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*** Apologies if you have received this message more than once*** Dear All, In the rapidly evolving repository landscape a unified approach and implementation of repositories is needed to ensure high level interoperability and retrieval of content. DRIVER is an EU-funded project which provides such a unified approach and is leading the way as the largest initiative of its kind helping to enhance repository development worldwide (www.driver-support.eu/about.html). Researchers and other users of digital information systems have high expectations for the provision of digital content. Retrieval should be fast, direct, and versatile. Ideally, retrieval of full text should be just one click away. The current state of institutional repositories does not fully support these expectations. While many valuable services have been established to search and retrieve bibliographic records (metadata), the resource itself is sometimes hidden behind several intermediate pages; obscured by authorization procedures; not fully presented; or not retrievable at all. DRIVER approaches this challenge by harvesting and processing the aggregated data and by working with service providers and developers of leading repository software. Repository managers can benefit from DRIVER by ensuring that their repositories are compliant with the DRIVER Guidelines. The DRIVER Guidelines are based on the DINI certification in Germany and DARE guidelines in the Netherlands with requirements specific to those networks removed. DRIVER partners involved in other repository networks, such as HAL in France and SHERPA in the UK, provided additional input to ensure that the DRIVER Guidelines are suitable for implementation by the entire European repository community. The DRIVER Guidelines, Annexes and advice on their implementation are available from the DRIVER Support website http://www.driver-support.eu/en/guidelines.html The DRIVER Guidelines helpdesk is available to assist you with any queries you may have: [log in to unmask] Any repository or network of repositories can join the growing DRIVER community and, if compliant with the Guidelines, can be included in the DRIVER infrastructure and services. Hence, by joining DRIVER, your repository will be part of an ambitious and important project for the global repository community while the DRIVER Guidelines and technical infrastructure themselves are expected to influence the development of repositories and associated services worldwide. But, most important, by joining DRIVER the content of your repository will become more visible for the scientific community and your institution will get more exposure. DRIVER is a high quality service that will be developed further in the next 2 years by a committed and growing European consortium. DRIVE in! PS. Don't forget to send us an email when you want to join the DRIVER community. Just send an email with "yes" in the subject line to [log in to unmask] and we will contact you. This message has been checked for viruses but the contents of an attachment may still contain software viruses, which could damage your computer system: you are advised to perform your own checks. Email communications with the University of Nottingham may be monitored as permitted by UK legislation.