Back to Solutions

Avalon Media System

Indiana University Libraries
United States of America
Website (Opens in new window)

About

Launched: 2013
Record Updated: Dec 09, 2025
Digital library, collection or exhibit platform
Repository software
Avalon Media System is an open source platform for managing and providing access to digital audio and moving image content.
Avalon allows libraries and archives with digital media holdings to conveniently provide access for course reserves, archival content, and public streaming. It provides features like simplified transcoding workflows that abstract away the frustrations of media processing, flexible and granular access control options, and a unique media component library for displaying captions, transcripts, track data, and other information associated with media files. It also includes many standard repository features such as batch record creation, bibliographic metadata import, and support for cloud storage services.

Mission

The aim of the Avalon Media System project is to create software that enables libraries and archives to manage and provide online access to audio and video collections in a way that meets their unique needs. The Avalon team develops Avalon Media System, the turnkey media repository platform, as well as the Ramp media component library used within Avalon.
The Avalon team practices an agile, open source development model. As part of the Samvera open source community, the Avalon team leverages existing technologies and shared code whenever feasible. In addition, we support our growing community of implementers and users through regular community meetings and public communication channels.

Key Achievements

Avalon is actively developed and has published several significant releases in the past year, including versions 8.0 and 8.1.
Avalon 8.1, released in August 2025, upgrades the application to Rails 8 and includes new metadata fields, increased application speed when editing records, and increased compliance with WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility standards.
Avalon 8.0, released in December 2024, includes support for Fedora 6. It also features improved UI/UX and browser support in the Ramp media component library, support for Microsoft cloud storage, and a variety of bug fixes and improvements.

Technical Attributes

Maintenance Status

Actively Maintained

Open Code Repository

Implemented
Website (Opens in new window)

Technical Documentation

Implemented
Website (Opens in new window)

Code License

Implemented
Website (Opens in new window)

Open API

Implemented
Website (Opens in new window)

Open Product Roadmap

Implemented
Website (Opens in new window)

Technical Attribute Statements

Programming Languages

  • html
  • ruby

Technology Readiness Level

  • Actual system proven in operational environment

Code Licenses Used

  • Apache License, Version 2.0

Content Licensing

  • Rightsstatement.org licenses

Standards

Metadata

  • Atom
  • IIIF
  • JSON
  • JSON-LD
  • MARC
  • MARC XML
  • MODS
  • RDF
  • REST
  • SRU/SRW

Persistent Identifier

PURL

Integrations

  • Fedora
  • IIIF

Community Engagement

Code of Conduct

Implemented
Website (Opens in new window)

Community Engagement

Implemented
Website (Opens in new window)

Community Statements

User Contribution Pathways

  • Contribute funds
  • Contribute to code
  • Contribute to documentation
  • Contribute to education or training
  • Contribute to governance
  • Contribute to user research or user testing

Community Engagement Activities

  • Annual meetings
  • Community calls
  • Conference participation
  • Interest, working, user, or advisory groups
  • Mailing lists and discussion forums (including Slack)

Policies & Governance

Governance Summary

Avalon is a project of Samvera, a distinct series entity hosted by OASIS Open. Samvera is governed by a Board of Directors.

Policies

Bylaws

Implemented
Website (Opens in new window)

Web Accessibility Statement

In Progress

Governance Records

Implemented
Website (Opens in new window)

Governance Structure & Processes

Implemented
Website (Opens in new window)

Policy Statements

Board Structure

  • Advisory board or steering committee

Board Level

Avalon is a project of Samvera, a distinct series entity hosted by OASIS Open. Samvera is governed by a Board of Directors.

Community Governance

  • Formal

Additional Information

Organizational History

Avalon Media System is an open source platform for managing and providing access to digital audio and moving image content, originally developed by Indiana University Libraries and Northwestern University Libraries, and now primarily developed and supported by Indiana University Libraries. Currently in production use by at least a dozen institutions, Avalon is a product of the Samvera open source community and both utilizes and participates in the development of shared components within the Samvera framework.
Avalon development has been supported with grant funding from both the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the Mellon Foundation.

Organizational Structure

Business or Ownership Model

Non-profit organization

Full-time Staff

1-5

Non-profit Status

501(c)6

Current Affiliations

Indiana University Libraries

Funding

Primary Funding Source

Institutional funding from Indiana University Libraries

Funding Needs

Institutions, organizations, funders, and consortia can help advance Avalon via in-kind development of Avalon features; by becoming a Samvera Partner; through grant-funded activities; and by pledging funds or development time to contribute to Avalon development sprints.
Back to Top