"Aggie" (Fall 2013) Release Demo 1: DAMS

This video demos the first iteration of the DAMS, a key component within the UCLDC framework. The DAMS will enable UC libraries to add metadata to digital assets, publish them in the access interface, designate them for preservation, and perform many other stewardship functions.

University of California Libraries

Digital Collection Implementation Project

Welcome to part 1 of our Aggie demos for the UC Libraries Digital Collection Implementation Project.

The UCLDC comprises a number of different but related components. This video will highlight work that we've completed on a particular component for this release -- namely, the Digital Asset Management System or "DAMS".

The primary function of the DAMS is to support the creation, description, and management of digital objects within the UCLDC framework. It’ll support the creation of simple to complex objects, spanning a range of digital file format types.

For the DAMS component, we’re adapting a commercially supported, open-source software called Nuxeo. Underlying Nuxeo is a file system, which is where digital files will be stored and managed.

Let’s take a tour of Nuxeo.

Because access is limited to campus collaborators at this time, this guided tour will show you what users will see once logged in.

Access to Nuxeo will be authenticated through Shibboleth. We’re currently in a phase of testing the login process with project collaborators at each campus.

Here’s the default landing page, once I log in.

Please note that we haven’t fully customized the Nuxeo interface. Nuxeo supports a wide range of configuration options, and we’ll be refining the interface over subsequent releases.

I’ll click on “DAMS” to access this particular module within Nuxeo.

As a UC campus library staff member, I’ll see objects that are specific to my library. These objects, in turn, can be organized within a Project Folder, which we’ll explain later in this screencast.

In this Project Folder, we’ve preloaded some sample objects for the Aggie release. There are four simple objects, each reflecting a different file format. We have an image, text, audio, and video.

Clicking on one of these objects will show you some sample metadata, and more detailed views of the object.

The metadata scheme that you see here is based on Nuxeo’s default configuration. In subsequent releases, we will be extending these fields.

We’ve posted a draft metadata scheme on the project wiki, and will be refining it with campus collaborators. This particular scheme will inform our Nuxeo configuration.

For any of these objects, Nuxeo supports more detailed viewing options. For this image object, I can zoom in and review the photograph.

Here I’m looking at a sample video object. I can use Nuxeo’s playback controls to review the file.

For this audio object, I can listen back to the sound file.

You’ll notice an option add new objects, using the New Asset or Bulk Import options. We’ll cover these features in upcoming releases.

As we previously mentioned, these sample objects are organized within a Project Folder – which in turn is tied to a specific UC campus library.

Users will be able to flexibly define and manage Project Folders, which are essentially workspaces for organizing objects in Nuxeo.

To manage and create new Project Folders, users can toggle over to the Document Management module.

I click on Document Management

In My Workspaces, I’m going to select the folder icon for my UC campus library

The left-hand navigation indicates my Project Folders.  For this release, we've established a single Project Folder ("Aggie"), to organize the four sample objects.

From here, I can edit the Project Folder details, move and copy objects between folders, or create new folders.

That ends our brief tour of Nuxeo, as it has been initially configured for this Aggie release.

Looking ahead, we’ll be tackling the following tasks over subsequent releases:

Customizing the interface to Nuxeo

Configuring the metadata scheme, based on the draft proposed UCLDC metadata model

Defining integrations between the Collection Registry and Nuxeo

Refining how simple and complex objects are defined and structured

Building in automation chains, to facilitate workflows. For example, if a user uploads a preservation master audiovisual file, we'll build in a process where Nuxeo manages and stores that file – and also generates a derivative service copy.

This also includes supporting workflows, where users can designate objects for publication in the forthcoming UCLDC public interface -- and for designating objects for long-term preservation in Merritt

Thank you for watching this demo of the DAMS in its first release!

Please stay tuned to the UCLDC project wiki and listserv, for future updates and releases. And feel free to contact us at [e-mail] if you have any questions.