Dr. Hendrikje Carius (Gotha Research Library)
DAAD Regional Office Cairo, 11 El-Saleh Ayoub St. off 26th July, Zamalek
Wednesday, 16. April 2025, 17:30-20:30
The lecture, part of OIB/COSIMENA Seminar series, will be followed by a gathering in the garden.
Abstract
The talk will explore the pivotal role of scholarly communication in collection-based research, with a focus on the Oriental manuscript collection at the Gotha Research Library, one of the largest of its kind in Germany. The gradual digitisation of this collection not only provides global access to these valuable sources but also enhances their scholarly contextualisation. Platforms such as GOTHA.digital serve as key interfaces, linking the Oriental collection with holdings from the archive, library, and museum, thereby making them visible, and globally connected, and opening up new research perspectives.
The presentation will demonstrate how collection-based research and digital strategies can be effectively integrated. Using the Oriental collection as a case study, practical formats for digital knowledge transfer and scholarly communication will be introduced and discussed. Digital exhibitions and interactive dialogue formats offer opportunities to make the collections accessible to a broader audience while fostering interdisciplinary academic collaboration. The Gotha Research Library works closely with the academic community to advance not only the digital cataloguing and scholarly exploration of its collections through research infrastructures and collaborative projects but also to enhance the transfer of knowledge to the wider public.
Bio
Dr Hendrikje Carius is a historian and works as Deputy Director and Head of the Department of Use and Digital Library at the Gotha Research Library of the University of Erfurt.