productsandservices.htm [OCLC]

The latest release of CONTENTdm provides innovative new features that improve and simplify every aspect of digital collection development, management and delivery

By Bob Murphy

CONTENTdm software provides a complete set of tools to store, manage and deliver digital collections—such as historical documents, photos, newspapers, audio and video—on the Web.

Newest features include:

Fast multiple document entry

Increased security for items and collections to better protect copyrighted or other restricted materials

Detailed reports that show how online items and collections are being used

Additional digital repository features

Links to WorldCat for worldwide visibility of digital collections

“Digitization of materials in libraries, historical societies and other archive agencies offers an exciting opportunity for these organizations to add value to their collections and provide access to their unique holdings,” said Greg Zick, President of DiMeMa Inc., creator of CONTENTdm software.

Images are courtesy of Central Florida Memory and the LOUISiana Digital Library and are from their digital collections.

CONTENTdm is used by hundreds of libraries and other institutions to manage thousands of collections. The new version, released in June, was developed in close consultation with CONTENTdm user groups and adds features to an already robust and easy-to-use software suite.

“CONTENTdm has provided the cornerstone for our digital collections since 2000,” said Kenning Arlitsch, Head of Digital Technologies, University of Utah, which has created remarkably rich digital collections with CONTENTdm software.

“We have used CONTENTdm to create and manage nearly 4 million digital objects of nearly every format, including books, documents, photographs, art prints, maps, newspapers and video clips,” said Arlitsch. “CONTENTdm has also provided the technical infrastructure for the Utah–Nevada partnership known as the Mountain West Digital Library, and for the multistate Western Waters Digital Library. I am constantly impressed by the innovation and continuing evolution of CONTENTdm, and look forward to the new features in the new version.”

In 2004, Rodman Public Library, in Alliance, Ohio, established the Alliance Memory digital collection using CONTENTdm software. The library partnered with a variety of historical, educational and service organizations to ensure the project’s success. The project was selected as an Exemplary Program for the Library Services and Technology Act 2004 Program Report to the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

“It was easy to set up and get our project started using CONTENTdm software,” said Karen Perone, Systems Librarian, Rodman Public Library. “The software was so easy to use, it allowed us to concentrate our efforts on the content of our project instead of the technology.”

“Our site has generated a lot of enthusiasm and interest from the community, in large part because Alliance is a city rich in historical information,” said Perone. “The Alliance Memory site is fast becoming a great source of pride in our community.”

CONTENTdm is distributed by OCLC. Metadata for many of these digital collections is being added to WorldCat, the world’s largest database of items held in libraries. Once in WorldCat, special collection items can be discovered by searching the database or through popular search engines like Google and Yahoo! Search as part of the OCLC Open WorldCat program.

“OCLC is encouraging more libraries and other organizations to contribute metadata to the database to make it a bigger, better WorldCat,” said Phyllis B. Spies, Vice President, OCLC Collection Services.“CONTENTdm makes it possible for libraries to contribute valuable information about their unique collections to WorldCat. These unique items add tremendous value to WorldCat, and to the worldwide research and library communities it serves.”