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The purchase of CONTENTdm software in summer 2005 signaled a new era in the evolution of digital information at Helmke Library. The Digital Initiatives Group, chaired by Cheryl Truesdell, began work immediately. Envisioning an entire network of digital objects, the team tackled two very different projects, the IPFW University Archives Photo Gallery and Fort Wayne Area Economic Development historical documents. While one project focused on graphic images, the other preserved text documents, and together they served as working examples that helped the team learn the software and devise workflow processes and personnel requirements that would pave the way for additional successful projects.
In the meantime, the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Susan Hannah proposed an audio portal for the Web that would feature faculty and guest lectures, concerts and recitals, athletic events, and other audio resources. The library stepped forward to undertake the project. With the addition of the mCAST: Sights and Sounds of IPFW, mDON, IPFW's digital object network became a formal representative of the IPFW mission of education and community service.
For much of the past two years, Helmke Library staff has focused on learning the software and developing expertise in the digital process. They are now trained and have made great strides in building digital collections of interest to northeast Indiana and beyond as documented in mDON: The First Two Years. mDON key successes and highlights include:
mDON Key Successes - Provided worldwide access, 24 hours a day, seven days a week to IPFW and northeast Indiana community content, which was otherwise unavailable
- Received two grants totaling approximately $50,000
- Expanded Helmke Library's role in the IPFW educational process with collections highlighting student art, music, and drama
- Developed a strong working relationship with community organizations, specifically the Allen County-Fort Wayne Historical Society and PBS39-WFWA
- Gained expertise in a variety of digital formats and the development of an innovative audio process of interest to other libraries
mDON Highlights 2005 - Fort Wayne Economic Development pilot project a success in developing a partnership with the IPFW Community Research Institute, developing skills in metadata, scanning, file maintenance, and enhancing the availability of Fort Wayne area documents
2006 - First Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant for $25,967 awarded to the IPFW Helmke Library and Allen County-Fort Wayne Historical Society to fund digitization of maps, photographs, letters, and other ephemera on the importance of location on the founding and development of Fort Wayne
- IPFW Department of Music Concert Selections collection launched demonstrating the first partnership with an IPFW department, the first showcasing of faculty and student talent, and development of an unique audio presentation not offered by other digital libraries
- IPFW Men's Volleyball Play-by-Play launched as a demonstration project to showcase IPFW athletes through exciting audio
- IPFW University Archives Photo Gallery launched and immediately began receiving requests for photographs from on- and off-campus
2007 - "That Glorious Gate," the first Allen County-Fort Wayne Historical Society digital collection launched as a result of the first LSTA Indiana Memory grant. The collection created virtual artifact trunks as teaching aids for Allen County area schools and developed a professional relationship with Allen County-Fort Wayne Historical Society and IUPUI digital collections team in scanning and transferring large map files
- IPFW awarded second LSTA grant for $23,596 to digitize approximately 700 archival materials, artifacts and other historical pieces related to the history of the Miami Indians in northeast Indiana
- OnStage at IPFW launched with a representative season of IPFW theater productions from the 1960s through 2000 creating a second showcase for student and faculty accomplishments
2008 - Collections ready to launch include
- Student Art in the Library, the third showcase of IPFW student achievements
- "Miami Indians in Northeast Indiana," the second Allen County-Fort Wayne Historical Society Digital Collection
- Debates and programs sponsored by the Mike Downs Center for Indiana Politics/American Democracy Project – mDON's first video digital collection
- Arts and Sciences Distinguished Lecturer Series – mDON's second digital video collection
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