Results of Scientific Work
The scientific activities of the Library of the Czech Academy of Sciences encompass both basic and applied research in the fields of book culture history and information systems development.
Research in Book History
In addition to basic research, we also focus on the development of applied tools for researching book culture and topics in the digital humanities.
Our basic research focuses on older Czech book culture, particularly the history of libraries, printing, and book illustration. This research is conducted by experts in the Book History Department. We also develop new tools for exploring book culture and digital humanities topics. Notable projects include the Bibliography of Foreign-Language Printed Bohemica up to 1800 (BCBT), and the development of Knihověda.cz, a key resource for researching Czech book culture up to the end of the 18th century.
Development of Information Systems
In applied research, the Library of the Czech Academy of Sciences develops and manages software tools and systems for digitizing and managing digital documents. These systems are designed to facilitate the processing, accessibility, and archiving of digital library content, incorporating machine learning and artificial intelligence technologies. The most prominent tool is the Kramerius digital library system. Additionally, we develop tools for the digital humanities in collaboration with humanities researchers. These software tools and systems are open-source and intended for use by libraries, researchers, and the general public.