Digital repositories and their associated services: from capacity building to sustainability

At the time of writing this chapter the Irish National Digital Learning Resources (NDLR)service may be incorporated into the National Forum for the Enhancement of Teachingand Learning in Higher Education. The capacity for a service such as the NDLR has beenproven; now it remains to be seen how it can be sustained. The NDLR was establishedas a collaborative pilot service project in 2004 largely by the University sector withlittle representation from the Institutes of Technologies. By 2006, the NDLR had grownconsiderably as 21 of the Irish institutions of higher education became involved. By 2010,many members were registering from organisations outside of the 21 main institutions ofhigher education in Ireland. These organisations included other educational institutionsand bodies in the wider public sector. This chapter will provide an overview of OpenEducational Resources (OERs) and the NDLR service in the context of the role that OERservices can play in teaching and learning at higher level. It will also explore the legacyof the NDLR and the issues around its sustainability in a changing higher educationlandscape.