Bibliotheca Palatina Fully Accessible Online
Press Release No. 1/2009
5 06 2009
5 06 2009
Heidelberg University Library has digitised all 848 Palatina manuscripts in German – Ceremony to mark the occasion on 25 June in the Great Hall of the Old University
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Codex Manesse, Zürich, 1305 bis 1340 (Heidelberg, UB, Cod. Pal. germ. 848, fol. 22v): Graf Kraft von Toggenburg
Photo: Universitätsbibliothek Heidelberg
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Heidelberg’s Bibliotheca Palatina is one of the most precious collections of German manuscripts from the Middle Ages and the early modern age. It is now fully accessible online. In the course of a three-year project Heidelberg University Library has digitised all 848 Codices Palatini germanici from the former Palatinate Library (Bibliotheca Palatina), totalling 270,000 pages and approx. 7,000 miniatures. This project puts the Library right up among the world’s front runners for manuscript digitisation. It has been financed by the Manfred Lautenschläger Foundation.
Digitisation offers scholars and interested laypersons a number of major advantages. They can inspect the manuscripts wherever and whenever they like, while the precious originals remain in an air-conditioned environment fulfilling the highest preservation standards. A preview function helps users find their way around the individual manuscripts. The different pages can be enlarged several times over with a zoom function. This enhances legibility and is also useful for the perusal of illustration details. In addition, the results of the scholarly analysis of all 7,000 miniatures have been placed in the HeidlCON image database, so that detailed searches can be undertaken on the basis of criteria like picture motifs.
The project was carried out at the Heidelberg University Library’s Digitisation Centre. Scanners of the “Grazer Modell” variety with two high-resolution digital cameras were used for the purpose. These scanners have been devised specially for contact-free digitisation of fragile manuscripts with no risk of damage to the originals. The book is positioned exactly with the aid of a laser beam and the individual pages gently held in place by a vacuum device during the scanning process. After digitisation the images are changed into the TIFF format fulfilling the highest technical standards for long-term file storage. Then professional image-processing is used to achieve closest possible accuracy in terms of colour, brightness, contrast and definition.
Digitisation offers scholars and interested laypersons a number of major advantages. They can inspect the manuscripts wherever and whenever they like, while the precious originals remain in an air-conditioned environment fulfilling the highest preservation standards. A preview function helps users find their way around the individual manuscripts. The different pages can be enlarged several times over with a zoom function. This enhances legibility and is also useful for the perusal of illustration details. In addition, the results of the scholarly analysis of all 7,000 miniatures have been placed in the HeidlCON image database, so that detailed searches can be undertaken on the basis of criteria like picture motifs.
The project was carried out at the Heidelberg University Library’s Digitisation Centre. Scanners of the “Grazer Modell” variety with two high-resolution digital cameras were used for the purpose. These scanners have been devised specially for contact-free digitisation of fragile manuscripts with no risk of damage to the originals. The book is positioned exactly with the aid of a laser beam and the individual pages gently held in place by a vacuum device during the scanning process. After digitisation the images are changed into the TIFF format fulfilling the highest technical standards for long-term file storage. Then professional image-processing is used to achieve closest possible accuracy in terms of colour, brightness, contrast and definition.
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Hugo von Trimberg: Der Renner - 'Tafel der christlichen Weisheit', Nürnberg, 1425-1431/zwischen 1439 und 1444, (Heidelberg, UB, Cod. Pal. germ. 471, fol. 16r): "Geiz"
Photo: Universitätsbibliothek Heidelberg
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The origins of the Bibliotheca Palatina date back to 1386, the year when Heidelberg University was founded. Today the German manuscripts from the collection are held by Heidelberg University Library, whereas almost all the Greek and Latin manuscripts and all prints are in the possession of the Bibliotheca Apostolica Vaticana in Rome. The famous collection provides rich source material for a variety of scholarly disciplines. Alongside such gems as the Heidelberg Sachsenspiegel or the Codex Manesse there are also example of courtly epic poetry, Biblical texts, medical treatises and even books on the conduct of warfare. Now anyone interested can leaf through the Heidelberg Palatina manuscripts in virtual form and conveniently download them as pdf documents.
The project has been funded by the Manfred Lautenschläger Foundation. Without its assistance the undertaking would have taken much longer than the three years actually needed (May 2006 to April 2009). All 848 Palatina manuscripts are now online.
To mark the completion of the project there will be a festive ceremony organised by Heidelberg University Library at 6 p.m. on 25 June 2009 in the Great Hall of the Old University (Grabengasse 1). Jeffrey Hamburger, professor of German art and culture at the University of Harvard, has chosen medieval book illustration as the topic of his talk on this occasion. Subsequently refreshments will be served in the bel étage of the Old University.
Journalists interested in this subject have the opportunity to attend a preliminary gathering for the press, providing detailed information and including a tour of the Digitisation Centre. This is scheduled for Tuesday, 23 June 2009 (3 p.m.). The location is the Lecture Hall (Vortragsraum) of the University Library.
Bibliotheca Palatina online
http://palatina-digital.uni-hd.de
Information for journalists
http://palatina-digital-presse.uni-hd.de
Contact
Dr. Sabine Häußermann
Public Relations Officer
Heidelberg University Library
phone: +49 6221 542581
haeussermann@ub.uni-heidelberg.de
Inquiries from journalists should be addressed to
Heidelberg University
Communications and Marketing
Dr. Michael Schwarz
Public Information Officer
michael.schwarz@rektorat.uni-heidelberg.de
Irene Thewalt
phone: +49 6221 542311
presse@rektorat.uni-heidelberg.de
The project has been funded by the Manfred Lautenschläger Foundation. Without its assistance the undertaking would have taken much longer than the three years actually needed (May 2006 to April 2009). All 848 Palatina manuscripts are now online.
To mark the completion of the project there will be a festive ceremony organised by Heidelberg University Library at 6 p.m. on 25 June 2009 in the Great Hall of the Old University (Grabengasse 1). Jeffrey Hamburger, professor of German art and culture at the University of Harvard, has chosen medieval book illustration as the topic of his talk on this occasion. Subsequently refreshments will be served in the bel étage of the Old University.
Journalists interested in this subject have the opportunity to attend a preliminary gathering for the press, providing detailed information and including a tour of the Digitisation Centre. This is scheduled for Tuesday, 23 June 2009 (3 p.m.). The location is the Lecture Hall (Vortragsraum) of the University Library.
Bibliotheca Palatina online
http://palatina-digital.uni-hd.de
Information for journalists
http://palatina-digital-presse.uni-hd.de
Contact
Dr. Sabine Häußermann
Public Relations Officer
Heidelberg University Library
phone: +49 6221 542581
haeussermann@ub.uni-heidelberg.de
Inquiries from journalists should be addressed to
Heidelberg University
Communications and Marketing
Dr. Michael Schwarz
Public Information Officer
michael.schwarz@rektorat.uni-heidelberg.de
Irene Thewalt
phone: +49 6221 542311
presse@rektorat.uni-heidelberg.de
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