DSpace 7+ Administration, Customization, and Integration

• An understanding of web applications and server environments
• Experience with Linux command-line and database systems
• Familiarity with basic software development practices

Audience

• System administrators and repository managers
• Library IT staff and digital repository teams
• Developers customizing or integrating DSpace environments

DSpace is an open-source platform for building institutional repositories, widely used by academic, research, and cultural institutions to manage and preserve digital assets.

This instructor-led, live training (online or onsite) is aimed at intermediate-level IT staff, librarians, or developers who wish to deploy, manage, customize, and integrate DSpace 7+ in institutional or research repository environments.

By the end of this training, participants will be able to:

• Install, configure, and maintain DSpace 7+ in a production environment.
• Administer repositories, collections, and metadata with best practices.
• Customize both the frontend and backend of DSpace to suit institutional needs.
• Integrate DSpace with authentication systems, search tools, and external platforms.
• Develop extensions and troubleshoot common system issues.

Format of the Course

• Interactive lecture and discussion.
• Hands-on exercises and configuration labs.
• Live system demonstrations and guided project setup.

Course Customization Options

• To request a customized training for this course, please contact us to arrange.

Introduction to DSpace and Its Functionalities

• What is DSpace?
• DSpace 7+ architecture: backend, frontend, and REST APIs
• Workflow and structure of repositories (communities, collections, items, metadata)
• Key features, functionalities, and use cases
• Overview of the user and administrative interfaces

Installation and Configuration of DSpace 7+

• Infrastructure requirements (database, servers, dependencies)
• Installing the backend (DSpace REST API) and frontend (Angular UI)
• Initial configurations and system parameters
• Basic customization (language, appearance, permissions)
• Best practices for production environment deployment

Administration, Usage, and Monitoring of DSpace 7+

• Management of communities, collections, and items
• User roles, permissions, and access control
• Importing and exporting data and metadata (Batch Import, CSV, etc.)
• System monitoring and log management
• Backup and data recovery strategies
• System updates and environment maintenance

Development of Customizations and Plugins

• DSpace 7+ development architecture
• Frontend customization (Angular UI, layout, branding, themes)
• Backend customization (REST API, services, events)
• Developing new components, extensions, and plugins
• Best practices for DSpace development

Integration with Other Tools and Systems

• Integration with LDAP, SAML, and other authentication systems
• Connecting DSpace to external platforms (library systems, CRIS, data repositories, etc.)
• Consuming and exposing DSpace REST APIs
• Integration with indexing, search, and metrics tools (Solr, Google Scholar, etc.)
• Process automation and interoperability

Best Practices for Managing Digital Repositories

• Metadata policies and digital preservation strategies
• Effective structuring of communities and collections
• Rights management and licensing (Creative Commons, etc.)
• Accessibility, usability, and SEO for repositories
• Security and scalability strategies for repository management

Support, Maintenance, and Troubleshooting

• Diagnosing and resolving common issues
• Performance monitoring and system optimization
• Upgrade planning and version management
• Documentation and change management
• Technical support procedures for internal and external users

Summary and Next Steps

• Recap of deployment, customization, and integration workflows
• Ongoing community support and DSpace roadmap
• Recommended next steps for team skill-building and repository enhancement