Effectiveness of Institutional Repositories in Preserving Research Output of University of Port Harcourt

This study assessed the effectiveness of the institutional repository at the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, South South Nigeria, in preserving and disseminating research outputs. Institutional repositories serve as permanent digital archives for the scholarly work produced by universities, contributing to the global open access movement and ensuring the long-term availability of institutional knowledge. A descriptive survey design was adopted, and data were collected from academic staff, postgraduate students, and library staff through structured questionnaires. The study found that the repository contained a limited proportion of the institution's total research output and that deposit rates were low due to inadequate awareness among faculty, concerns about copyright, and absence of mandatory self-archiving policies. The repository was functional but infrequently updated. The study recommended that the institution implement a mandatory open access policy, train academic staff on self-archiving procedures, and appoint a dedicated digital repository librarian to manage content and advocate for wider use. Keywords: institutional repository, research output, University of Port Harcourt, open access, digital preservation.