Unlocking Cultural Heritage: How the Onassis Library Embraces Technology to Connect with Society
Creators: name: Sideris, Nikos
name: Gerontopoulou,, Vasiliki
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024
Subjects: Onassis Library
Cultural Heritage
Technology
Global Society
Library Spaces

description: The Onassis Library, established in 2009 under the auspices of the Onassis Foundation, stands as a bastion of cultural wealth, housing rare collections, ranging from old books and historical archives to artworks, dating from the fifteenth to the nineteenth century. Dedicated to the preservation and dissemination of Hellenic cultural heritage, this trove of treasures has embraced technological innovation as a strategic direction to connect with a global society.

Adopting innovative strategies and extending its services, during the previous years, the library managed to highlight its content and engage diverse audiences through online platforms, digital workshops, student competitions, digital exhibitions, Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) applications, 3D video games, and e-books. These educational programs empowered participants to learn, bring to life, and recreate historical documents, archives, and artworks, using advanced technologies and multimodal digital tools.

Aligned with this vision, the library embarks on an innovative journey, leveraging technology to unlock cultural heritage and connect with society, particularly focusing on the new generation. Therefore, the persistent endeavor to transform Onassis Library into an open cultural space “without walls” continues until now, with the implementation of various digital projects. A new repository platform, VR and AR guides, holographic applications, timelines, and advanced data management tools, enhance the bonds with the public and mark a significant leap forward. These initiatives not only extend the library's mission beyond mere preservation, but also inspire a broader audience to rediscover, understand, appreciate, reinterpret, and spiritually connect with the past, acting as platforms for cross-cultural dialogue with society and ensuring the democratization of cultural resources on a global scale.

By advocating for and reintroducing cultural wealth through communication platforms and channels, libraries ensure their relevance and accessibility for generations to come, fostering social and educational benefits. Furthermore, open access to digital materials strongly supports the right to knowledge and contributes to shaping both individual and collective memory. This technological integration aligns with broader considerations within the field, charting the landscape of artificial intelligence, and embedding equity, inclusivity, and diversity in library operations.

The Onassis Library's digital projects and programs contribute to leadership in independence, sustainability, and progress, while also asserting community ownership of scholarly communication and facilitating interactive platforms with society. As a testament to the library's commitment to scientific inquiry, cultural preservation, and democracy empowerment, this study elucidates the methodologies, technologies, and outcomes of these initiatives.