General Questions

What is CONTENTdm?
CONTENTdm is a software package that is used by individual libraries and library consortia such as CARLI to store and provide access to digital versions of primary source materials. CONTENTdm provides a means of making a wide variety of media types including images, journals, books, audio and video files, maps, and newspapers accessible for search and display on a typical personal computer with an Internet connection and a web browser.
CONTENTdm is a product of OCLC (http://www.oclc.org/contentdm/default.htm). CARLI purchased a license for CONTENTdm in 2005.
What options are available for using CONTENTdm in our library?
There are several options. If you simply want to view materials purchased by the CARLI consortium or view collections created by other CARLI libraries, you can search the CARLI Digital Collections on the CARLI CONTENTdm server at http://collections.carli.illinois.edu. CARLI governing member libraries that want to contribute content but have CARLI host their content on a CARLI-managed server, can opt to add collections to the CARLI Digital Collections. CARLI associate or governing member libraries that want to manage their own digital library server can opt to purchase the software under the pricing terms of the agreement between CARLI and OCLC and install CONTENTdm on their own server.
How does CARLI “run” CONTENTdm for our library?
CARLI maintains the server and software, stores the content, and backs up the data. We provide you with the CONTENTdm “Acquisitions Station” client software to upload your library’s digital content and/or web-based access to view all of CARLI’s available digital collections.
Do we need to have any CONTENTdm software installed at our library if we just want to view the CARLI Digital Collections?
No. All you need is a network connected computer with a web browser. You can access the CARLI Digital Collections at http://collections.carli.illinois.edu. Some of these collections include licensed material that must be restricted to people with current affiliations with CARLI libraries. The ability to access licensed collections from off-campus will depend upon the individual institution’s authentication services such as proxy servers.
Are there any restrictions we need to be aware of before we begin adding items to the consortial collection or can we put any collection on the CARLI server?
Please refer to the CARLI Digital Collections Development Policy (http://www.carli.illinois.edu/mem-prod/contentdm/colldevpolicy.pdf) for guidelines on adding items to the consortial collection. This policy contains the mission and guiding principles of the CARLI Digital Collections, collection development criteria, information about standards and quality control, as well as a removal policy for items.
For those institutions choosing to contribute digitized items to the CARLI central collection, an acknowledgement form must be signed and returned to the CARLI Office. One of the conditions in the agreement between CARLI and OCLC for the use of the CONTENTdm software requires that individual institutions that choose to contribute items to the CARLI Digital Collection agree to abide by the terms of the Agreement. Additional information on the institutional acknowledgment requirement is available from support@carli.illinois.edu.
What type of equipment will our library need to digitize images?
At a minimum, you will need a computer, a scanner, and scanning software to digitize images. You will also need image manipulation software to edit and customize the scanned images. If you are digitizing special types of materials such as audio or video, additional equipment will be necessary.
Is training available for our users?
Yes. CARLI staff conduct basic training sessions that introduce CONTENTdm to participating libraries. We plan to offer a broader array of training related to digital library projects in the future.
How much work is involved for our library to use CONTENTdm?
You will need to send two of your staff to a one-day CONTENTdm training session provided by CARLI. At this training, you will be given one copy of the CONTENTdm Acquisition Station software to be used by your institution. You will also receive information you need to start migrating your existing digital collections or creating new collections on the CARLI CONTENTdm server. In addition to these start up tasks, you will also be responsible for the ongoing maintenance of your collection(s) including scanning or creating digital objects and creating metadata (descriptive information) for these objects.
Will our library’s staff be able to create new collections in CONTENTdm?
At this time, CARLI Office staff perform the first steps of the process of creating a new CONTENTdm collection. Libraries are informed about how to request a new collection as part of their training. We are working on automating this process, so that our member library digital project managers can create new collections on their own without intervention by CARLI staff.
Who will provide technical support? Do we have a support contract with the vendor or will CARLI be handling these issues?
Yes, CARLI does have a support contract with OCLC, but for most issues, we recommend that your first contact be CARLI support (support@carli.illinois.edu ). The CARLI staff are most knowledgeable about our specific installation of the CONTENTdm software and our server environment. Additionally, CONTENTdm has a support website, a customer listserv, and a customer support service. Information about all of these can be found at http://www.contentdm.com/USC. To access the User Support Center, you will need to set up an account using CARLI's Organization ID. Please contact the CARLI Office for the Organization ID.

