Digitisation of Old Prints and Archival Collections of Monastic Provenance in Church Theological and State Libraries as a Chance for Sustainable Development

Abstract

Theological old prints and archival collections are the pride and joy of every monastic and state library. They are of interest primarily to professional theologians, book and church historians, bibliologists, museologists, but also amateur bibliophiles. Due to their uniqueness and importance for human culture, they are priceless and closely guarded in the mentioned libraries. Thanks to the digitisation of old prints and archival collections, it is possible to study and view them without leaving home or the workplace.

The role of digital libraries and archives is the preservation of knowledge, and democratising information access by providing better access to archival and library materials via IT networks. This enables education and lifelong learning support, as well as a community building, communication, and collaboration platform. Digital libraries supplement the existing resources, support popularisation of library and archive collections, and can merge archival and library materials that are physically stored in different locations, for example in different institutions, even outside the country's borders.