About DAMs

Digital Asset Management systems are a specific type of technology that is used in libraries, museums, and archives to store digital assets including documents, research, images, and more. Academic and research libraries are seeing an increasing demand to manage digital assets and have them discoverable for information seekers. At it's simplest form a Digital Asset Management system will store, organize, find, retrieve and share digital files that provided stakeholders controlled access to digital assets. 

DAM Specifics

 * The primary function is to securely store and provide access to digital assets for perpetuity.
 * In user interface is designed for a limited number of internal stakeholders.
 * The system supports metadata elements that are in line with archival theory and best practices.

DAM Benefits

 * Allow us securely store medical research involving human test subjects
 * Enhanced duplicability of clinical trials for the benefit of global health initiatives
 * The ability to capture media heavy scholarly outputs
 * Provides a long term solution for storing, preserving, and proving access to Special Collections & Archives
 * Increase library support of university research functions

Related Library Technology
A content management system (CMS) is a computer application that allows publishing, editing and modifying content, organizing, deleting as well as maintenance from a central interface. Many businesses use a CMS for managing their websites because they are user friendly and have high functionality. Content management systems are typically designed to do many things easily rather than one thing expertly.

Wordpress by WordPress Foundation is a popular type of CMS that is flexible and has many library related features. Wordpress is a great option to use as proof of concept for institutions that are starting to look at managing digital content, but it does not offer the robustness and security needed for confidential research on human test subjects.

An Institutional Repository (IR) is a digital collection comprised of outputs created within a university or research institution that is established to provide open access to the institution’s scholarly archive. Finished products, like articles, clinical trials, and research reports, can be added to the IR by any user in the PHSU academic community, rather than by a limited number of gatekeepers.

Digital Commons by Bepress is currently the Institutional Repository used by PHSU to create open access to the university's body of work. It is being used for providing access to scholarly work, but it is not appropriate for confidential data or research in progress that is not ready for publication.

Integrated Library Systems (ILS) are applications that are usually comprised of a relational database, software to interact with the database, and distinct user interfaces, or "portals", that are separate for both staff and patrons. An ILS provides access to assets and library workflows, but does not technically store digital assets.

Alma and Primo by ExLibris is the Integrated Library Systems that's used by PHSU to create a high degree of access to internal and consortium assets including print collections, electronic journals, and e-books.