ERA (Education & Research Archive)

Business Profile

Core Value Proposition

ERA (Education & Research Archive) provides open access to University of Alberta research, enabling global sharing and discovery of scholarly outputs.

Target Customer

Researchers, students, educators, librarians, and members of the public seeking access to University of Alberta research; onboarding via login/registration for site use.

Key Differentiator

Open access institutional repository backed by the University of Alberta, with long-term digital preservation and credibility from collaborations with national/international preservation networks; platform powered by DSpace for institutional repositories.

Implementation Timeline

Value is available immediately via web access; ongoing content updates occur as new items are submitted and indexed (evidenced by Recent Submissions and open access items).

Pain Points

1Need for open, widely accessible access to university research outputs.
2Need for long-term preservation of digital research content.
3Need for organized discovery and navigation of research across multiple communities and collections.

Key Features

1Open Access repository hosting research outputs, theses, textbooks, and other materials.
2Browse by communities and collections; search functionality; ERA statistics for visibility.
3Recent Submissions showcasing ongoing content additions and new open resources.
4User accounts with login/registration for access and potential submissions.
5Technical credibility with the repository powered by DSpace software and backed by preservation partnerships.

Target Customer Industries

Decision Makers

1Librarian
2Director of Library Services
3IT/Systems Librarian
4Research Data Manager

Client Results

1Increased access to University of Alberta research outputs.
2Improved discoverability of collections and research through structured communities/collections and statistics.
3Long-term preservation of digital content.

Competitive Advantages

1Open access repository enabling global reach of university research.
2Long-term digital preservation through a trusted institutional platform.
3Credibility and interoperability through collaboration with national/international preservation networks and organizations.
4Structured browsing by communities and collections enhances discoverability.

Key Benefits

1Open access to research outputs.

2Enhanced discoverability via communities and collections.

3Long-term preservation of digital content.

4Credible, university-backed hosting with preservation partnerships.

Additional Product Information

Product Description

An institutional repository for the University of Alberta’s research outputs, designed to provide open access to theses, articles, textbooks, and other educational resources; features include browsing by communities/collections, open submissions, and long-term preservation.

Target Market

Universities, libraries, researchers, educators, students, and the general public seeking access to Alberta’s research and educational resources.

Unique Value Proposition

Open access, long-term preservation, and community-driven discovery for a major research university, supported by a robust preservation ecosystem and a widely accessible digital repository.

Technical Requirements

DSpace-based repository (library platform); web access with optional login/registration for certain features.

Pricing Model

Not specified in content; access appears open/open-access offerings.

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