Towards EPrints 3.5: repository developments, roadmap, and governance improvements

This repository showdown contribution will present EPrints developments, summarising the principal updates and functionality improvements implemented on various recent iterations (3.4+) of the software. The contribution will present the EPrints development roadmap, including details of changes since 3.4.5, including Signposting integration, improved password hashing, and privacy controls; but also introduce and demonstrate EPrints 3.5, both of which will form the basis of the showdown discussion. EPrints 3.5 represents a milestone in EPrints repository development, with superior support for Bootstrap, improved customization potential of template layouts, accessibility compliance and improved UX within both external and internal repository pages, internal search improvements, and significant database enhancements, among others. Finally, the presentation will introduce the new EPrints software governance structure and the motivation for its implementation. Unlike most other repository platforms, the EPrints community has hitherto avoided formal governance structures. However, based on the emerging GitHub Minimum Viable Governance (MVG) approach, the EPrints community adoption of MVG has improved formal decision making and coordination of community development activities. The presentation will therefore describe its operation and reflect on the success of MVG within the EPrints context, as it may inspire interest within other communities of practice.