TEXTUAL HERITAGE AND DIGITAL PRESERVATION

The Textual Heritage and Digital Preservation course is part of the Master’s Degree Programme in Digital and Public Humanities and is linked to the Venice Centre for Digital and Public Humanities (VeDPH) in the Department of Humanities. The course explores the principles of preservation and management of textual heritage, focusing on the methodologies and technologies used to ensure the long-term preservation of heritage, both for digitized printed materials and for digital documents.

By the end of the course, students will have acquired the fundamental principles and techniques for the management and preservation of textual heritage.
1. Knowledge and understanding:
- Understand the key concepts of digital preservation of textual heritage.
- Be familiar with the technologies and standards involved in the transmission and preservation of digital texts.

2. Ability to apply knowledge and understanding:
- Apply digital preservation methods to various types of textual heritage, including manuscripts, books, and digital documents.
- Apply methodologies for digitization, metadata creation, and document archiving.

3. Ability to elaborate autonomously what has been learned:
- Develop a critical understanding of the legal, technical, and ethical aspects related to the digital preservation of textual heritage.
- Reflect on the implications of digital preservation for the accessibility of heritage and its impact on scientific research and dissemination.

4. Communication skills:
- Effectively communicate the challenges and strategies in the preservation of textual heritage in the digital age.
- Present the results of a preservation project clearly.

There are no pre-requirements.

The course explores the theme of textual cultural heritage and its implications in terms of preservation. It focuses on the principles, methodologies, and techniques used for the management and preservation of such documents. The following topics will be specifically addressed:
- Introduction to textual heritage
- Principles of digital preservation, technical aspects, and legal and ethical implications
- Introduction to digitization tools
- Standards and metadata for textual heritage
- Archiving and management of textual heritage
- Formats, systems, and techniques for the preservation and management of texts
- Preservation of digital texts, including in web environments

Matthew G. Kirschenbaum, "Bitstreams: The Future of Digital Literary Heritage", University of Pennsylvania Press, 2021
Other texts and learning materials will be made available on Moodle

Evaluation will be based on the following components:
1) Final oral exam (mainly focused on the project and topics of the course)
2) Participation in discussions and activities
3) In-class presentation

oral

In order to obtain a mark between 27 and 30 cum laude, students are expected to analyse in depth the topics of the course following the methodological guidelines acquired; to possess and communicate an organic understanding of the topics addressed in class and/or studied in the manual and texts in the bibliography and on the course Moodle; to demonstrate an excellent capacity for expression and argumentation; and to use the technical language of the discipline competently.
An overall mark between 23 and 26 will be awarded to those who demonstrate a good knowledge of the course program; the ability to analyse the topics in a methodologically correct way, even if marked by some imperfections; and a good command of language, although with occasional uncertainties in exposition and/or minor imprecision.
An acceptable but limited knowledge of the course program, a superficial understanding of the topics addressed, a restricted analytical ability, and expression that is not always appropriate will lead to sufficient marks (18–22).
Poor knowledge of the course topics, inadequate analytical skills, and incorrect or inappropriate expression will result in an insufficient assessment.

Classes with activities and interaction between professor and students. When possible, also a guest lecture will be included. The students will work on a project work and some assignments, which they will discuss in the final exam.
The teaching material will be made available through the Moodle e-learning platform.

Accessibility, Disability and Inclusion.
Accommodation and support services for students with disabilities and students with specific learning impairments:
Ca’ Foscari abides by Italian Law (Law 17/1999; Law 170/2010) regarding support services and accommodation available to students with disabilities. This includes students with mobility, visual, hearing and other disabilities (Law 17/1999), and specific learning impairments (Law 170/2010). If you have a disability or impairment that requires accommodations (i.e., alternate testing, readers, note takers or interpreters) please contact the Disability and Accessibility Offices in Student Services: disabilita@unive.it.