The OpenHeritage system is built using Free Open Source Software. The main platform consists of Drupal, a web-based content management system. This interfaces with Geoserver, an open source mapserver, and KoboForms/OpenDataKit (ODK) an open source data collection software suite.
The platform is built as a national heritage management system serving three primary functions, namely as a national heritage sites register/inventory, a national collections management system and a national heritage management system for applications such as permits or developments
Minimum hardware requirement
N/A – only a web browser required.
Operating system(s)
N/A – only a web browser required.
Database architecture
MySQL and Postgresql
Public access support
Yes, the system is designed for public access. Content is generally licensed using the Creative Commons License. Organic Groups and user permissions can also be configured to provide different levels of access for administrative/backend users vs the general public.
Backup support
Onsite installations are possible using a Webserver, Database Server and TCPIP networking environment. We typically use Amazon Web Services to deploy the servers for OpenHeritage’s installations and the databases are backed up using scripts for daily scheduled tasks and Amazon’s RDS snapshots.
Data auditing and cleaning
Yes – full revision histories have been enabled for all nodes. Various views have been provided for assessing data and carrying out bulk operations to correct errors and we utilise the Feeds module to simplify importing and updating large amounts of data.
Single user cost
Free.
Five user cost
Free.
Additional pricing notes
We do not charge for the software. OpenHeritage is a non-profit and is focused on maintaining the core distribution, training and implementation only.
Training
Our current training costs to our organisation run at about R700.00 (+-$40 USD) an hour + travel/accommodation costs.
Technical support
We have a support desk which provides telephonic, online or onsite support during scheduled training visits. We also have a recommended annual support fee per country of R7500.00 per year.
Special features
In late 2015 we released an offline Object Recording App using ODK which plugs into the online platform. The system is also very spatially orientated and integrates a range of GIS tools.
Additional features:
- Audit Trails – As standard
- Password – As standard
- Picklist – As standard
- Thesaurus for data entry – As standard
- Thesaurus for retrieval – As standard
- Screen designer – As standard
- Report writer – As standard
- Modifiable data structure – As standard
Image formats
- PNG
- GIF
- JPG
- JPEG
Media formats
- TIFF
- DOC
- DOCX
- XLSX
- XLS
- RTF
- TXT
- AVI
- MP4
- MPG
We also support embedded of video from YouTube or other sources.
Are image and media formats configurable?
YesIntegrated DAMS
Yes.
Support for integration with other DAMS
We could handle this quite easily as we can export to CSV, XML, XLS via scheduled or triggered events. Haven’t yet had to provide this use case.
Business process automation
Yes.
Digital rights management
Yes – we are using Organic Groups to allow users to control the permissions to their nodes. However, most of the content is shared via CC – it is not really a system targeting the sale of images or content.
Mobile support
Yes – we have used a responsive theme and we are also using ODK.
Remote thesauri
Yes – it supports this although the thesauri are currently hosted within the platform. Remote connections to other thesauri can be included.
User generated content
Yes – we have various content types around this such as the object condition assessments.
API
Import:
Yes – we are using the Feeds Module for Drupal.
Export:
Yes – most of our exports are conducted using the Views module: https://www.drupal.org/project/views_data_export
Ready for Europeana Connection Kit (ECK)
NoProtocols/interfaces
OAI-PMH - Free download
REST - Free download
SOAP - Free download
RSS - Standard
Atom - Free download
Linked Data/SPARQL - Free download
SRU-CQL - Only available in Drupal 6
Metadata schemata
- RDF
Museum / heritage standards
- Spectrum
Spectrum procedures
Object Entry (primary)Acquisition and accessioning (primary)
Location and movement control (primary)
Inventory (primary)
Cataloguing (primary)
Object Exit (primary)
Loans In - borrowing objects (primary)
Loans Out - lending objects (primary)
Condition checking and technical assessment
Collections care and conservation
Valuation
Damage and loss
Deaccessioning and disposal
Rights management
Use of collections
Audit
Bibliographical records
Yes.
Bibliographic / library standards
- PubMed
- BibTex
- RIS
- MARC
- EndNote tagged
- XML
Can output in just about any style eg: AMA, APA, Chicago, CSE, IEEE
Archival records support
It can handle this – although we have not yet deployed this.
Archival records standards
This is still a work in progress.
Integration with other library and archive management systems
Drupal is very good at this and it can be done. Please see previous comment regarding integration with other systems.
Support site URL
www.openheritage.org.zaDocumentation URL
[none]Contact postal address
OpenHeritage
34 Harries Street
Plumstead
Cape Town
South Africa
Software developer name
OpenHeritage NPCSoftware developer contact name
Nicholas WiltshireSoftware developer contact address
OpenHeritage
34 Harries Street
Plumstead
Cape Town
South Africa
Software developer email
nic.wiltshire@openheritage.org.zaUK users and sites
N/A
International users and sites
We are currently active in South Africa and Namibia (https://sahris.sahra.org.za and https://www.nhc-nam.org).
Referee
Largest collection migrated thus far is the KwaZulu-Natal Museum on SAHRIS (https://sahris.sahra.org.za). The National Museum in Bloemfontein also migrated their Sotho collections.