Open access repositories of Bangladesh: An analysis of the present status

This study examines the present status of open access repositories in Bangladesh. The main aim of the study is to find out the characteristics of open access repositories, their development scenario and ranking in web repositories as well as to recommend some suggestions for the development of open access repositories in Bangladesh. The methodology includes a quantitative approach. The data were collected from OpenDOAR from 20 to 29 August 2017. The scope of the study is confined to Bangladeshi repositories indexed in the OpenDOAR database. The findings of the study show that the Bangladeshi repositories are embodied in the Ranking of Web Repositories. The study also clearly indicates the very slow progress of open access repositories in Bangladesh. The repositories in Bangladesh listed in OpenDOAR are mostly institutional in nature. The study also reveals that a maximum number of repositories are small in terms of collection. It can be easily summarized that there is a need for public awareness regarding the concept of open access repositories in Bangladesh to support research and development. This paper is the first attempt in Bangladesh to discuss and analyze the overall scenario of open access repositories. It also suggests some recommendations for developing the open access repository system in Bangladesh which will surely add value to the future research of open access in Bangladesh