Description
The Digital centre “North +” will ensure the necessary technological basis for digitization, conservation and presentation in a European context of the cultural, literary, documentary, historical and architectural heritage stored in the cultural partner organizations of the Central Northern Region. The digital conversion of the specialized collections of manuscripts, old-printed books, Renaissance periodicals, old photos, local archive of immovable cultural heritage and museum exhibits will enabled easy access to Bulgarian cultural heritage. The importance of digitization of these valuable collections is that this is the only way for their preservation for future generations because of their old age and the fragility of the paper on which they were written. The project’s aim of wider access to Bulgarian cultural heritage is in full compliance with the objective of the EEA Grants to decrease social and economic disparities, increase social inclusion and building up of an economy of knowledge by implementing digital technologies for intelligent, sustainable and inclusive growth. Similar institutions will partner up in the unification of digitization process and creation of full-text databases. This will include Roma participation. As a result a digital hub will be built, providing broad and easy access to the cultural heritage of the cultural institutions of the Central Northern part of Bulgaria. Project will result in the establishment of one main and two small digital centres and 5000 digitized items of special collections of rare and valuable books and pictures in Bulgarian libraries, museums, archives and galleries, including Roma cultural heritage (500 items); facilitated conservation activities, access to information; creation of interactive cultural maps of objects to save time, and allow quick and easy access to information for scientific purposes. The target groups are academics, students, minorities, Roma community, organizations, and citizens.
Summary of project results
The project Digital + Center is providing the necessary technological basis for the digitization, preservation and provision of cultural, literary, documentary, historical and architectural heritage in European contexts, preserved in cultural partner institutions and organizations from the Central Northern Region and other demographic regions in Bulgaria. Through the digital conversion of specialized collections of manuscripts, old-fashioned books, Renaissance periodicals, old photographs, a local archive of immovable cultural heritage and museum exhibits, unimpeded access to the European cultural heritage of European dimensions is ensured. At the same time, the activities of the partner organizations is intensified in the realization of their safeguarding functions, which have remained in the background in recent years due to lack of funds for the purchase of modern technical equipment and lack of capacity in the participating institutions. The process of involving volunteers - Roma and Bulgarians from the Center for Interethnic Dialogue and Tolerance 'Amalipe" is bilateral, on the one hand the capacity of the digital center will be increased and will be provided with human resources and on the other hand the participants acquired the necessary library and digital competences. With the newly created digital masses, the project have impact on a broad public layer of users by providing the relevant target group with relevant information resources: academic environments . For example the specific target groups reached are the academic lecturers and PhD students, students from Bulgarian philology, Balkan studies, librarianship and theology of the VTU " St. St. Cyril and Methodius", higher education institutions in the region and the country, pupils from the primary and upper classes in the educational program of the National Revival Literature Program, representatives of the Roma community in search of local history materials for the participation and contribution of the community for the overall development of Roma life, residents of the populated places that are interested in culture and history.
Summary of bilateral results