Software & Fees

Is there a CARLI service fee (annual assessment) to cover CARLI’s costs in hosting and supporting CONTENTdm?
Not at this time. The CARLI Board of Directors has decided that there will be no service assessment for CONTENTdm until July 2010. By that time the consortium will have had enough experience to know how much work is involved in the training and support of CONTENTdm and what CARLI’s annual equipment costs are. Sometime before July 2010, the CARLI Board will appoint a committee to recommend how the CONTENTdm service assessments will be calculated.
If we choose to store our digital materials in the CONTENTdm installation on the CARLI central server, how much will it cost our library?
From July 1, 2006 through June 30, 2010, any CARLI library may receive one copy of the CONTENTdm Acquisition Station software, that can be installed on one PC, at no charge, if:
1. 1. You have a project ready for work or digital images ready for upload.
  2. Your library is, or intends to become, a governing member of CARLI.
What is the CONTENTdm Acquisition Station, and how many do we need?
The Acquisition Station is a client software application that that runs on a Microsoft Windows PC. It allows you to associate metadata to digital objects (files), group the objects and metadata into a collection, and upload the collection to the CARLI server. You will need at least one Acquisition Station. Please note that the Acquisition Station does not scan or create the digital objects, and the Acquisition Station does not need to be installed on the computer where objects are scanned
How do we acquire additional Acquisition Station clients beyond the one copy provided by CARLI? What is the cost? Who brokers the purchase, CARLI or our institution?
Additional clients may be purchased by completing an order form. CARLI will work directly with OCLC to complete the order. At the request of the vendors, pricing information negotiated through individual institutional agreements is confidential. For a price quote on Acquisition Station clients, contact support@carli.illinois.edu.
What is the CONTENTdm JPEG2000 extension, and do we need it?
The CONTENTdm JPEG2000 extension supports both the creation and display of JPEG2000 images. For more information about JPEG 2000, see http://www.jpeg.org/jpeg2000/. In the CONTENTdm workflow, the JPEG2000 extension enables collection builders to convert full resolution TIFF and JPEG files to JPEG2000 files during the import process. Existing JPEG2000 images can also be imported into CONTENTdm. This integration of JPEG2000 technology allows conversion, storage, and delivery of JPEG2000 media items to be handled entirely within CONTENTdm. Many image manipulation applications include support for creating JPEG2000 images, so it is possible you already have or will purchase software that includes this capability. In this case, you would create the JPEG2000 image and only use the Acquisition Station to associate metadata with the file and upload it to the central server. Note: The JPEG2000 Extension is sold separately.
How much do JPEG2000 extensions cost, and how do we get them?
JPEG 2000 extensions may be purchased by completing an order form . The CARLI office will work directly with OCLC to complete the order. At the request of the vendors, pricing information negotiated through individual institutional Agreements is confidential. For a price quote on JPEG2000 extensions, contact support@carli.illinois.edu.
What is the CONTENTdm OCR extension, and do we need it?
The CONTENTdm OCR extension provides the ability for users to integrate optical character recognition (OCR) with digitized text collection building. The feature uses ABBYY FineReader® OCR software to capture text for addition to searchable metadata fields within CONTENTdm collections. When viewed, items prepared with this feature will display highlighted search terms in the image. Additionally, the OCR extension provides the option to create a PDF file of an entire compound object (e.g., a multi-page text document) for easy printing. Many OCR applications are on the market, so it is possible that your existing or preferred OCR software already meets your needs. In this case, you would create the OCR file and only use the Acquisition Station to associate metadata with the file and upload it to the central server. Note: The OCR Extension is sold separately.
How much does the OCR extension cost?
OCR extensions may be purchased by completing an order form . The CARLI office will work directly with OCLC to complete the order. At the request of the vendors, pricing information negotiated through individual institutional agreements is confidential. For a price quote on OCR extensions contact support@carli.illinois.edu.
Will our library have to pay recurring software maintenance costs for additional extensions purchased, and if so, how much?
Until July 2008, CARLI will pay the annual maintenance fees for additional workstations and any extensions purchased by your library. After July 2008, maintenance fees may be a factor included to the calculation of the annual CARLI CONTENTdm service assessment (see question 11).

Current Customers of CONTENTdm or Other Digital Object Management Systems

We already have CONTENTdm and our own server. Can we just link our server to CARLI’s?
If you are already a CONTENTdm customer, your collections will be able to be added to the CARLI Multi-Site server if you choose to do so. (Note: CARLI plans to implement the CONTENTdm Multi-Site Server function in the next several months). Multi-Site Server is a CONTENTdm feature that stores a copy of the metadata from CONTENTdm collections stored on geographically separate servers so that these distributed collections can be searched simultaneously from a single search.. Multi-Site Server does not currently support connections to digital object management systems other than CONTENTdm. Another option for providing access to the CARLI Digital Collections from your current digital library would be for you to provide a link from your website to the collections on the CARLI CONTENTdm server.
What is the Multi-Site Server and what does it cost?
The Multi-Site Server enables users to query multiple CONTENTdm servers from a single search interface. Geographically remote organizations can create and maintain their own local collections and at the same time provide users with seamless access to cross collection searching on multiple CONTENTdm servers. The Multi-Site Server has no effect on search pages that have already been developed for use on local CONTENTdm servers, enabling organizations to maintain their local identities and still make their collections available for global searching.
CARLI has licensed Multi-Site Server and plans to implement it in the next several months An individual library may also license the Multi-Site Server Software on its own behalf. This license will be between the individual library and OCLC, and the library assumes responsibility for the terms and conditions of any separate license agreement. For additional information or pricing information, contact Ron Gardner at OCLC at ron_gardner@oclc.org or 1-800-848-5878, ext. 6165.
What happens to the signed agreement our library has with OCLC for CONTENTdm?
Licenses for CONTENTdm previously executed by individual institutions will remain in effect until the end of their respective annual terms. At the end of such annual terms, the institution may choose to renew its CONTENTdm license (and its order for maintenance and support services) under the previously executed license or the CARLI/OCLC Agreement. In either case, the individual institution will be entitled to the then-current discount for maintenance and support under the CARLI/OCLC Agreement.
What if our library is already running a different digital object management system software but wants to migrate to the CARLI central server?
You are responsible for the costs and efforts to export your collections, objects, and metadata into a format that can be imported into CONTENTdm.
How much will it cost to migrate our digital objects to CARLI’s central server?
The individual library is responsible for any data migration costs, and must contact OCLC directly for a price quote on any associated costs. Ron Gardner can be reached at ron_gardner@oclc.org or 1-800-848-5878, ext. 6165

