From a dispersed medieval collection to one international library: the virtual reconstruction of the monastic library of Lorsch

A virtual reconstruction of the medieval monastic library of Lorsch, once dispersed across 73 institutions worldwide, has united 309 manuscripts into one international digital library. This project, part of the Bibliotheca Laureshamensis - digital initiative, utilized advanced digitization and cataloguing techniques to create freely accessible, high-resolution facsimiles enriched with detailed metadata. The study highlights how the dispersed nature of the collection influenced both technical workflows and the design of the Virtual Monastic Library, offering a groundbreaking model for preserving and studying fragmented historical libraries.

Büttner, A., & Kautz, M. (2015). From a dispersed medieval collection to one international library: the virtual reconstruction of the monastic library of Lorsch. Art Libraries Journal, 40(3), 11–20. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0307472200000304