Digital Scholarship Centre

Omeka S is a user-friendly web publishing system designed for archives, libraries, and museums to create searchable digital collections of primary source materials. It organises content through Items, Collections, and Exhibits, allowing users to curate and present archival materials, photographs, and multimeida. With a shared pool of items, media and metadata, Omeka S enables the creation of dynamic collections and visually engaging exhibits, making it ideal for object-focused and research-driven projects.

What is Omeka S best for?

• Digital collections and exhibits
• Object-based studies
• Emphasising metadata
• Organising objects into explorable and discoverable collections
• Adding long-form narrative and interpretation in multimodal exhibits

How might you use Omeka S?

• Researchers and scholars might share primary source collections, publish a series of essays, create a companion exhibit for a published work, and collaborate with others in the creation of digital scholarship.
• Lecturers might have students engage in the practices of curation, public writing, and primary source use, or creating an Omeka S site as a classroom project, including narrative elements that can replace a traditional essay assignment.
• Archivists and curators might showcase collection materials, or create a digital accompaniment to a physical exhibit.

What is required of an Omeka S site owner?

• You are responsible for contacting the DSC team to request access to Omeka S.
• You will take full responsibility for creating the online collection/exhibition, which includes (where relevant):
  • Gathering metadata for the collection/exhibition materials.
  • Gathering and formatting items of collection/exhibition materials.
  • Confirming copyright and fair use of items added to the collection/exhibition. The DSC retains the right to take down items, collections, and exhibits that are not compliant.
  • Preparing additional content such as narrative text and captions.
  • Planning the narrative sequence and layout for the collection/exhibition.
  • Building the exhibition on Omeka S using the above components.
  • The owner is responsible for addressing any issues that may arise regarding content or copyright.
• You will be responsible for maintaining the Omeka S site, including:
  • Reviewing your collection/exhibition at least once every year, or following a major Omeka S upgrade (The DSC will notify you when a major upgrade occurs).
  • Addressing any problems found during review.
  • If you leave the UFS, you must designate another person from the department/division/centre to continue with reviews going forward.

The UFS LIS hosted sites come with instructional and consultative support from the DSC.

The DSC will:

• assist with the creation of user accounts.
• assist with the creation of a basic, uncustomised and unpopulated website.
• connect you to supplemental reference and training materials on the use and functions of the platform.

The DSC is also available by appointment to provide:

• a 1-2 hour general training session on the functions and features of the platform, either for an individual or a group of users.
• consultation on the most effective use of the platform for your intended purposes, and to make recommendations.
• advice on creating a metadata template for your collection.
• technical support. Response time and depth is subject to staff availability.