Library Guides: Digital Scholarship: Content Management Systems

Content Management Systems

Selecting a Platform

There are many content management systems that can be used for digital scholarship projects. The library offers many content management systems at no cost to faculty, staff, and graduate students through USC Create Digital. Simply log in with your network username and password to get started. You can also choose to support these platforms on your own.

Use the links below to access the tools or, when available, log in to USC Create Digital to discover free tools offered by the library.

Content Management Systems

Drupal
Drupal is a flexible but generic open source CMS for web content. Drupal is highly customizable and may require more expertise and time than other platforms, but can result in a robust project.
Omeka
Omeka is a platform that allows users to publish digital collections and to create online exhibits. It is often used for digital scholarship projects with significant multimedia content and utilizes Dublin Core metadata fields. Omeka can be downloaded from USC Create Digital, self-hosted, or other third-party hosting services.
Scalar
Scalar is an open source platform that specializes in book-length digital scholarship. It allows users to incorporate writings and media from many sources and enables non-linear writing formats. Download Scalar from USC Create Digital or register for an account from Scalar.
Wordpress
WordPress is an open source, user-friendly publishing platform. It offers thousands of plug-ins, widgets, and themes to make your site unique. To use WordPress, you'll need a web host. Faculty and graduate students are eligible to use USC Create Digital. CDH also offers hosting options.

Selection Criteria

Selecting a CMS may seem like a simple task, but picking a CMS that is suitable is critical for the success of the project. Viewing tutorials and reviewing documentation in advance of your selection will help you to understand both the technical expertise necessary to administer your project and to decide if the CMS offers the tools needed to showcase your work.

Need help selecting a CMS? Reach out to us for assistance!