Magic, a Service Center for Technologies Applied to Manuscripts and Printed Books. Project Overview and Progress Report

Abstract

Magic, a three-year interdisciplinary project conducted by the Department of humanities and the Department of physics "Ettore Pancini" of the University of Naples "Federico II", has created and is developing a Service center for the use of cutting-edge technologies in the sector of conservation and enhancement of manuscripts and ancient printed texts. Through digitization, cataloging, the study of physical and biological diagnostics and artificial intelligence, it is making many digitized volumes available, accompanied by cataloguing descriptions, through a dedicated website: at the moment there are almost three thousand digital reproductions, coming from the book collections of the libraries of the territory that spread the knowledge and cultures of the Mediterranean. Starting from the digital library, Magic aims to make digital resources available to the research community and beyond, also through modern technologies capable of creating value, knowledge, comparison, discussion and sharing. The article describes the project in all its phases and its progress, highlighting its objectives, the users it is aimed at, the procedures and methods used, initial research results and future prospects. Some issues related to the treatment of digital resources and the results of the research carried out by the project will also be addressed: the use of formats for long-term preservation and the use of artificial intelligence to remove the phenomenon of ink penetration between the front and back of paper, known as the bleed through effect.