Establishing and funding a digital asset management system at the University of Chicago

In 2010, the University Communications Department at the University of Chicago began investigating the building of a digital asset management (DAM) system with the potential for university-wide reach. This case study discusses the evolution of this project from the fact-finding first steps to the current state of the DAM system, which was launched in February 2013. The DAM system was set up in University Communications with seed funding for one year, with a mandate to cover its own expenses after the first year. Therefore, in addition to establishing a DAM technological solution, the team developed a cost recovery model that fit the budgets of client departments and helped contribute to the system operations, ultimately creating a sustainable internal service called PhotoStore. The workflows, technology, standards and cost plans have been set up with a solid foundation so that the PhotoStore staff can continually process incoming images and add new users efficiently. This paper will discuss the major components of the PhotoStore service, how the service was established, lessons learned and plans for the future.