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New Interface Customization Tools for the CDL METS Repository

April 22, 2004 Author: CDLCategories:

Institutions can now access their digital collections in the CDL METS Repository through their own interfaces, using the newly released CDL Interface Customization Tools: http://www.cdlib.org/inside/diglib/repository/customize/

The CDL has been developing a digital object repository to support the collections it manages, which currently contain more than 150,000 images, texts, and other materials encoded in the Metadata and Encoding Transmission Standard (METS) format.  The Interface Customization Tools allow institutions to access their digital object collections in the CDL METS Repository, while using their own branding and customized interfaces.

Three IMLS and LSTA-funded digitization projects have already successfully used these tools:

  • Museums and the Online Archive of California (MOAC): http://www.bampfa.berkeley.edu/moac/
  • UC Berkeley Bancroft Library California Heritage: http://sunsite.berkeley.edu
  • Japanese American Relocation Digital Archives (JARDA): http://jarda.cdlib.org/

What are the Interface Customization Tools?

Using the documentation, templates, and training the CDL provides in the form of a tool kit, institutions will be able to provide web access to their content in the way they choose.

Who can use the tools?

At present, any contributor to the CDL METS Repository or any UC library may customize the presentation of the repository for non-commercial use.  Open Archives Initiative (OAI) service providers can harvest items and provide services in their own environment.  All metadata is compliant with OAI-PMH 2.0.

Can the interface of all types of collections be customized?

Image collections and metadata-only searches are currently available.  The ability to fully customize the presentation of TEI-encoded texts, EAD-encoded finding aids, and DDI-encoded data sets will be added in early 2005.

What skills are required to do this?

General web design and development skills (knowledge of HTML and web forms) and XSLT programming stills are needed to use the tool kit.

For more information, see: http://www.cdlib.org/inside/diglib/repository/customize/