Kitodo
| Company type | Free and open-source software |
|---|---|
| Industry | Software, Cultural heritage digitization |
| Predecessor | Goobi |
| Headquarters | Germany |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Products | Digitization workflow software, Metadata management, Public access interfaces |
Kitodo (an abbreviation for key to digital objects) is a free and open-source software package created to facilitate large-scale digitization initiatives within cultural heritage organizations. It complies with global standards like METS and MODS, which are overseen by the Library of Congress. The Kitodo suite consists of modular components that handle digitization workflows, improve both descriptive and structural metadata, and provide contemporary public access interfaces. Its main clientele includes archives, libraries, museums, publishers, and providers of scanning services.
Structure
The Kitodo software is divided into two primary modules: Kitodo.Presentation and Kitodo.Production. Key features include:
- Centralized administration of digital image assets
- Integrated metadata management enabling cataloging and aggregation from multiple sources
- Workflow oversight tools to track the progress of collaborative partners
- Import/export capabilities for metadata and external digital resources
- Functions to manage errors, finalize tasks, and coordinate partner handoffs
- Platform-agnostic design as a Web application, supporting worldwide cooperation among distributed digitization teams
Its viewer component includes an indexer, while other built-in modules facilitate distributed workflow coordination, enhancing communication and production across various collaborators.
History
Prior to May 2016, the software was known as Goobi (derived from Göttingen online-objects binaries). The workflow engine exists in two variants: a community edition (now called Kitodo), jointly maintained by leading German libraries and digitization service providers, and the Intranda edition, developed by a single company. Kitodo is currently in use at no fewer than eight libraries throughout Germany.
In May 2016, the German Goobi association, Goobi Digitalisieren im Verein e. V., renamed the software to Kitodo in order to address trademark conflicts related to the Goobi designation.