How’s Your Migration Going? UMiami edition

University of Miami Libraries’ migration has been put on hold but that doesn’t mean Elliot Williams, Digital Initiatives Metadata Librarian, couldn’t answer a few questions about how they view the current digital repository landscape and why migration can take so long to get started.

Original Platform?
CONTENTdm (locally-hosted)

New Platform?
Still evaluating options

If your migration is not going, please elaborate on the reasons it hasn’t moved forward
Leadership transitions and other priorities within the library have delayed this migration, but it is planned for the next year.

What have been the biggest obstacles?
The limited number of repository platform options available, and the trade-offs involved with each, has been the biggest challenge as we try to determine what to migrate to.

What’s gone well?
Thinking through the migration and our needs has given us a great opportunity to re-evaluate our practices and workflows, which we will continue to do as we move forward.

What feature are you most excited about having?
We are excited about having a platform with a more modern and responsive look-and-feel for users, as well as one that supports IIIF.

What advice would you share with those currently considering or beginning a migration?
No repository platform is perfect, and it is important to take into consideration how the platform will work for your institution, collections, and users.

Want to see the other B2H Partner’s migration questionnaires?
Go to our Migration Stories Page