Bibliohack — Open source technology for libraries, archives and museums

About Bibliohack

Bibliohack is an initiative focused on the digital transformation of libraries, archives, and museums. We aim to make the tools used to digitize, manage, and publish collections online more accessible and sustainable, strengthening institutional capacity.

To achieve this, we combine two approaches: open technologies and open standards that promote interoperability and resource sharing, and appropriate technologies that offer effective solutions in challenging contexts.

We have experience developing digitization infrastructure, implementing heritage management systems, integrating metadata standards, and processing specialized databases.

We provide services, training, and consulting to cultural heritage organizations navigating the challenges of incorporating information technology into their workflows.

What we do

Cover of the digital catalog of the Museo de Arte Moderno de Buenos Aires

Browse view of the collection of photographer Martín Chambi (Peru)

Website of Archivo Histórico de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires collection (Multimedia browser view)

Detail of the sound recording from the digital catalog of Instituto Nacional de la Música

We implement digital collection management systems

We work with platforms designed specifically for this purpose, such as Collective Access, which structure information flexibly and support cataloging under rigorous archival standards, covering the day-to-day management of collections: accessions, deaccessions, loans, location tracking. We model metadata schemas for each collection, migrate data from legacy systems in diverse formats and volumes, and design the public front-end of the catalogs.

V-shaped cradle device for bound material installed in IdelCoop's digitization laboratory (2022)

Copy stand for large-format documents installed at the Ex-ESMA (Memoria Abierta, 2021)

Laser-cut copy stand for loose documents (Museo de Arte Moderno de Buenos Aires, 2017)

V-shaped cradle stand made with 'pine-clear' wood slats (Colegio Nacional Buenos Aires, 2014)

We develop digitization devices

We engineer and manufacture (open-hardware) digitization systems designed to scan documents that, due to their format, dimensions, or fragility, are unsuitable for conventional scanning equipment. Our digitization rigs are designed for local fabrication using accessible tools and materials, following appropriate technology principles. We also develop and customize open-source software solutions for image acquisition and post-processing workflows.

Training for the Research Institutes of the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters of the UBA (2018)

Training and Consulting

We provide specialized training for personnel involved in digitization workflows, including the operation of scanning rigs, cameras, lighting setups, and image capture software. Our training extends to the development of digitization protocols aligned with best practices, as well as the administration of digital collection management systems. We also offer consulting for the formulation of grant proposals, strategic planning of digitization initiatives, and advanced archival tasks such as metadata schema design and data modeling.

'How to Build Digital Collections in Libraries and Archives', organized by the Legislature of Neuquén (Neuquén, Argentina, 2023)

'First OpenGLAM Argentina Meeting' at the Museum of Modern Art in Buenos Aires, with more than 100 participants (co-organized, 2017)

Conference on cultural heritage, artistic practice and intellectual property, co-organized by Bibliohack at Torcuato Di Tella University (2019)

Matías at a meeting on digitization and digital archives organized with Museum of Modern Art of Buenos Aires (2018)

We take part in the public debate

Digital heritage management is also shaped outside institutions: by public policy, intellectual property frameworks, and the conditions of access to collections, today crossed by large language models. We contribute to that discussion in academic, legislative, and cultural settings, alongside information professionals, researchers, public officials, and activists.

Collection management with Collective Access

Collective Access is open-source collections management and presentation software designed for museums, archives, and special collections. It handles large, heterogeneous collections with complex cataloguing requirements and supports a variety of metadata standards and media formats. Visit our Collective Access microsite to learn more about our work with this tool.

Projects

Beyond one-off digitization projects, we build stable partnerships with institutions, develop capacity within organizations, and release resources for the community: drawings, code, processes, documentation.