The Avalon Media System is an open-source digital audio/video management and delivery system aimed at libraries and archives, developed collaboratively by Indiana University, Northwestern University, and others. It operates under an agile development model and has undergone several version releases since its planning stage in 2010. Current efforts include implementing new features and engaging with the community for code contributions and sustainability strategies.

1. The Avalon Media System
Implementation and Community
DLF Forum – October 28, 2014
Jon Dunn
Indiana University
Julie Rudder
Northwestern University
Mike Durbin
University of Virginia
Bess Sadler
Stanford University
Stephen Davis
Columbia University

2. Avalon Project Objectives
Goal: Create an open source system to enable
libraries and archives to provide online access to
video and audio collections
• Digital audio/video management and delivery system, focused
on needs of libraries and archives
• Follow an agile, open source development model
• Leverage existing technologies, where feasible
• Communicate and market the project broadly to increase
awareness and grow the community of users and developers

3. Project Overview
• Funded in part by a National Leadership Grant from the Institute of
Museum and Library Services
• Original name: Variations on Video
• Planning grant:
– August 2010 – July 2011
• Implementation grant:
– October 2011 – September 2014 September 2015
• Partnership between libraries at Indiana University and
Northwestern University

4. Project Partners and Advisors

5. Release History
• 0.1 – July 2012
• 0.5 – October 2012
• 1.0 – May 2013
• 2.0 – October 2013
• 3.0 – May 2014
• 3.1 – July 2014
• 3.2 – Real Soon Now

6. Avalon Architecture
Avalon Media System
ILS
LMS,
websites
Authentic-ation
Archival
Storage
Hydrant Rails App
Desktop,
Mobile
All Users
Browser,
Drop box
Search
Browse
View
Ingest
Describe
Manage
Integrations
Collection
Managers
Authoriz-ation
Media Player
(Matterhorn Engage)
Omni-
Auth
Can-
Can
Ruby-horn
Hydra
Head
Black-light
 Avalon code – consists of Hydrant Rails App and the Rubyhorn
gem. Other pieces are leveraged.
Users
Fedora Solr Matterhorn Media Server

7. Demonstration

8. Faceted browse via Blacklight

9. Desktop/Mobile Player

10. Embedding

11. LTI (in Canvas)

12. LTI (in Canvas)

13. Manage Content

14. Add item: Upload, Dropbox, or Batch

15. Dropbox view

16. Batch Folder

17. Descriptive Metadata: MODS

18. Access Control

19. Permanent URL minted on Publish

20. Bulk actions

21. Current development process
• A single, blended team
• Agile Scrum process
• Code in public GitHub
• Face-to-face meetings
at least 2x/year
• Daily standups, IRC

22. Ariadne Rehbein
Project assistant
Brian Keese
developer
Leah Lee
developer
Development Team
Shelby Silvernell
testing and prod support
Jim Bottino
DevOps

23. Community and future directions
• Multiple implementations currently underway
• Working on new features, including:
– Structural metadata
– Transcripts and captioning
• Starting to deal with code contributions
• Working with Hydra community
– Leverage common features across “heads”
– HydraDAM and Avalon, other preservation-specific
integrations
• Sustainability/governance/business model
• Exploring hosted options

24. More on Avalon
• http://avalonmediasystem.org/
• Avalon e-mail list:
E-mail avalon-l-subscribe@indiana.edu to subscribe
@avalonmediasys
facebook.com/avalonmediasys