This paper presents an empirical study of expanding and extending DSpace digital repository system for an academic institution. National Taiwan University created a portal web site, the Digital Archives Resource Centre (DARC), to provide the digital archives communities with preservation base for their rich research materials, and to provide the public with a helpful information retrieval service. Several modifications and extensions for the DSpace system are made in order to integrate various database resources with different formats among university departments. In this paper, we will present our empirical case in which adjustments of the DSpace system are made in areas such as data submission, metadata mapping, digital rights management, user interface and visualization. Our discussion will be focused on the useful applications in which digital archives communities benefit from the adapted DSpace system in disseminating their contents and long-term preservation within NTU campus. We will also discuss the ways in which the users benefit from the new system for searching and using digital archives.