Description
In Gabrovo region there are many cultural institutions such as museums and libraries, which keep in their collections rare and valuable editions from 14th century to 1878 (books and periodicals) in old-Bulgarian, church-Slavonic, Hebrew and other languages, which are part of the cultural heritage of the region and have national importance. These objects of cultural heritage, due to their physical condition and restrictions on storage, are inaccessible not only the general public but even to specialists. The project is needed to preserve this cultural heritage for future generations and provide unrestricted access to local, national and international community, in line with the EEA Grants objective of decreasing social and economic disparities by ensuring opportunities for a knowledhe based economy. The project will address these challenges by establishing two digital centres in the local museum and library with modern equipment and trained professionals for long-term digitization of stored cultural heritage. About 6000 pages of cultural heritage objects will be converted into digital format for the first time and stored on servers to be presented to the national and European communities. Also the capacity of the partner in the project will be strengthened regarding the methods of cataloging and digitising cultural heritage. There will be established a catalogue of rare and valuable books and manuscripts. The expected result is the creation of a digital library, presenting cultural heritage stored in local institutions and with full data access to users from around the world. The next result will be better integration of Roma children in the local and national community through their participation in a summer academy organized with the aim of popularizing the project results. Target groups are representatives of the institutions directly involved in the project; academics; local community; general public; and local Roma students.
Summary of project results
The main goal of the project is to preserve the cultural heritage for future generations and to ensure unrestricted access to the local, national and international community to it. It is implemented to a large extent - every user of the World Wide Web has free access to full-text quality resources of this cultural heritage. The impact of the achieved goal is expressed by increasing the awareness of the local community and the European and world public about the preserved rare and valuable publications / models of the literary cultural and historical heritage and the possibility of anyone interested in touching it with the uniqueness and beauty of manuscripts and editions from the 14th century to 1878 in full text, giving him the opportunity to research and historical research. The project results are: Two digital centers have been built, equipped with state-of-the-art equipment and software for cataloging and converting objects of cultural value into a digital format to be presented to the national and European communities. Preserved funds from rare and valuable publications and manuscripts in Gabrovo museum and library in archival cabinets meeting the contemporary requirements in order to preserve the literary cultural heritage for future generations. Increasing the capacity of the project partners - regarding the methods of digitization and cataloging of the cultural heritage. A digital library is created, presenting in electronic format the cultural heritage preserved in the local institutions participating in the project. Created a catalog of the rare and valuable editions and manuscripts held in the museum and library. Provided for free and unrestricted access to the literary cultural heritage preserved in local cultural institutions. The results of the project have been fully achieved - 100%. The products created by the project are: 2 pcs. digital centers in the sphere of cultural heritage; 6,000 pages of cultural heritage, conventionally digitized for the first time; a virtual library with a link to partner sites where 6,000 pages of cultural heritage are presented; 6 special archive cabinets, where the manuscript collections and the old printed books of the project participants were moved; Proven collections of manuscripts and old printed books of the participants in the project; an archival catalog of rare, valuable manuscripts and old printed books - 400 titles; trained staff to work in digital centers.
Summary of bilateral results