Enhancing Content Discovery of Open Repositories: An Analytics-Based Evaluation of Repository Optimizations

Macgregor, G., 2020. Enhancing Content Discovery of Open Repositories: An Analytics-Based Evaluation of Repository Optimizations. Publications 8, 8. https://doi.org/10.3390/publications8010008 Ensuring open repositories fulfil the discovery needs of both human and machine users is of growing importance and essential to validate the continued relevance of open repositories to users, and as nodes within open scholarly communication infrastructure. Following positive preliminary results reported elsewhere, this submission analyses the longer-term impact of a series of discovery optimization approaches deployed on an open repository. These approaches were designed to enhance content discovery and user engagement, thereby improving content usage. Using Strathprints, the University of Strathclyde repository as a case study, this article will briefly review the techniques and technical changes implemented and evaluate the impact of these changes by studying analytics relating to web impact, COUNTER usage and web traffic over a 4-year period.