Widen Media Collective to Manage Brooklyn Public Library's Collection of Images, Digital Assets

MADISON, Wis. - Feb. 16, 2016 - PRLog -- The Widen Media Collective has been selected by Brooklyn Public Library, the nation's fifth-largest library system, to meet the organization's digital asset management needs. Widen's cloud-based DAM solution will organize the Library's digital media files and improve collaboration among its marketing and design teams.

With Widen's help, BPL will organize graphics and images currently housed in several departments. Content will be made fully searchable and accessible to staff throughout the library system. The Library's IT department will be better able to reuse images across various platforms, while the marketing department will more easily locate files to complete jobs for internal and external clients. The Brooklyn Collection, BPL's local history archive, will be able to search thousands of old photographs previously stored on removable media.

"Our goal in partnering with Widen is to reduce staff time spent locating images and more easily track photo releases and other collateral," said Robin Lester-Kenton, Brooklyn Public Library's vice president of marketing and communications.

The Widen Media Collective was able to provide the features BPL was looking for in a DAM solution: cloud-based storage, flexible metadata schemas, an open and flexible API, version control, a user-friendly interface and rights management features. The Library selected Widen after conducting a search led by its IT department.

"The IT department is particularly excited to work with a partner that offers cloud-based DAM, alleviating stress on data storage, backup, security and bandwidth," said Selvon Smith, the Library's vice president of information technology and chief information officer.

Widen's DAM system will allow the Library to manage and distribute images, audio and video files to staff archivists, catalogers, marketers, photographers and external independent authors and filmmakers. The system will reduce staff time spent searching and researching images, and make it easier for employees to contribute to the library's photo and image archive.

"We have extensive metadata for our historical images, so we're pleased to move forward with a solution that offers flexible and customizable metadata," said Ivy Marvel, manager of special collections at BPL.

"The Brooklyn Public Library did their due diligence gathering requirements from their stakeholder groups across their organization. This ensured the team identified a solution that will satisfy the needs of both the marketing team and special collections department," stated Brenna Hale, senior advisor with Widen. "While the team identified the core DAM fit, taking valuable marketing content 'beyond the library' through potential use of share links and integrations was an identified added benefit the Media Collective will offer."

About Brooklyn Public Library
Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) is an independent library system for the 2.5 million residents of Brooklyn. It is the fifth largest library system in the United States with 60 neighborhood libraries located throughout the borough. BPL offers free programs and services for all ages and stages of life, including a large selection of books in more than 30 languages, author talks, literacy programs and public computers. BPL's eResources, such as eBooks and eVideos, catalog information and free homework help, are available to customers of all ages 24 hours a day at our website: http://www.bklynlibrary.org.

About Widen Enterprises, Inc.
Widen is a marketing technology company that powers the content that builds your brand. Leveraging cloud-based resources, Widen delivers configurable, scalable, and cost-effective digital asset management solutions to help you easily store, search and share your digital content. Organizations of all sizes use Widen's SaaS DAM solution, the Media Collective, to streamline their marketing and creative workflows and make their content work harder. Widen is trusted by hundreds of thousands of users around the world at organizations like LG, Roche, Trek, Cornell University, New Orleans Tourism Marketing, The Atlanta Falcons, Red Gold Tomatoes, Electrolux, and Yankee Candle. To learn more about Widen, go to http://www.widen.com.