CONTENTdm software offers a complete set of tools to store, manage and deliver digital collections such as historical documents, photos, newspapers, audio and video on the Web. OCLC and OCLC PICA have been the exclusive distributor of CONTENTdm software to libraries, cultural heritage organizations and other nonprofit organizations since 2002.
“CONTENTdm is the industry leader in digital management software for libraries,” said Jay Jordan, OCLC President and CEO. “CONTENTdm makes it possible for libraries to easily manage their own, unique digital collections. As part of OCLC, the DiMeMa team will be better positioned to explore new ways to help libraries and other cultural heritage organizations manage their digital collections and make them accessible worldwide.”
CONTENTdm was developed while Dr. Zick, founder of DiMeMa and former Professor at the University of Washington, and a team of programmers were conducting research into optimal digital image database technologies in the Center for Information Systems Optimization (CISO) at the University of Washington. At the time, special collections of the University of Washington Libraries were stored in a variety of forms and formats, and demand was building to provide flexible online access to these resources. The Libraries began to use the CISO Lab software for fast, full-featured access and management of the collections.
After extensive field testing, the products resulting from these research and development activities were made available to organizations outside the University. DiMeMa Inc. was formed in 2001 to support the growing CONTENTdm user community and to focus on accelerated research and product development.
“DiMeMa and OCLC have worked very closely together for the past four years and we have enjoyed tremendous success in moving libraries into the digital age,” said Dr. Zick. “Together we will be able to reach more libraries and other organizations interested in managing and exposing their unique content to the worldwide information community.”
CONTENTdm has evolved into a powerful digital collection management solution that offers scalable tools for archiving collections of any size. Today hundreds of libraries and other cultural heritage organizations license CONTENTdm software to manage more than 2,500 digital collections.
Metadata for these digital collections can be added to WorldCat, the world’s largest database of items held in libraries. Once in WorldCat, these collection items can be found by searching the database, or searching the Web. Items in WorldCat can now be discovered through WorldCat.org, a new search site that also offers a downloadable search box, and through popular search engines like Google and Yahoo! as part of the OCLC Open WorldCat program.
Greg Zick will be Vice President of OCLC Digital Services, and will report to Phyllis B. Spies, Vice President, OCLC Collection Management Services. The DiMeMa staff of 11 will maintain its office in Seattle, Washington.
For more information, please contact OCLC PICA Communications by e-mail or by telephone at +31-(0)71-524 65 00.
