LMDigital Hosting and Digitization Support Services
The Michigan Legislature created the Library of Michigan to guarantee the people of this State and their government one perpetual institution to collect, preserve and provide access to the story of the State, and to support libraries in their role as essential community anchors.
In support of that mission, LM has created new services and opportunities to provide free hosting of digital content owned and provided by other Michigan libraries, cultural institutions, and the interest groups that invest time, resources, and research into capturing and recording the Michigan story.
LM provides a free collection space, hosted on our CONTENTdm site and technical support including digitization kits (equipment and software). For more information, see the links and FAQ below.
Use the links below to contact LM staff about acquiring a hosted collection for your digital content or to visit LM's resource page for digitization resources and training.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is most important to understand?
LM is providing hosting of content only. Partners should consider the materials uploaded to our digital content management system as ‘presentation’ copies of long-term duration. Solutions for storage and permanent preservation of original and/or master files should be pursued separately – LM can provide contacts and resources on this topic.
Do we have to sign anything?
LM will ask hosting partners to sign a Memorandum of Agreement to participate in the program.
Can anyone sign up?
Currently we are offering this opportunity to Michigan libraries, museums, schools, historical interest groups, and municipal governments.
How do we get started?
The first step is to contact the Library of Michigan (LM-Digitization@michigan.gov) for an initial fact gathering discussion to determine your needs and to answer basic questions regarding participation in the program. We will ask you to sign a Memorandum of Agreement to formalize the arrangements. Next steps include scheduling additional meetings with any/all stakeholders associated with your project and distribution of additional documentation and guidelines for formatting digital files, metadata, and various means of customizing the user experience.
What types of materials do you accept?
The Library of Michigan’s collection development is focused primarily on Michigan (people, places, culture, physical/geographical features, flora/fauna, etc.) but also includes the Great Lakes region. Content provided for hosting must be similar in nature. Materials proposed for inclusion will be discussed and evaluated early in project planning.
Are there limitations on file size or volume of content?
Budgeting storage space and utilizing efficient processes are critical elements in a program of this scale. Partners may be asked to compress large files or convert to another format to economize storage space and process collections in a timely manner. Discuss the scope and scale of your project with LM for guidance on any further limitations.
Are there any restrictions on file formats or media types?
Most digital file formats (text, image, audio, video, etc.) are accepted. Contact LM if you have an unknown or unusual file format and need more information.
Do we need to perform any special processing of the digital files?
To enhance discovery and conform with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements, text-based documents must be processed through an OCR software prior to uploading to create a transcript within the accompanying metadata. Materials that cannot be processed with OCR software, i.e., handwritten materials, must be accompanied by a complete transcript. LM is continuing to investigate solutions to provide partners with assistance with this aspect of the process.
Does LM provide scanning/digitization of my original materials?
The Library of Michigan typically cannot offer this level of service, but does offer digitization consulting, support and resources. See the information at www.michigan.gov/lmdigitization for assistance.
What about copyright?
Partners are required to assign a copyright status in the metadata for each item in the collection. LM utilizes copyright statements and use licenses from RightsStatements.org and/or Creative Commons, and can assist in determining the appropriate statement or license to apply.
How will users access our collections?
LM utilizes CONTENTdm, a digital content management system to host and present digital materials. Each CONTENTdm collection is accompanied by a customizable, public-facing, landing page that partners can use to highlight the content in their collections with descriptive text, images, and organizational features to enhance exploration of collection(s). In addition, LM will highlight and provide a link to all hosted collections from LMDigital, our digital collections portal.
All hosted collections are uploaded to the Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) through Michigan Memories.
Partners are free to link to any of these sites, the collection landing page and/or individual materials within their collections in their own online applications and communication channels, including websites, catalogs, and social media.