Archivists and librarians increasingly leverage institutional repositories (IRs), Digital Asset Management (DAM), or Document Management Systems (DMS) not just as passive storage systems, but as dynamic platforms for managing, curating, and activating digital collections. This session explores old "trails" and blazes new ones by exploring innovative and creative uses of archival management systems that extend beyond traditional scholarly communication to support preservation, access, and community engagement.
Librarians and archivists representing at least three different library types will discuss how they use digital asset and document management systems for managing their collections. Vendors from three different DMS and IR systems will provide an overview of their products and how different libraries have used their products to accommodate the varied needs of their institutions.
Participants will gain insight into strategies for how they might use existing repository management systems in new ways, while those who are considering acquiring a repository will benefit from the different options available, no matter the price-point. Participants will also have an opportunity to discuss how Arkansas libraries of all types might work together for a common state institutional repository.
By showcasing creative, real-world applications that Arkansas librarians and archivists are using, this session aims to inspire archivists and librarians to reimagine their institutional repositories as flexible, user-centered tools that support a broader spectrum of digital scholarship and cultural heritage stewardship. Attendees will leave with practical ideas and frameworks to implement innovative repository practices within their own institutions, and have the examples from different Arkansas libraries to formulate their own paths forward.
