The historic library in Coimbra is considered one of the most beautiful in the world
The University of Coimbra (UC) has announced an €8 million project to digitise 30,000 century-old books from the Joanina Library in Coimbra, often considered one of the most beautiful in the world.
According to a statement released by the university, the goal is to have the 30,000 century-old books housed on the library’s main floor digitised and free for all to access by 2030.
The project is moving forward through a partnership with the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA), which is financing the project with the High Sponsorship of Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi, ruler of the Emirate of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates, who in 2018 received an honorary doctorate from the University of Coimbra.
The memorandum of understanding, outlining the terms of cooperation between UC and SBA, was signed on February 21 by the university’s rector, Amílcar Falcão, and SBA’s president, Ahmed Bin Rakkad Al Ameri, at the historic Baroque library.
Surrounding them on the library’s shelves were books from across the globe, predominantly published between the early 16th and late 18th centuries, which “constitute the primary focus of this partnership,” says the university statement.
Kicking things off will be the project’s “pilot phase”, which in its first year will focus on the digitisation of a collection of books about the Middle East, which will be named as the “Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi Library.”
“All of these books – an invaluable collection including renowned European works such as Vesalius’ “De humani corporis fabrica” and Kepler’s “Astronomia nova, as well as many previously unpublished works in digital format like Coronelli’s engraved atlas “Atlante Veneto” or Isaac Newton’s first Portuguese translation of “Theory of Tides,” will be accessible in an open-access digital repository, free of charge,” the university says.
“Apart from being accessible, a click away, to the 500,000 people who visit the Joanina Library on average per year, they will also be available to readers and researchers from all over the world,” UC adds.
In addition to being accessible online through the digital platform which be created by UC, which will oversee the entire digitisation, cataloguing, archiving, and technological solution development process, the books will also be available on the Europeana digital cultural heritage portal, which brings together books, films, and music from thousands of European cultural institutions.
The university rector has highlighted the project’s importance, stating that it represents a “unique opportunity to bring one of the world’s most beautiful libraries into the digital universe”. Amílcar Falcão also said it will ensure the “curation and preservation of this precious and unique bibliographic collection”.
Meanwhile, the president of the Sharjah Book Authority expressed his pleasure with the collaboration between the university and SBA.
“Under the visionary leadership of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Sharjah has become a beacon of enlightenment. The ‘Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi Library’ project reflects this on a global scale. Leveraging UC’s digitisation expertise, we aim to establish a digital library of great academic importance. The Joanina Digital Library will not only provide access to the precious collection of the Joanina Library but also serve as a channel for historical knowledge, promoting deeper understanding across continents and eras. This initiative further solidifies the bonds between Sharjah and Portugal, with a view to cultural exchange and preservation,” said Ahmed Bin Rakkad Al Ameri.
The Joanina Library’s construction began in 1717 and is named after its founder, King John V of Portugal. The three-floor building is located in the heart of the University of Coimbra and is home to around 200,000 books. It is often featured in lists of the world’s most beautiful libraries, having already been singled out by The Telegraph, The Guardian, and Deutsche Welle, among others.
