Frequently Asked Questions about itemright

1. I have directories full of images, documents, and videos and no real metadata at all. How can I make these resources available to my users?

   itemright includes a feature to import an entire directory full of files, which can be stored on the itemright server or a separate web server. Once imported, you may then apply item prototypes to entire directories at once to quickly assign general descriptive information, and then further specialize individual items before making your collection available to users.

2. My document information is in a spreadsheet or database, and my documents are in boxes and filing cabinets . How can I use itemright?

   itemright can import data in the form of CSV ( comma separated value ) files, easily creatable from spreadsheets and databases. Columns are matched to metadata elements, with each row becoming an item profile. There is a special element that holds an external reference to an item in a database, website, or filing system. Hence, itemright can be useful to create finding aids and make them available to user communities, whether or not your documents are digitized.

3. I need to populate metadata for the objects in my digital asset management system. Can itemright help me with this?

   itemright's metadata management capabilities surpass those of most digital asset management systems, so this is a very ideal use for itemright. The import and export features use CSVs or XML as a data transfer mechanism to move information to and from a digital asset management system. Item prototypes and selection sets may be used to quickly assign values to many objects at once. For tighter integration, custom interfaces may be developed.

4. I'd like to apply metadata to the resources currently on my website. Can itemright help me with this?

   Generally, any resource that may be identified by a URL or URI may be described by itemright. A site crawler may be used to produce a list of URLs that can be imported directly into itemright. itemright may be then be used to search or browse the contents of your website, or the metadata can be exported back to your website indexing system.

5. I have a relatively small ( a few thousand ) collection of documents that I need to quickly publish to the Internet. Can itemright be used for this?

   itemright is an ideal solution to quickly organize and publish small collections of documents to the web. itemright can handle uploads of individual files or zipped archives into collections. You may then apply metadata using prototypes and overrides, and create browsesets and portfolios to allow for easy access to the collection.

6. What metadata standards are supported?

   itemright comes equipped with the Dublin Core basic element set, but other standards, such as SCORM, EAD, XMP, and your own custom definitions may be incorporated.

7. My users don't always like to search for information. Is there a way to let them simply browse the contents of the collections?

   itemright includes a navigational feature called "browsesets", which allows a collection administrator to define metadata elements to use in "prebuilt" searches. This very powerful feature allows for browsing the collections in many different ways.

8. I have a mandate to consolidate all my content into a centralized, manageable resource. Documents are scattered all over the enterprise in different departments, databases, and desktop computers. How do I get started?

   We recommend that you begin your project by performing a formal needs assessment, followed by a metadata schema development exercise. Our consultants have much experience in document-oriented computing and can help you with all phases of your projects.

9. I need to control access to my collections. How does itemright let me do this?

   itemright has a built-in access control model to allows you to configure read-only, administrator privileges, and anonymous access to your collections. Existing user directory information can be imported using a variety of mechanisms.

10. What platforms does itemright run on?

    itemright is built using cross platform technologies and runs equally well on Unix and Windows platforms. The application is entirely web-based and a modern web browser is the only client interface requirement. Aptigent LLC also provides hosted solutions for users wishing to license the service rather than owning the software.