrees of technology used, it is important to identify the development of the field, institutional repositories, in order to understand the breadth and depth of studies involved. This longitudinal study of the subject terms associated with published journal articles allows for a clearer understanding of the field of institutional repositories as it developed, evolved, and changed over time. This study’s uniqueness lies in its longitudinal nature, and its use of information visualization, multidimensional scaling, and parallel coordinate analysis provide information regarding the field of institutional repositories. The multidimensional scaling and parallel coordinate analysis in conjunction with temporal analysis reveal that institutional repositories transitioned through several development phases. Future studies of institutional repositories will most likely discover evaluation tactics and potential guidelines, resulting in a need for additional case studies. Observations from the parallel coordinate analysis reveal three major themes. The first theme is the maturity of institutional repositories as a field over time, the second is the fluctuation and developmental status of institutional repositories until 2010–2013 (Period IV), and the third theme is the emergence of the discipline information science and library science as the strong generator of institutional repository research. Through the visualization and temporal analysis, information was gained regarding the history, development, and future studies within institutional repositories.