Projects

Accessibility and Protection – Projects at Lund University Library

More than four kilometres of shelving in the University Library's collections contain totally unique material, spanning more than 2,000 years. Here are Egyptian papyri from the 3rd century BC, medieval manuscripts, letters, diaries, family archives and photo collections. We also hold book collections of famous cultural personalities and scientists.

A number of projects are being undertaken at the University Library in order to obtain increased accessibility, better conditions for preservation and higher security. Unexplored archives are being inventoried, sorted and registered. Book collections are being catalogued. Older catalogues are digitised and transferred to searchable databases. Fragile material is being preserved and given a longer life span.

A large amount of material is being photographed and made available online - for anyone, anywhere, and wherever in the world they may be. This digitisation also means that the collections are protected from wear. Fragile manuscripts, books, letter collections and images can be studied and used with no risk of the originals being destroyed. When photographed and digitised, the material is often given better storage and protection. With the help of technology our cultural heritage can be preserved for the future. 

This work is costly, time-consuming and technically advanced. The projects at Lund University Library are long-term undertakings, which are pursued continuously. To a large extent they are financed by external foundations and corporations. Without their support, these projects would not have been possible to realize.

Last modified28 Apr 2009

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