Oxford, Vatican team up to digitize ancient texts
The Associated Press
Posted: Apr 13, 2012 3:41 PM ET
Last Updated: Apr 13, 2012 3:38 PM ET
About one-third of the digitized texts will come from the Bodleian Library, seen here in March in Oxford, England, while the rest will come from the Vatican. (Oli Scarff/Getty Images)
Oxford University and the Vatican are teaming up to make 1.5 million pages of ancient texts available for free online over the next four years.
Oxford University made the announcement Thursday, saying that the digitization will focus on three subject areas: Greek manuscripts, 15th century printed books, as well as Hebrew manuscripts and early printed books drawn from its Bodleian Libraries and the Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana.
The subjects were chosen "for the strength of the collections" and "their importance for scholarship in their respective fields," Oxford officials added.
About two-thirds of the works will come from the Vatican with the rest from the Bodleian.
The libraries are undertaking the project with the help of a £2 million pound (about $3.2 million Cdn) grant from the Polonsky Foundation.
© The Associated Press, 2012
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