The final frontier: SPK’s digital portals

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reading time: approx.  min

Digitizing objects is the first step – but how do you make the data available to the public? Various online portals have been developed within the SPK cosmos in recent years. They open up various digital paths and object worlds. A selection:

Where and how does and did the music play? SIM digital collections

This is the place where the Staatliche Institut für Musikforschung (State Institute for Music Research, SIM) presents the digitized holdings in its library. They are divided into three collections: Archiv des Konzertlebens (Archive of Concert Life), SIM Library, and History of SIM and its Predecessors. Users can search by collection or according to categories such as personal name, place or year of publication. Click for the portal

 

Practische Schule für 108 töniges Accordion (Harmonika)
Practische Schule für 108 töniges Accordion (Harmonika) © Staatliches Institut für Musikforschung Preußischer Kulturbesitz - CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 DE
Brief von Erich Mendelsohn an seine Frau Luise
Brief von Erich Mendelsohn an seine Frau Luise © bpk / Kunstbibliothek, SMB
Schatullrechnung Friedrichs des Großen
Schatullrechnung Friedrichs des Großen © Geheimes Staatsarchiv Preußischer Kulturbesitz - CC-BY-NC-SA 3.0 DE
Pergamonaltar, Ansicht Gigantenfries / Nordrisalit, Rendering mit Autodesk 3DS Max in virtueller Beleuchtungssituation
Pergamonaltar, Ansicht Gigantenfries / Nordrisalit, Rendering mit Autodesk 3DS Max in virtueller Beleuchtungssituation © Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Antikensammlung / Urheber: Fraunhofer IGD
Bestände der Ostasienabteilung
Bestände der Ostasienabteilung © Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin - PK / Christine Kösser - CC-BY-NC-SA
E.T.A. Hoffmann: Selbstbildnis: Der Kapellmeister Johannes Kreisler in Haustracht. Federzeichnung 1815.
E.T.A. Hoffmann: Selbstbildnis: Der Kapellmeister Johannes Kreisler in Haustracht. Federzeichnung 1815. © Staatsbibliothek Bamberg - CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 International
Digitalisierte Handschrift der Staatsbibliothek
Digitalisierte Handschrift der Staatsbibliothek © Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin - PK - CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 DE
Münze aus dem interaktiven Katalog des Münzkabinetts
@Münzkabinett der Staatlichen Museen zu Berlin, 18236704 CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 DE
Logo der Deutschen Digitalen Bibliothek
Logo der Deutschen Digitalen Bibliothek © Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek

Modern building: the Erich Mendelsohn Archive

Erich Mendelsohn (1887-1953) is one of the most important pioneers of modern architecture. With its Erich Mendelsohn Archive, the Kunstbibliothek (Art Library) makes an important contribution to exploring his world of ideas. The focal point is his correspondence with his wife Luise. Users can read them in this digital edition containing facsimiles and transcriptions of the letters on parallel pages. Click for the portal

Online banking with Old Fritz: Frederick the Great’s privy purse accounts

The Geheimes Staatsarchiv Preußischer Kulturbesitz (Prussian Privy State Archives) and the Stiftung Preußische Schlösser und Gärten (Prussian Palaces and Gardens Foundation Berlin-Brandenburg) present Frederick the Great’s privy purse accounts (Schatullrechnungen) in a commented edition. His expenses reveal a lot about life in the 18th century. The digitized archive materials are available as high-resolution facsimiles and transcriptions, making full-text searches possible. Click for the portal

Impressive model: Pergamon Altar 3D

The Pergamon altar is one of the main exhibits in the Pergamonmuseum (Pergamon Museum) It can be viewed as a 3D model while it is being restored. Simply click for information on the individual sections of the friezes and high-resolution views for a detailed look at the Gigantomachy they depict. Click for the portal

All about Asia: CrossAsia

CrossAsia is one of the East Asian department of the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin’s (Berlin State Library) portals. It is the central point for scientific information in the Asia-related sciences. CrossAsia offers access to specialized databases and its search engine enables central access to print and electronic holdings as well as various national and international catalog originals. The digitized department holdings are presented as collections on the portal. Special segments and objects are presented in thematic portals and blog articles. Click for the portal

Direct access to a fantastic romanticist: the E.T.A. Hoffmann Portal

The E.T.A. Hoffmann Portal provides unique access to the life and work of the restless lawyer, composer, artist and writer. It not only presents numerous digitized items but also contains diverse information on Hoffmann’s life and work, for example, on various aspects of his literary work. It also offers educational material for teachers. Click for the portal

Always growing: digitized collections of the Staatsbibliothek

The digitized collections currently include about 140,000 works, including historic printed editions, manuscripts, and legacies of the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin (Berlin State Library) – and they are constantly growing. The search engine is not the only way to find digitized items. It is also possible to browse through thematic categories. Click for the portal

Unrighteous mammon my eye: interactive catalog of the Münzkabinett

The interactive catalog of the Münzkabinett (Numismatic Collection) presents one of the world’s largest coin collections. The maps and search engine make it possible to examine a constantly growing part of the collection in detail. There is also a virtual tour of the Münzkabinett’s exhibition rooms. Click for the portal

The big networking portal: Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek

The Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek (German Digital Library) is supported by a network of excellence that includes the SPK. Its portal connects the digital programs and holdings of German museums, libraries, archives and research institutes, making Germany’s cultural and scientific legacy available free of charge. Click for the portal