Institutional Open Repository Approach in Accessing and Sharing Scientific Knowledge: The Case of Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University

Abstract

The aim of this study is to determine the level of awareness of Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University (AYBU) academicians in terms of open access, open science and institutional open repository and to develop recommendations for more effective utilization of the institutional open repository. Moreover, it is also aimed to develop and expand the use of the AYBU’s open access policy in the light of new developments in open science. Within the scope of this research, the description method was carried out and a questionnaire was used as a data collection tool. The survey was sent to 1,152 academicians working in the AYBU in 2018; and 225 academicians answered it. Collected data analyzed with the IBM SPSS Statistics Package. The results of the study showed the level of awareness of academicians about open access and the level of utilization of the AYBU institutional open repository were found out low. However, it was depicted by the results that the majority of the academicians actively benefited from Internet technologies in accessing information and supported the idea of access to information with no charge. Nevertheless, the rate of supporters of open access to information is higher than those who want to share the information they produce with open access. It was also found out that the vast majority of academicians want to be informed about the institutional open repositories. It can be claimed that it is necessary for the AYBU management to cooperate with the Department of Library and Documentation to inform academicians of AYBU about the institutional open repository. They should be supported and encouraged by the management for the use of open repositories. Sustainability of information activities and inclusion in the continuing education process will lead to a more functional progress of the process.