Topics in this newsletter:

• Wijkcollectie Foundation signs NDE manifesto
• Cultural Fund’s Heritage Volunteer Scheme
• Link between Liberas and Archiefpunt
• Opening of Open Air Museum Fortresse Holland Hellevoetsluis

Wijkcollectie Foundation signs NDE manifesto

Wijkcollectie Foundation provides a platform for neighborhood stories in Rotterdam and preserves them as the ‘intangible neighborhood heritage of the city’. This way, stories become visible, preserved, and shared.

Not with a large collection of stories as the end goal, but precisely to learn from those stories and use them to initiate connection and collaboration. Stories can inspire others, spark ideas, and bring people together. Wijkcollectie Foundation has signed the NDE manifesto. By signing this manifesto, an organization indicates its support for the principles of the Digital Heritage Network.

Director Nicole Van Dijk states: ‘The goal is to learn from the stories and use them to initiate connection and collaboration. To safeguard all stories, we utilize the story module of the collection registration system Atlantis. This way, the entire collection is accessible to a broad audience, such as interested parties who do not live or work in the relevant neighborhood or city, students, teachers, civil servants, and researchers. Visitors can also respond to the stories, and it is possible for residents to add their own story: user-generated content.

By signing the NDE manifesto, we strive to make our collection digitally visible, usable, and sustainable. Moreover, it is great to be part of a network that is open to collaboration. We are curious about what we can mean for each other.’

Cultural Fund’s Heritage Volunteer Scheme

The heritage volunteer scheme of the national cultural fund is now open again. Small 

heritage organizations can submit an application for initiatives that support heritage volunteers in their work. The scheme is intended for heritage organizations whose volunteers form the beating heart. The scheme is specifically aimed at projects with a digital focus. Think of digitizing the collection, presenting the collection online, and projects where oral stories are recorded via a website or database.

From February 1 to May 1, 2024, small heritage organizations can submit an application. A contribution can be requested between EUR 500 and EUR 5,000. Up to 100% of the total project costs can be applied for.

We are happy to assist with applications related to Atlantis Collection Management. Please feel free to contact us.

Link between Liberas and Archiefpunt

Archiefpunt is a service organization for private archives and collections in Flanders and Brussels. They focus on locating, identifying, documenting, valorizing, and managing archives and collections of individuals, families, and private organizations.

Liberas (formerly Liberal Archive Ghent) is the heritage center for the history of the ideal of freedom in all its facets. The organization was established in 1982 as a repository for the history of liberalism in Flanders and Belgium. Liberas uses Atlantis for managing and presenting the collections online. One of the main objectives of Archiefpunt is to establish API connections between the Archiefbank and the archive management systems of the Flemish and Brussels archive institutions. Since last month, the highly sought-after API connection between Liberas and Archiefbank has been operational, with Liberas being the first to implement it.

This integration means that the records of Liberas will now be automatically updated every two weeks in Archiefbank. This results in an efficient exchange of information, bringing significant improvements in the accessibility and management of archive data.

NDE Study Day: ‘From Data to Platform’  

Last Thursday afternoon, April 4, the open-air museum Fortresse Holland was officially opened. The Visitor Center of the Dry Dock Jan Blanken has undergone a massive transformation. Everything has been completely renewed and rebuilt into a fully-fledged museum, called the Museumloods. Here, not only the story of the Dry Dock is told, but also the entire history of the fortress and naval port of Hellevoetsluis. The nearly 200-year-old models of the Rijkswerf of Hellevoetsluis and the model of the dry dock can also be admired. From the dry dock, intensive collaboration is taking place with various parties to make Hellevoetsluis a tourist destination of national significance.

In the field of digital collection management, Atlantis is jointly utilized by the collaborating parties behind Fortresse Holland. Through an Atlantis Public Environment, parts of the collection are available online.