Ball State University Archives and Special Collections: Digital Media Repository

There are multiple ways to access the DMR. 

• Type in the URL dmr.bsu.edu.
• Google "Ball State DMR."
• Use the Ball State University Libraries’ website: 

Option 1: On the Libraries' homepage, click on Digital Media Repository listed in the More Top Links box.

Option 2: On the Libraries' homepage, click on Do Research.

Then click on Digital Media Repository under Local Resources.

Option 3: On the Archives' homepage, click on Collections to expand.  Then click on Digital Collections in the Access Our Collections box. 

To search the DMR, you can use the search bar on the main page to type in your keywords. To focus your search, you can also use the Advanced Search option located below the search bar. Once you run your initial search, you can select filters to narrow down the results.

You can also search the contents of the DMR using the Browse by... section on the main page. DMR items have been organized into the following categories: 

• Collection - alphabetical listing of digital collections
• Subject - alphabetical listing of subject terms
• Location - alphabetical listing of geographic locations
• Format - alphabetical listing of format types

If you find an item of interest and want to investigate it further, all you need to do is click on the item.  In the item image, you will see an arrow box in the top right corner.  This provides you with an interactive, expanded view of the item. 

Hovering over the item in expanded view will reveal a toolbar in the top left corner.  From left to right, the tools provided are:

• zoom in
• zoom out
• go home: returns the expanded view image to its original format
• toggle full page: allows you to expand the image to a full screen view
• rotate left
• rotate right
• If you were viewing a multi-page document, the expanded view would allow you to flip through the pages like a book.

Clicking on the image itself and dragging it at the same time allows you to move the image.  The X in the top right corner will exit expanded view.  

Once out of the expanded view, you can review the information about the item below the image.  Item Description contains useful information about the item you've selected including: the item title, subject terms, original date (if known), item description, geographic location, and time period.  Information in red is hyperlinked and will take you to other items with the same information. 

You may use anything in the DMR for research or academic purposes.  If you have any questions or concerns about the copyright of an item, we provide a copyright statement for each item in the DMR.  This is located beneath the image under Item Description.  

If you would like to save an item for future use or to reproduce an item in your project, the DMR will allow you to print an item or download it to your personal device.  This can be done by clicking one of the two buttons located to the right of the image and above the Search this Record box.  The one with the downward arrow is the download button.  It will give you options for the size you would like to download.  For general research or use in an academic project, medium would most likely be sufficient.  The small option is good for social media postings and the large is more appropriate for reproductions.  The button located next to the download button will allow you to print the item directly from the DMR.