The call to “Digitize”!

In the height of a worldwide pandemic, organizations including libraries and learning institutions, are recognizing that e-resources are becoming more prominent. As everyone is restricted by social distancing which includes nearly everywhere, the more this situation resonates the need for online services. Some libraries, which includes all libraries, be it public, academic or special libraries are promoting that they are going through a digitisation process to make their collections available to their clients in this time of crisis. This process includes scanning of historical publications. For example the library and archive at the Australian National Botanic Gardens – the national collection of Australian native plants; inspiring, informing and connecting people with the Australian flora has announced that they are going through this process making its collections more accessible by digitising the historical publications as part of its 50th anniversary celebrations.

Another example of a library that has incorporated a digitising project is the British Library. Their initiative incorporates Cyreal – a digitisation company for a project approximately for two years along with imaging specialists at the Library have developed bespoke equipment to photograph and digitise the globes, which form one of the most beautiful but fragile subsets in the British Library’s vast maps collection. The digital globes will be available to view on the British Library website – www.bl.uk/collection-items – from 26 March, via a viewing platform which includes an augmented reality function (available on phone or tablet via the Sketchfab app). This online access will allow unprecedented up-close interaction with the globes from anywhere in the world and means that for the first time, a variety of previously illegible surface features on the globes can be read.

In light of the situation, schools are also struggling with the new situation – virtual school. Heads of Schools all over the Czech Republic are tasked with the challenge of coping with distance learning. Some of the schools in the Czech Republic are doing well, but the majority of schools here don’t know where to start with building a virtual environment for their students. Virtual teaching is not a challenge for the American Academy system of schools.  American Academy has been using Google Classroom and other fitting virtual school applications on a daily basis in order to give its students the best possible education with limitless options for learning. While this project is in its initial stages, many schools have already been reached out for assistance.  This educational initiative is just the start of something bigger with potentially helping all schools to become more digitized.

Let us be apart of this initiative in becoming more digital! You can start with your own personal records, receipts, letters, statements, birth papers, passports etc.