eKultura
Built on the foundation of the eArchiving Initiative and eARK specifications, eKultura provides a robust and secure system for digitising, storing, and accessing Croatia's diverse cultural heritage. This project was funded by the European Regional Development Fund.
Challenges faced
Designing a system to cater to a wide array of institutions, including museums, archives, and libraries, each with varying levels of technical expertise and accommodating diverse formats like text, images, 3D, sound, and video, presented a huge challenge. eKultura had to be flexible enough to integrate seamlessly with local applications, regardless of internet speed or file size. A secure and scalable cultural heritage information system was imperative to ensure long-term preservation and compliance with international standards.
Innovative solutions
eKultura embraced open-source software, allowing for customisation and future expansion. This flexibility enables continuous improvement and adaptation to evolving needs. The project implemented a process-oriented approach using software like Goobi workflow and the RODA tool, to streamline digitisation, quality control, and metadata creation. The innovative solution has been fine-tuned to harmonise with the cultural heritage institution's metadata model and seamlessly integrate with the Central Permanent Storage System. Received data packages are verified to ensure accuracy and quality; those that meet the requirements are stored in accordance with OAIS standards. The system also acts as a national aggregator that supports sharing of information packages using the OAI-PMH and IIIF protocols. It includes features such as data acceptance and validation, eliminating duplicate data, automatic transformation of various metadata formats (MODS, LIDO, EAD, Dublin Core) into the EDM model, data enrichment and publication to the eKultura portal and Europeana. This ensures accurate and consistent representation of cultural objects.
Benefits achieved
- Long-term preservation: eKultura ensures the long-term safety and accessibility of digitised cultural heritage objects by following eARK specifications. The system's security is further strengthened by using Croatia’s State Information Infrastructure, where the project is hosted.
- Accessibility and inclusivity: the eKultura portal allows citizens worldwide to explore Croatia's rich cultural heritage in more than 28 languages thanks to HRVOJKA – the Croatian multilingual operational public Communication tool. This was developed as part of a multi-country National Language Technology Platform (NLTP) project supported by the Connecting Europe Facility. The portal enables citizens to directly engage with institutions offering a wide array of services and offers search filters, high-resolution capabilities, and convenient options for saving and exporting data.
- Institutional empowerment: eKultura empowers the digital transformation of cultural institutions by providing them with a centralised workspace to manage their digital collections. Institutions can create unique virtual exhibitions and share their collections with the public.
- Knowledge sharing: eKultura contributes to the wider European cutlural landscape as as a National Aggregator for Europeana by facilitating the transfer of data to Europeana for projects such as Transcribathon and TWIN IT! ensuring Croatia's heritage becomes part of a global knowledge base.
A model for success
The eKultura project stands out as a model for safeguarding cultural heritage. Its success can be attributed to its collaborative approach, innovative use of technology, and unwavering commitment to preserving the past for future generations. By harnessing the power of open source tools and adhering to international standards and specifications like those of the eArchiving Initiative and E-ARK, eKultura is leading the way towards a future where cultural heritage is not only protected but easily accessible for all.