Pilot Project of Digitization of Books and Manuscripts in Goa under the British Library's Endangered Archives Programme. For more details, contact Leonard Fernandes at leonard.fernandes@gmail.com

1. EAP 636:Creating a Digital
Archive of Indian Christian
Manuscripts and Books
Pilot Project of Digitization of Books and Manuscripts under
the British Library's Endangered Archives Programme

2. The Global Threat to Archives
“Documentary heritage reflects the diversity of languages,
peoples and cultures. It is the mirror of the world and its
memory. But this memory is fragile. Every day,
irreplaceable parts of this memory disappear for ever.”
UNESCO Memory of the World Programme.

3. The Endangered Archives Programme
•
The Programme aims to preserve through digitization
archival material in danger of destruction or neglect.
•
The original archival material will not leave Goa.
•
Digitized copies of material will be kept in the British Library
(BL), the Krishnadas Shama Goa Central Library (GCL)
and with owners of the material.
•
Users of the BL and GCL may use the material for non-
commercial and scholarly purposes only.
•
The Programme is keen to enhance local capabilities.
Thus, equipment funded by the Programme will remain in
Goa for future use to add to this collection.

4. EAP 636: Creating a digital archive of Indian
Christian Manuscripts and Books
Portuguese rule in Goa bequeathed a vibrant Catholic
community and a rich legacy of texts in European and
Indian languages. These texts remain scattered: in state or
church archives or in private family collections, or forgotten
or lost in catalogued collections, remaining invisible to
scholars and those interested in the history of Goa. This
project therefore sought to:
•
Identify and locate significant and difficult-to-access
collections in Goa in non-state hands
•
Digitize as much of those collections as time and money
permitted

5. Project Work- Identification of Collections
•
Rev. Fr. Dr. Ivo Coelho's pioneering work:
http://indianchristianwritings.blogspot.in/
•
Research and academic institutions: TSKK, XCHR
•
Seminaries: Pilar, Rachol
•
Libraries: Goa University Library, Goenkacharem Daiz
•
Private collections

6. Project Work- Digitization
Digitization began in June and was carried out at:
● Xavier Centre for Historical Research
● Thomas Stephens Konkani Kendr
● Pilar Seminary
● Private papers of Mr. Percival Noronha

7. Project Work- Catalogue preparation
•
The enormous collection of the Rachol Seminary has been
catalogued.
•
The catalogues of the Goenkaranchem Daiz have been
digitized for easy use of scholars.

8. Digitization Equipment
● Overhead cameras and copy stand
● Book scanners
● Other lighting equipment
● PCs
● Tertiary storage devices

9. Digitization process
● Manuscripts/microfilms first scanned in RAW format
● Later converted into TIFF format
● Where requested, provided in PDF format for easy
viewing
● Stored as digital files

10. List of material digitized includes...
● Kristapurana manuscript
● Palm leaf manuscripts
● Annuarios
● Boletim eclesiastico da arquidiocese de Goa (1942-
1964)
● Private papers of Gomes Catão
● Microfilms of manuscripts housed at TSKK

11. Examples of other books
● Memoria historico eclesiastica da arquidiocese de Goa
● Constituicoes do arcebispado de Goa
● Quadros biographicos dos padres illustres de goa
● Historia da revolta em goa des Soldades ranes e
satarienses

12. Examples of other books
● Index alfabetio, chronologico e remissive anno de 1811
● O calendario ecclesiastico e liturgico de Goa
● Historia da misericordia de Goa volume II
● O grande apostolo do seculo XVI

13. Kristapurana
manuscri
pt

14. Palm leaf manuscripts (Pilar)

15. Image of book page after conversion to TIFF format

16. Acknowledgments
● British Library Endangered Archives Programme
● Krishnadas Shama Goa Central Library and Mr. Carlos
Fernandes
● The Office of Sponsored Programs, Ms. Halima and Ms.
Nevien Morsy at the American University in Cairo
● Rev. Fr. Dr. Ivo Coelho, Mr. Rafael Viegas for their
invaluable guidance
● Mr. Leonard Fernandes and his team
● All of our most generous contributors