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Omeka

Omeka's specialty is providing public access to collections, placing it in the top-right quadrant of the access spectrum. Omeka is an open source web-publishing software for digital cultural heritage collections created by the Corporation for Digital Scholarship, the Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media, and George Mason University, with funding from multiple organizations.

 

Omeka is free to use and it allows users to "create complex narratives and share rich collections, adhering to Dublin Core standards." While the Omeka suite is complex enough to be used by large institutions, it has additional options such as Omeka Classic and Omeka.net to meet a variety of needs. It was designed for scholars, archives, museums, libraries, and cultural enthusiasts alike!

Licensing

Free to download and open source code

Licensing

Administration

Manages users

Manage settings across all sites

Add modules

Assign and review jobs

Administration

System 

Requirements

Server space

Linux
Apache
MySql 5+
PHP 5.3.2+

Omeka.net server space available for purchase if system requirements not met

System Requirements

Content 

Management

Dublin core

Linked open data

Additional metadata vocabularies can be added

Content Management

Usability

Usability

Non-IT specialist design 

Beginner level to use but can do more with coding knowledge 

Need some technical understanding to maintain Omeka S

Target Market

Institutions and projects, large and small, who want to focus on publishing their collections and making them accessible via linked open data.

Target Market

Accessibility 

Best Practices

W3C web design standards 
ADA compliant
ARIA landmarks (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) for screen readers and tablets
Responsive design themes

Accessibility Best Practices

Web Resources

Online sandbox

Step-by-step user tutorials

Connect with other users in the Forum

Share with the Omeka team  and track developments on Github

Web Resources

See Omeka in Action

Scholars, librarians, and novice archivists are using Omeka to share their collections. Check out the projects below!

Our Marathon: The Boston Bombing Digital Archive

Square Dance History Project 

New Roots: Voices from Carolina del Norte! 

Omeka in Action

Omeka is a great option for projects whose main goal is to create a rich digital archive with very minimal cost. Omeka was designed specifically to enhance digital humanities projects and therefore is conscientious about adhering to best practices for collaboration and accessibility. Even if you don't have much technical experience Omeka will help guide you through the process so your collection can come to life on the web. 

Sources: Omeka https://omeka.org/

© 2018 by Elizabeth Phyle

© 2018 Access Spectrum Reviewers

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