The “Wealth of Networks” and Institutional Repositories: MIT, DSpace, and the Future of the Scholarly Commons

This article draws on Yochai Benkler’s The Wealth of Networks to examine the concept of the commons as it applies to scholarly communication, and in particular to the phenomenon of institutional repositories and how they align with evolving practices in the exchange of information. It discusses how a culture of openness at MIT is manifested in its institutional repository, DSpace, and how the MIT Libraries have transformed positions in support of scholarly publishing initiatives and the development of a scholarly commons.