Features and options

Owned by Kristi Park
Last updated: Dec 11, 2023
2 min read

Features enabled by default

The following features are available with any TDL-hosted DSpace repository:
  • Each DSpace site has its own custom theme based on an out-of-the-box DSpace theme, branded according to your institutional color values.
  • Browse and Discover menus. The Discover search feature allows for filtered/faceted searches within DSpace. See Default Browse and Discover menus
  • Usage statistics: TDL supplements UI-based statistics in DSpace with monthly enhanced usage reports delivered via email to repository managers.
  • Google Analytics enabled
  • Bulk Metadata Editing. The maximum number of items that can be edited at once is 500 by default.
  • OAI-PMH interface: This allows for external systems to harvest metadata via OAI-PMH and link to content in your site.
  • SWORD (v1) interface: This allows for external systems to deposit content via the SWORD protocol (after authenticating)
  • Embedded Media player
  • Persistent links (“handles”) using open standard
  • Integration via Shibboleth with local authentication systems
  • Thesis and dissertation collection metadata harvested into Federated ETD Collection in the TDL Repository
  • All other standard "out-of-the-box" DSpace features (except where noted below)

Features disabled by default

The following features are disabled by default in TDL-hosted DSpace repositories but may be enabled by request.
  • Ability to assign Creative Commons licenses to Items during deposit.
  • Ability to attach embargoes to new item submissions that would automatically expire after a specified date
  • Replication Task Suite (available only to TDL Digital Preservation Service members): This set of tools packages items in Archival Information Packages and integrates with DuraCloud to enable long-term digital preservation of repository contents. See Digital Preservation of DSpace Content for more.
  • Public visibility of some Usage statistics (Information about downloads and views can be displayed per item/collection/community.)
  • Item Level Versioning. This feature lets you version Items within DSpace.

Other permissible customizations

  • Changes to  Default item view may include updates to labels, and additions or removals of metadata fields that appear in this view
  • Changes to Discover search facets or Browse menu items available in sidebar menu (e.g. addition of metadata fields as browsing facets) (See Default Browse and Discover menus)
  • Updates, additions, or removal of metadata fields in submission workflow.
  • Changes to the logo or theme colors.
  • Changes to the default submission license.
  • Changes to the homepage introductory text.
  • Access restrictions for specific Collections based on institutional affiliation.
  • Other - when in doubt, ask TDL via the Helpdesk (support@tdl.org)

Restrictions on customizations

Texas Digital Library staff handle the installation, maintenance, and upgrades of the DSpace code and the system it runs on as part of the hosted and managed Digital Repository service.

Users of TDL's hosted repository service are not allowed to make direct changes to the code of their DSpace site (though members may request theme changes or similar via the TDL Helpdesk). Additionally, TDL staff will not make customizations to any one of its hosted sites that would take it out of alignment with the code base of its other hosted DSpace sites.


These restrictions on customized code  and on member access to the DSpace code are in place for  a couple of reasons:

  • First, because customized code complicates the upgrade process for each site, making it potentially difficult for TDL to perform upgrades;
  • Second, because allowing members to have direct server access (e.g. via SSH) can be a security concern as TDL may run several sites on a single server.