CONTENTdm Repository Profile: Providence Archives

Question responses provided by Peter Schmid, Visual Resources Archivist at Providence Archives on November 13, 2018

Questions

Tool/System and version, if applicable

CONTENTdm

How did your institution select this digital asset management system?

Word of mouth/research.

When and why did you adopt this system? What tool/system did it replace (if any)?

Adopted 2009. Replaced DB/Textworks for cataloging visual resources and artifacts, and made those records publicly available for the first time.

Briefly explain how this system functions at your institution (e.g. do you only use it for accessioning, or does it fill all the functions from accessioning to public access?)

Cataloging visual resources, textual items (mainly in PDF format), and artifacts.

What pre-installation/migration preparations were taken to facilitate implementation of this system?

Intensive review by PH&S security.

What degree of IT support was needed to implement and migrate into this system?

Medium

Is your digital asset management system hosted on-site and in-house or off-site by a vendor?

Off-site by a vendor.

Please describe significant post-implementation challenges using the administrative and/or public interfaces.

Project client piece functions very well. OCLC seems to have given up on improving some of the base functions of the software now and only makes improvements to the responsive web side. Incredible number of bugs over the years. Inability to make changes across all collections is time-consuming and difficult. Customer service has deteriorated over the years.

Is your institution integrating this system with other automated request, preservation, or digital asset management systems?

No.

In what ways has using this system been an improvement over your previous digital asset management system?

Made records available to the public for first time.

What is your most favorite feature of this system?

Project client, with its spreadsheet format.

What is your least favorite feature of this system?

Inability to make changes across all collections; not very user-friendly out-of-the-box

Lessons learned, or tips for prospective users?

I would look long and hard at other options before selecting CONTENTdm. I think it's a cash cow for OCLC and because they have so many users they have little incentive to make essential improvements.