Omeka’s newest release offers a glimpse of functionality coming with our new service, Omeka.net: configurable themes.

Omeka 1.2 includes two examples of themes that can be configured in the admin/themes panel. Rhythm and Seasons allow users to choose from a bundle of style sheets that change the color palette of the theme. Additionally, Seasons gives users the option to upload a logo that will be displayed in the left corner of the site’s header. All themes will be configurable in this way for the omeka.net service, so consider this a sneak peak of what is to come. If you’re interested in making your own theme configurable, check out the Theme Configuration page in the Documentation.

Version 1.2 also includes Exhibit Builder 0.5.2. We fixed a few bugs, including one in the TinyMCE editor that incorrectly converted absolute URLs to relative URLs. If you’re not ready to upgrade Omeka to 1.2, you can still download the new version of Exhibit Builder on our Plugins page.

We’ve also fixed a major bug in the Berlin theme by adding the standard plugin hook to items/show, so that all plugins can append content to that page.

A summary of all changes made in Omeka 1.2 can be found in the release notes.

Try it out, and tell us what you think.

If you thought only large urban libraries (eg, New York Public Library) could launch a unique Omeka-powered digital collection site, think again. The Ringwood Public Library in New Jersey recently released, the Upper Ringwood Collection with a great theme designed by the Web Developers Studio.

In this site you will find over 120 images browseable by four categories: people and places, events and keepsakes, schools and churches, and mines and stables. These categories are actually Omeka collections. While most of the packaged themes offer browsing by all items, exhibits, and collections via the main navigation bar, you can gently tweak the theme to allow browsing by specific collections, types, or tags.

The Upper Ringwood Collection provides another excellent example of how Omeka’s themes can be modified to create attractive and distinctive looks for any web project.

This week’s screencast gives a brief introduction to working with themes, providing an overview of their file structure.

This time we bring you a theme based on the Bracero History Archive. Go grab the Braceros Santa Fe theme from the directory.

And the themes roll on….

Check out the final installment of the seasonal suite, Spring, over at the theme repository.