The University Library in cooperation with Elsevier launched the University Knowledge Digital Repository (UKDR) as the official institutional repository (IR) of the knowledge outputs and historical materials of the UPLB. Three series of webinars were conducted last July 21, 23, and 28, 2021 via Zoom for the library staff, students, faculty, and researchers as part of the launching.

Memorandum No. 023 Series of 2014 was issued by former Chancellor, Rex Victor O. Cruz designating the University Special Collections (USCS) Section of the Main Library as the University Knowledge Repository Center of all UPLB Publications; the Section ensures that all publications can always be accessible, retrievable, and available.

The UKDR uses a hosted platform from Elsevier’s Digital Commons (DC). Digital Commons is a hosted solution to openly publish, manage, and showcase the full spectrum of the institution’s research and scholarship. The cloud-hosted IR software also features a professional-grade publishing platform for journals, conference proceedings, open educational resources, books, campus newsletters, and magazines.  

Training for librarians and library staff in providing historical and technical backgrounds of the UKDR with the title, “Introduction to UKDR: UPLB Institutional Repository”, was conducted on the first series of the webinar. Ms. Maria Victoria R. Altiche, Head librarian of the USCS, and Mr. Aaron Doran, Consultant of BePress, Elsevier, served as resource speakers. The former talked about the history and purpose of the UKDR, while the latter discussed the different methods on how to populate contents, navigating the platform, and policies and procedures that pertain to accessing and submitting works to UKDR.

On the second series of the webinar which entitled “Managing and Accessing University Publications: an Introduction to the UPLB University Knowledge Digital Repository,” placed the discussion of the UKDR through DC that supports academic teaching and online learning using wider dissemination and increased visibility. Ms. Priyanka Chatterjee, Software Solutions Manager of Elsevier, highlighted the fundamentals of IR principles, concepts, and background that are useful to support the University’s scholarly activities. Ms. Rosa Salvacion R. Bombales, College Librarian from the USCS, showcased a walk-through on how to navigate the platform with the link https://www.ukdr.uplb.edu.ph/and how the users can perform basic digital repository skills.

The final day of the webinar was conducted again by Mr. Aaron Doran with the title, “Building Your Research Profile with UKDR.” He performed hands-on training for the participants in submitting and depositing their scholarly and creative works to UKDR. The discussion was followed by an open forum wherein the speaker addressed the questions regarding the repository, especially on Copyright Law or Intellectual Property Rights

Chancellor Jose V. Camacho, Jr. graced the opening program and expressed her commendation in the University Library’s efforts and initiatives for the UKDR as a very timely tool since the university has switched to flexible remote learning and as a milestone for the university community.

Ms. Concepcion DL. Saul, the university librarian, who formally closed the program, also expressed her gratitude for presenting to the UPLB constituents the UKDR as the new digital platform to store all UPLB generated knowledge. (Meichelle Ann Jenine Rivas)