Institutional Repositories: Catalysts for Open Access and Knowledge Preservation

Institutional repositories (IRs) have become essential infrastructures within academic and research institutions. They collect, preserve, and disseminate the intellectual output of institutions in digital format, thereby enhancing the visibility and accessibility of scholarly work. This paper examines the concept, development, components, benefits, challenges, and global impact of institutional repositories. It highlights their role in the open access movement, academic publishing ecosystem, and knowledge preservation. The assignment also provides case studies of successful IR implementations and concludes with suggestions for future improvement and sustainability.