Utilizing Open-Source and Commercial Software to Establish Digital Repositories in Academic Institutions in Underdeveloped Nations.

Abstract

Building digital libraries is not a complex or difficult process. The availability of specialized software for creating digital libraries has greatly facilitated the process, providing many advanced options for searching and browsing, as well as downloading, uploading, saving, archiving, and many other features. Greenstone is an open-source system that supports digital library building systems, while IQ CMS is a commercial system. This study presents a review of the experiences of several universities in four economically developing countries—Zimbabwe, Pakistan, Jordan, and Iraq—in using these software. The descriptive approach was used to complete this study, highlighting the negative aspects that emerged during the process of building digital libraries and repositories. The study demonstrated that the use of free and open-source software is a useful tool for creating effective and low-cost digital libraries and repositories, especially when the budget for such a project is very limited and expensive specialized software is not available.

Keywords: Greenstone, open source software, commercial softwear, digital repository, digital library.

DOI: 10.7176/IKM/15-2-02

Publication date: July 31st 2025