The Digitisation of the Incunabula of Monastic Libraries in Italy

The digitization and enhanced cataloguing of the 206 incunabula held at the Monastery of Santa Scolastica in Subiaco were part of a pilot module-based project focused on small collections found in public or ecclesiastical institutions, which frequently contain rare material and are often difficult to access. In terms of issues of security, conservation and use, such collections often require special attention. High-end digitisation and cataloguing was accompanied by the creation of videos, display of incunabula, scholarly publications and outreach material.

The project was coordinated and directed by the National Central Library in Rome (‘Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale di Roma’ or BNCR), in partnership with the Consortium of European Research Libraries (CERL), and with the Benedictine monastery of Santa Scolastica in Subiaco.