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CONTENTdm (classic version) Overview

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Find an overview of the interface and features of CONTENTdm (classic version).

Get started with CONTENTdm (classic version)

See Implementing your Digital Library with CONTENTdm (classic version) for guidance on key decisions and steps.

When you subscribe to CONTENTdm (classic version), you will receive a letter with your system access URLs and login information. The Server URL is used to access the CONTENTdm (classic version) Administration web interface, which manages your collections. The Website URL is the public front-end for your collections.

Your welcome letter contains an initial administrative login account. Use this account to log into the CONTENTdm (classic version) Administration for the first time (Server URL). With this account, you can add more user accounts as described in Users.

Your CONTENTdm (classic version) subscription includes one OCR license. When you are ready to start using OCR, you will need to request an OCR activation code using the OCR Activation Request Form.

  • Please note that this is not available with the no-fee CONTENTdm (classic version) quickstart.

Your CONTENTdm (classic version) subscription includes preservation archive functionality. When you are ready to start using preservation features, you will need to request activation using the Preservation Archive Activation Request form. For more information about using CONTENTdm (classic version)'s preservation archive, see the Preservation Archive Getting Started Guide.

  • Please note that this is not available with the no-fee CONTENTdm (classic version) quickstart.

Learning about CONTENTdm (classic version)

CONTENTdm (classic version) is a powerful application, with a Project Client and complementary Web services, used for importing metadata and items, and CONTENTdm (classic version) Administration, from which you administer the server, manage collections, configure the website, and work with items. In CONTENTdm (classic version), users can be assigned different rights based on their job responsibilities.

Connect with fellow CONTENTdm (classic version) users in the OCLC Community Center.  If you do not yet have an OCLC Services account for CONTENTdm (classic version) Community Center access, please request one now.  After you submit the web form, you will receive your new account within 4-5 business days.

Project Client

The Project Client enables you to set up projects, import and catalog items, and upload them to the CONTENTdm (classic version) Server. Items can be files consisting of one page or image, URLS when streaming media, PDF files, EAD files, metadata only or compound objects, consisting of two or more pages bound together with XML. Files can be archived when imported, which requires that the collection be configured to enable the Archival File Manager. Additionally, display images can be automatically created when adding full-resolution images. A CONTENTdm (classic version) user then uploads items from the project to the pending queue on the server, where they remain until they are reviewed and approved and become part of a collection.

The Project Settings Manager lets you establish consistent processing and other settings to make your workflow more efficient. For example, Metadata Templates are used to easily input identical metadata for items in a project. The metadata must be entered into the Metadata Templates before an item is added to the project. Metadata may also be added using the Item Editing tab or tab-delimited text files. You can also create image rights (banding, branding, watermarking) that can be reused consistently for a collection.

CONTENTdm (classic version) Administration

In CONTENTdm (classic version) Administration, you can administer the server, the collection, and the items.

With Server Administration, create new collections, delete existing collections, edit settings (including harvesting and the stop list), configure website settings, assign user rights, view reports, register your server, and see server information.

With Collection Administration, configure collections (including field properties—setting full text searching and creating controlled vocabularies—display image settings, archival file management, image rights settings, and PDF conversion), configure website settings, view collection reports, and export data.

With Item Administration, approve items for a collection, build the text index, edit items, and unlock items. Create and edit items, one at a time, with the Web editor.

CONTENTdm (classic version) and WorldCat Digital Collection Gateway Overview
January 17, 2017

Play recording (55 minutes - WebEx)

  • January 17, 2017

This presentation provides an overview of CONTENTdm (classic version)® and the WorldCat® Digital Collection Gateway. It includes a discussion of the functionality built into the CONTENTdm (classic version) Administration modules, including Collection and Website Configuration. A live demonstration using the very latest OCLC Hosted CONTENTdm (classic version) version includes adding digital items to a Collection, both with the web-based “add” function. Both simple and compound objects are used to build and demonstrate browsing and searching the CONTENTdm (classic version) website.

Because CONTENTdm (classic version) supports the Open Archives Initiative’s protocol for metadata harvesting, (OAI-PMH) published collections may be shared through the WorldCat sync and OAI functions. The presentation ends with a brief look at CONTENTdm (classic version) item metadata as displayed in WorldCat after being harvested through the Gateway according to this standard protocol.