1:18 p.m., Oct. 13, 2009----The University of Delaware Senior Theses collection from the Undergraduate Research Program is now available in electronic full text in the University of Delaware Library Institutional Repository, Provost Tom Apple has announced.

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The Undergraduate Research Program is part of the University of Delaware Office of Undergraduate Research and Experiential Learning, where students are engaged in transformational experiences. Growth of student engagement with research supports a core value of the University of Delaware Path to Prominence^TM.

“The availability of worldwide online access to the excellent research of students involved in the Undergraduate Research Program in the Library Institutional Repository showcases the quality of undergraduate research at the University of Delaware,” Apple said.

The Senior Theses collection begins with the work of seniors graduating in May 2009 and will continue to grow each year. The theses may be browsed online and all are full text searchable via the Library Institutional Repository.

The Library encourages University of Delaware faculty to consider placing research in digital form for which they hold or can secure the electronic rights in the Library Institutional Repository. The Undergraduate Research Office obtained permission from all students whose work appears in the Senior Theses collection.

The Library Institutional Repository is organized by a roster of “Communities.” The “Senior Theses” collection is the first in the new “Community” of the Office of Undergraduate Research and Experiential Learning -- Undergraduate Research Program.

“I am very pleased that the important collection of Senior Theses which so well reflect the high quality of student research at the University of Delaware is now available to a broader community around the world,” said Lynnette Overby, faculty director of the Office of Undergraduate Research and Experiential Learning.

She also acknowledged the work of Meg Meiman, coordinator of the Undergraduate Research Program, who initiated this project.

“The collaboration of the Undergraduate Research Program with the Library allows access to student research to faculty and students from around the world,” said Susan Brynteson, vice provost and May Morris Director of Libraries. “What a wonderful service to students and to scholarship!”

She acknowledged the work of William Simpson, senior assistant librarian, Reference Department, who coordinates the integration of new collections into the Institutional Repository, and the leadership of Sandra Millard, assistant director for Library Public Services, and Gregg Silvis, assistant director for Library Computing Systems, who co-manage the Institutional Repository.

The University of Delaware Institutional Repository is a library system that uses DSpace open-source software to make University of Delaware original research available in digital form, including technical reports, working papers, conference papers, images, maps and more, through one interface. The Institutional Repository is limited to materials for which the copyright or electronic rights are owned by the author or the University.

Information about placing research in the Institutional Repository is available by calling the administrative office of the library at (302) 831-2231 or by sending an e-mail to Sandra Millard, assistant director for Library Public Services, at [skm@udel.edu]; Gregg Silvis, assistant director for Library Computing Systems, at [gregg@udel.edu]; or William Simpson, senior assistant librarian, Reference Department, at [wsimpson@udel.edu].