Scholarship@Western Has Moved: Welcome to Western University's Open Repository
Published on July 14, 2025
Western Libraries is pleased to announce the launch of Western University’s Open Repository. Users can now find items previously hosted on Scholarship@Western, including scholarly publications and digital theses and dissertations, on a new streamlined platform.
This transition marks a major milestone in Western Libraries’ commitment to advancing open access and supporting sustainable, community-driven scholarly communication. The new platform is hosted on Scholaris, a national shared repository service developed by the Canadian Association of Research Libraries (CARL), Ontario Council of University Libraries (OCUL), and other partners, and is powered by the open-source software DSpace.
What’s New?
- A Streamlined Interface: The new repository offers a more intuitive user experience and a refined collections structure.
- Open Access Focus: The Open Repository is now more tightly focused on making open access scholarly content available to the world.
- Sustainable Infrastructure: By moving away from a commercially owned platform and working with colleagues from across the country, we're embracing a cost-effective, open-source solution aligned with our values of openness and transparency.
Submitting to the New Repository
Submissions have now resumed on the new platform. If you have materials to submit, please visit the new Open Repository and refer to these Submission Guidelines.
If you submitted materials to rsclib@uwo.ca during the migration period, our team is in the process of uploading them to the new system.
What About ETDs?
Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs) and Dissertations in Practice previously published in Scholarship@Western are now available in the Open Repository. Students who are ready to submit their thesis for final publication can now do so on the new platform. Please refer to the SGPS instructions for Submitting the Final Copy of Your Thesis. If you have questions, please contact thesis@uwo.ca.
Accessing Other Content
Some content types, such as image archives and digital scholarship projects, will be moved to alternative platforms in the new year. These materials will remain accessible on the legacy Scholarship@Western site until summer 2026. We’ll share more details as they become available.
For Collection Administrators
If you were a collection administrator for Scholarship@Western, you may submit works to the new repository using the new Submission Guidelines.
We’re excited about this new chapter and grateful for your support throughout this transition. If you have any questions or feedback, or need help navigating the new platform, please contact the Research & Scholarly Communications Team at rsclib@uwo.ca.