Technical

Is there a limit to the amount of CARLI server space our library can use?
There are currently no restrictions on the amount of CARLI disk space that may be used to store your library’s digital content, but we do anticipate that institutions will be assessed a CARLI service fee in the future that will be partially based on the amount of disk space used for your institution’s collections.
What level of administrative control will be granted to each institution?
Your institution will have working space on the CARLI server where your staff can work with your collections. A staff person from your institution must be designated as the local administrator of CONTENTdm and will be given full administrative control over your institution's collections. Currently, CARLI staff must create the infrastructure for each of your collections, before you can add content.
Will a local administrator have full control over its institution’s collections?
For most aspects of the CONTENTdm software, you have full control over your collections. However, there are some aspects of the software that require direct manipulation of the operating system file structure and permissions. CARLI staff are working to provide additional web interfaces and automated scripts to give administrators as much local control as possible over their collections without manual intervention by CARLI staff.
Can users be created locally? Will the local administrator be able to grant different levels of access to different users?
The CONTENTdm software does have built-in access levels that allow administrators to grant different levels of access to different users. The software does not, however, have the ability to create accounts. At this time, new accounts can be created by sending a request to support@carli.illinois.edu. CARLI staff are working on creating a separate authentication mechanism for CONTENTdm that will allow local administrators to create new accounts for their staff.
Will the local administrator have access to the Unix file system for their collections? This would facilitate the administration of controlled vocabulary.
No. Only CARLI system staff will have access to the CONTENTdm server’s Unix operating system. To facilitate the sharing of controlled vocabulary files, each institution will have a designated directory on the server where they can upload controlled vocabulary files. You can configure your collections to use these files or point the collection at controlled vocabulary files uploaded by other institutions.
Will each institution be able to design custom interfaces to their collections and where will these custom interfaces be hosted?
Yes. CARLI staff has a web-based interface that allows you to submit modifications to the design elements in a collection. An institution's CONTENTdm primary contact should use the CONTENTdm Customization Form to request changes to the banners, color schemes, and text in your collections.
What factors should we consider when deciding whether to use CARLI's CONTENTdm server or to run our own copy of CONTENTdm locally?
Using CARLI’s server allows you to focus your attention on identifying and creating your digital content, and leaves the infrastructure planning and maintenance to CARLI. It is our goal to give you the same level of administrative control over your collections on the CARLI CONTENTdm server that you would have on a locally hosted CONTENTdm server. There may be other local considerations (e.g., staffing, cost, server space, joint projects with non-CARLI member institutions etc.) that make one model preferable to the other for your library.
What would it cost for us to run our own copy of CONTENTdm?
An individual library may decide to maintain its own copy of CONTENTdm software on its own local server. In addition to the costs of the server infrastructure, the locally hosting library would be responsible for the costs of the CONTENTdm software license and maintenance. CARLI associate or governing member libraries may license CONTENTdm software from OCLC on their own behalf under the pricing terms of the agreement between CARLI and OCLC.
For additional information or pricing information, contact Ron Gardner at OCLC Online Computer Library Center ron_gardner@oclc.org or 1-800-848-5878, ext. 6165.
If we run our own copy of CONTENTdm, will the license be covered under CARLI’s contract with OCLC?
The locally hosting library assumes responsibility for the terms and conditions of any separate license agreement.
Will our library pay any recurring software maintenance costs for a local installation?
OCLC provides one year of maintenance with support services at no additional charge for an individual library’s initial license of the CONTENTdm software beginning on the date OCLC delivers the software to the individual library. Maintenance and support services beyond the initial year are the responsibility of the individual library.
Can we keep images and metadata on our local CONTENTdm server and just provide our users a link to the CARLI Digital Collections?
Yes. However, to provide the best service to patrons, we would like to eventually use Multi-Site Server to harvest as much metadata as possible from CARLI members running their own CONTENTdm servers so that users can search all collections in the consortium in a single search.
We have licensed access to third-party image databases that are hosted by other vendors. What can we do to integrate multiple collections from various sources into a single interface?
If you are using a federated search application (such as WebFeat), you can make all of these sources targets in your federated search interface.