Arkhênum signs deal with German Museum of Books and Writing

The German National Library turns to Arkhênum once more

Following a first project that saw Arkhênum’s German team produce around 2.5 million digital images for the German National Library (DNB) between 2021 and 2023, the team will now begin work for the German Book and Writing Museum in Leipzig.

Founded in 1884, the Deutsches Buch- und Schriftmuseum is the oldest museum of its kind in the world. Housed in the DNB, the institution is devoted to collecting and conserving objects and documents relating to literature and books.

Selecting the best of the latest technology: heritage scanners

Adapting to each client’s specific needs is a challenge for Arkhênum’s staff – which is why our technical experts stay abreast of the latest technological developments.

As part of the project, and due to the inability of certain manuscripts to open a full 180°,  our experts will use the latest generation of heritage scanners, capable of digitising at a 45° angle.

The project will require no fewer than six heritage scanners of four different types to meet the museum’s specific requirements.

Scanning is scheduled to start in the summer of 2023 and will last for two years, with the option to extend for a further two years.

Every page turned is an archived story

7 MARCH 2023

Musée Maritime de La Rochelle safeguards its watercolour collections

Arkhênum’s mission: digitally preserving Maritime Museum’s heritage collection

With its heritage fleet and range of exhibition spaces, the Musée Maritime de La Rochelle immerses visitors in the region’s exciting maritime history. The onshore exhibition features small pleasure boats, maritime objects and models. A collection of watercolours will be added to the museum’s archives for long-term preservation.

The Museum commissioned Arkhênum to physically and digitally preserve its collection. Our specialists carried out preliminary work to remove the watercolours from their frames.

Repacking the collections in paper pouches and PH neutral boxes will guarantee their long-term conservation. The Arkhênum team will be responsible for identifying documents and recording the inventory numbers on the packaging.

Operators will digitally safeguard the watercolours. Creating these digital duplicates will not only ensure the long-term preservation of these collections but will also open opportunities for new media, particularly digital media.

Arkhênum will provide its global expertise across the entire project, from gathering customer requirements and analysing documents to digitising heritage documents. 

Ready to bring your project into the digital age? Contact us today.

Every page turned is an archived story

10 JANUARY 2023

And then there were three… the Austrian National Library

Austrian National Library: Vision 2025

The library’s Vision 2025 project aims to make a significant portion of this inventory available to the public digitally by 2025.

The digitisation is led by the National Library’s Iconography Department, known as Bildarchiv.

Every page turned is an archived story

11 OCTOBER 2022

Arkhênum heads for the Cape

The operation focused on a collection of architectural drawings by the English architect Herbert Baker.

The drawings suffered severe damage as a result of dust and smoke deposits. After a thorough assessment, La Reliure du Limousin and Arkhênum proposed joining forces to restore and subsequently digitise the drawings, and the university selected both companies for the task.

Exhaustive digitisation guaranteed

Both the restoration and digitisation phases were carried out on site at the university, with coordinated efforts to ensure smooth operations. This guaranteed that all drawings would be digitised and have optimal readability, thanks to the preliminary work carried out.

The university benefitted from a speedy service with a single point of contact in the person of a project manager who oversaw the entire service.

A team of eight professionals diligently restored and digitised the collection, marking a significant collaboration between French experts and local South African personnel. This type of collaboration will certainly grow in popularity, both in France and abroad.

Every page turned is an archived story

19 JULY 2022

Arkhênum establishes a presence in Dessau-Roßlau, Germany

Following successful projects in Berlin and Leipzig, Arkhênum has embarked on its third project in Germany, setting up a digitisation centre in Dessau-Roßlau.

The Anhaltische Landesbücherei Dessau is a scholarly library closely linked to the city archives of Dessau-Roßlau. Together with the Fürst-Georg-Bibliothek, the library houses the extensive book collection the theologian George III, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau (1507-1553).

One of the largest academic libraries from the Reformation

This library is also home to the oldest and most extensive surviving book collection in Anhalt. Mediaeval manuscripts, incunabula, and a rare selection of printed material from the Reformation period, some of which are one-of-a-kind, make this library a remarkable testament to a princely, scholarly collection from the first half of the 16th century.

The digitisation must be carried out on site in the Municipal Archives for insurance and restoration reasons.

Every page turned is an archived story