Vatican Library to Reward Supporters and Donors with NFTs in New Experimental Project

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As a researcher with a background in digital preservation and cultural heritage, I am thrilled to see the Vatican Library embracing Web3 technologies through the issuance of NFTs. This experimental project represents an innovative approach to engage donors while providing them with exclusive access to high-resolution images of manuscripts.

The Vatican Library is expanding its use of Web3 technologies by providing non-transferable NFTs (non-fungible tokens) to its benefactors in return for their contributions towards the manuscript collections.

The Vatican Library has described the current phase of the project as “exploratory,” meaning that only contributors based in Italy are entitled to acquire the NFTs for now.

The Vatican Library NFTs

From now until July 16, if you’re Italian and help spread the word about our NFT project on your social media channels, you’ll be rewarded with a “Silver NFT.” This unique digital token grants you exclusive access to a carefully selected collection of high-resolution images featuring 15 library manuscripts. For those who make financial contributions, we will present them with a “Gold NFT” instead, which comes with access to an extended set of 21 high-resolution manuscript images.

As stated by Father Mauro Mantovani, the head of the Vatican Apostolic Library, the valuable heritage of the Vatican merits particular care and commitment to foster its dissemination and protection. The Vatican has hinted at broadening their application of technology in the future to showcase the Library more widely. This could potentially involve granting visitors virtual or augmented reality experiences to explore the Library in an immersive manner.

As a crypto investor and tech enthusiast, I’m always on the lookout for innovative applications of blockchain technology. One recent development that caught my attention is the Vatican’s adoption of NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens) and Web3 technology. In an official statement last April, NTT Data, a leading Japanese multinational tech services provider, announced their partnership with the Vatican Library to digitize its invaluable collection. Together, they launched the Vatican Library Web3 Support Project, which aims to preserve these priceless assets and make them more accessible to the public. By leveraging the power of blockchain, we can ensure the authenticity and security of these digital replicas while broadening access to knowledge for people around the world.

Digitizing the Vatican’s Collection

NTT Data manages the project utilizing its Advanced Museum Library Archives Deposit (AMLAD) initiative. Established by NTT Data, AMLAD serves to safeguard and share invaluable manuscripts, prints, ancient books, and other data owned by libraries, archives, museums, and businesses. By employing AMLAD, NTT Data digitizes and maintains the data, enabling indexing and searchability through smartphones, computers, and various devices. The Vatican Library has been working with AMLAD on digitization projects since 2014, as stated by NTT Data.

Global Standards for Easy Public Access

NTT Data highlights that the AMLAD solution utilizes sophisticated techniques such as metadata management, digital preservation, and 3D imaging to deliver meticulously detailed and authentic representations of cultural artifacts. The AMLAD system is not confined to use in libraries, museums, or galleries alone.

Additionally, AMLAD is transitioning to digital formats based on internationally recognized library systems and frameworks, adhering to global norms. Moreover, it considers and implements the unique regulations of the Vatican Library in this process.

As a researcher delving into the rich history of this esteemed Library, I’m awed by its extensive collections. With over 1.5 million printed books and approximately 180,000 manuscripts at my disposal, I’m in awe of the knowledge they hold. Furthermore, I have access to around 9,000 rare incunabula, over 200,000 photographs, over 150,000 prints, and at least 300,000 coins and medals. The current library can be traced back to the 14th century, but there are compelling arguments suggesting that a library under the auspices of the Catholic Church might have existed as early as the 300s.

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2024-06-18 12:09