Online Computer Library Centre (OCLC) published a report detailing business models for sustainability of disciplinary repositories. This reports intends to provide repository managers with various sustainability strategies for disciplinary repositories to continue successful into the future. Download the full report.

The report evaluated repositories published by Webometrics July 2011 ranking of repositories and the following seven disciplinary repositories were identified -AgEcon Search, arXiv, Economists Online, E-LIS, RePEc, PubMed Central, and SSRN. These profiled repositories served as examples of business models and approaches to sustainability.

Sustainability Models

The dominant funding models described in the profile sample included - i) institutional support, ii) use-based institutional contributions, iii) support via consortium dues, iv) distributed network of volunteers, v) federal government funding, vi) decentralized arrangement, and vii) commercial “freemium” service (basic access is free; value-added services for fee)

The study revealed that most repositories use a combination of repositories and concludes by giving a number of factors that contribute to repository success.

Url for more information. http://www.oclc.org/research/publications/library/2012/2012-03.pdf