Aims and objectives
Spanning the years 1895 to 1950, this collection of 27,952 newspaper pages (over 3,500 issues) covers a critical period in Lebanese history. The socio-political landscape of the late 19th and early 20th centuries in the region included Ottoman rule, the French mandate, both World Wars and Lebanese independence. These newspaper pages reveal the growing identity crisis in Lebanon during this time period, with divisions over support for various nationalist movements defined by religious affiliation (whether Islam, Christianity, or Judaism). By preserving and sharing previously inaccessible material, this project hoped to amplify these historical discourses, contribute to the study of Lebanese history and promote dialogue about issues surrounding identity and politics that still resonate in the country today.
Outcomes
The collection was found in poor condition and was in urgent need of preservation and curation. The project successfully completed the digitisation of the substantial collection, ensuring its protection and reducing the risk of deterioration. The original materials are now safely stored in acid-free boxes at the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK) Library. Their digital copies have been deposited at the USEK’s secure servers, with all the necessary safety measures in place to guarantee the integrity and accessibility of the material. A duplicate set of digitised material has been transmitted to the British Library.
The project’s commitment to local training was equally successful. Outreach programmes were conducted, including workshops on digitisation and cataloguing to encourage knowledge transfer and awareness within the community. Unfortunately, unforeseen circumstances prevented the use of the entire fund. Limited stable internet connection, data disruption across university servers, currency rate differences, as well as the outbreak of conflict in the region towards the end of 2023, were among the obstacles faced. Nevertheless, despite these setbacks, the project achieved its primary aims of preserving and digitising historically significant material and contributing to community capacity building.
یھدف المشروع المدعوم من المنحة إلى عرض والحفاظ على مجموعة من ٢٧،٩٥٢ صفحة من مجلات یعود تاریخھا لعام ،١٨٩٥ والتي تركز على أزمة الھویة في لبنان والتحدیات التاریخیة. جرت رقمنة المواد التي وجدت بحالة سیئة للحفاظ على دلالاتھا التاریخیة . یسعى المشروع إلى توجیھ مستقبل لبنان من خلال تبیان أوجھ الشبھ بین الصراعات التاریخیة والحالة الراھنة. تشمل الإنجازات رقمنة واضحة لصفحات المجلات، إنشاء بیانات وصفّیة شاملة، وبرامج توعویة مؤثرة تتماشى مع تطبیقات الرقمنة واھداف التنمیة المستدامة. تساھم ھذه الجھود في الحفاظ على التراث الملموس وبناء القدرات المجتمعیة وفھم أشمل لتاریخ لبنان
