New Free Platform Aims To Ease Sharing of Digital Collections

A new Web platform for publishing collections and exhibitions online got a nod of fame last week when it was referenced in The Washington Times profile of George Mason University's Center for History and New Media, which the paper called "at the forefront of the new wave of collecting history." The free, open-source platform is named Omeka, a Swahili word meaning "to display or lay out goods or wares; to speak out; to spread out; to unpack."

The goals of the development effort are to create a platform that lets users publish Web content with a system that is low-cost and easy to use; to provide a standards-based, interoperable system that allows users to share and use digital content in multiple ways; and to facilitate the building of communities around objects and primary sources.

Omeka, which is currently undergoing private beta testing, includes the following features:

  • A metadata structure and standards-based design that is accessible and interoperable.
  • Professional-looking exhibit sites that showcase collections without hiring outside designers.
  • Theme-switching for changing the look and feel of an exhibit in a few clicks.
  • Plugins for geolocation and bi-lingual sites.
  • Tagging to enable users to add keywords to items in a collection or exhibit.
  • Blogging to allow the site to keep in touch with users through timely postings about collections and events.
  • Syndicating to keep users updated about content with RSS feeds.

The Center is working with the Minnesota Historical Society to plan, design, test, evaluate and disseminate Omeka in four phases through September 2010. It will be released under General Public License, version 2.

About the Author

Dian Schaffhauser is a former senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal, Campus Technology and Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • From Fire TV to Signage Stick: University of Utah's Digital Signage Evolution

    Jake Sorensen, who oversees sponsorship and advertising and Student Media in Auxiliary Business Development at the University of Utah, has navigated the digital signage landscape for nearly 15 years. He was managing hundreds of devices on campus that were incompatible with digital signage requirements and needed a solution that was reliable and lowered labor costs. The Amazon Signage Stick, specifically engineered for digital signage applications, gave him the stability and design functionality the University of Utah needed, along with the assurance of long-term support.

  • digital network with glowing blue and red lines, featuring multiple red arrows shifting in different directions

    Report: Attackers Change Tactics as Ransomware Payoffs Decline

    Attackers are changing tactics as they collect less money from ransomware payoffs, according to a new report from Chainalysis, a blockchain analytics firm.

  • SXSW EDU

    Explore the Future of AI in Higher Ed at SXSW EDU 2025

    This March 3-6 in Austin, TX, the SXSW EDU Conference & Festival celebrates its 15th year of exploring education's most critical issues and providing a forum for creativity, innovation, and expression.

  • business leader standing confidently amid interconnected gears

    Leading Through Complexity: How Online Leaders Can Drive Digital Institutional Transformation

    Leaders charged with developing and expanding online programs at their institutions are finding themselves in increasingly complex roles, but there are a few core steps institutional leaders can take to ensure success.