November 2025 — Ex Libris, from Clarivate, announced that the University of Maine System (UMS) will become the first university system to deploy Alma Specto after joining the Alma Specto Early Adopter Program.
UMS is Maine’s largest educational enterprise, encompassing seven public universities, a law school, and more than 30 course sites statewide. Serving nearly 30,000 students, UMS generates an estimated $1.5 billion in annual statewide economic impact.
Seamless System-Wide Integration
The university system was seeking a next-generation digital collections platform that could unify resources across campuses while integrating deeply with its Alma/Primo integrated library system (ILS). Following a comprehensive evaluation, UMS selected Alma Specto for its flexibility, cost-effectiveness, and overall functionality in supporting system-wide digital collections management.
Alma Specto provides a suite of advanced tools designed to enhance digital discovery, access, and curation, including:
- AI Digital Metadata Assistant, which supports efficient and accurate metadata creation
- Exhibition Builder for showcasing unique collections
- Discovery Enhancements to improve visibility and access for students and faculty
Multi-Campus Rollout
Alma Specto will initially be implemented at UMaine (Orono), UMaine Machias, the University of Southern Maine, and the University of Maine at Farmington, providing a unified platform for managing and sharing digital collections. The remaining University of Maine System campuses will be implemented in Fall 2026.
A Collaborative Milestone
By joining the Alma Specto Early Adopter Program, UMS positions itself at the forefront of digital collections innovation, setting an example for other consortial and system-level institutions seeking scalable, integrated digital collections management solutions.
“We are proud to partner with the University of Maine System as the first to adopt Alma Specto” says Lester Owencroft VP of Product Marketing at Clarivate. “Their commitment to innovation and student success makes them an ideal collaborator, and we look forward to supporting their system-wide vision and strengthening our partnership in the years ahead.”
