A University Library Creates a Digital Repository for Documenting and Disseminating Community Engagement

Digital repositories are new tools for documenting the accumulated scholarly work produced at academic institutions and disseminating that material broadly via the internet. Digital repositories support all file types and can be adapted to meet the custom design specifications of individual institutions. A section for community engagement initiatives was created within ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst, the digital repository for University of Massachusetts Amherst. Collected materials can provide a comprehensive record of partnerships, results, and products that advance institutional goals while facilitating the development of individual academic portfolios. This innovative application of library science allows community engagement to be appropriately valued as the central organizing component of diverse academic activities.