What is Omeka?
Omeka is a web-based publishing tool for digital collections. It shines with images, sound, video, and rich metadata. Because it's not something you install on your computer but rather a web server, it provides a platform for groups of people to work together on the same resources at the same time, requiring only a web browser. Omeka is a great tool for group instruction activities in the classroom.
How do I get Omeka?
Omeka comes in three "flavors":
- Omeka.net: The organization who developed Omeka hosts a copy of Omeka Classic for you. Prices range from free to $1200 per year. The free option can be a great choice if you would like students to individually create projects with basic searchable collections. The free version comes with only a few plugins and themes. The paid versions include a dozen theme choices and dozens of plugins.
- Omeka Classic: this software is free, but you would need to provide the web hosting either at your school or through a discount hosting provider (see Glossary tab). Many themes and hundreds of plugins are available, or you can write your own. Unlike Omeka.net, you can access the source code powering your website, and even make your own themes and plugins.
- Omeka S: This is the next generation version of Omeka, with extensive new features and fixes from Omeka Classic.
At the University of Rochester, an easy way to get Omeka is through Digital Scholar, a service provided by the University of Rochester Libraries.
