The University of Tennessee is launching a service that will promote and preserve the university’s scholarly and creative work in a universally accessible digital repository.

“Trace, the Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange, will promote the visibility and permanence of the UT community’s research, scholarship and creative activity,” said Barbara Dewey, dean of the UT Libraries.

“Trace will provide global access to UT’s scholarly and creative output. The collective excellence of our faculty and students will be highlighted with every click on the website,” Dewey said.

Trace content may include technical reports, grant proposals, digital media, campus publications, conference proceedings, extension service publications, and internal archives, as well as scholarly work published in peer-reviewed journals and books when copyright permits. Works deposited receive the same stewardship as other resources in the university’s growing digital library.

The UT Office of Research, the Science Alliance, and the Office of the Provost are cooperating with UT Libraries to sponsor the repository. The Berkeley Electronic Press Digital Commons platform will host the service for the first three years.

“The program offers a collaborative digital space for university communities to explore new forms of scholarship and make their work discoverable,” said Brad Fenwick, UT vice chancellor for research and engagement. “Our researchers and scholars will possess a substantial advantage in conducting cutting-edge research, delivering high-quality teaching, and contributing valuable services to society.”

“We are thrilled the University of Tennessee, Knoxville chose the Digital Commons platform and confident that they will build a strong library publishing program and vibrant research showcase,” says Jean-Gabriel Bankier, president of Bepress. “From engaging stakeholders to identifying sources of unique content on campus, the library has been doing everything right to ready themselves for a strong launch. UT recognizes the strategic importance of an institutional repository as a key component in the overall mission of the university.”

The university’s Science Alliance director and project partner, Jesse Poore, notes, “UT is the hub of a vibrant research community that includes Oak Ridge National Laboratory, UT System campuses and diverse institutes. Trace increases access to primary source data valuable for communication across disciplines.”

Benefits of a university digital repository include:

• Showcases the university’s research accomplishments
• Promotes the university
• Increases access to the university’s intellectual capital
• Enables collaborative research and communication among scholars
• Preserves digital resources generated at the university
• Availability of Bepress technical staff for training and assistance

More information about Trace is available from Linda Phillips (llphillips@utk.edu), professor and head of scholarly communication at UT Libraries.