Information technology and libraries: The Tomsk University Library has digitized a collection of European books of the XV century

The Scientific Library of the Tomsk State University (TSU) digitized a collection of medieval literature, relating to the period of the birth of printing. Electronic versions of the books are available on the library's website, said the press service of the TSU. Scientists have digitized and issued a collection of 26 incunabula – books of "infant" period of printing, printed in Europe before 1501.

"One of these books – is a very rare one: a medieval textbook of poetic dimensions, published in 1500. This edition is well known in the world by only two copies", - said in a statement.

The collection includes theological works as well as works of ancient and medieval authors, the works of natural science. The earliest specimens date back to 1470 year.

According to the press service, for a long time incunabula texts were only available on the websites of European libraries. In the TSU in 2016 it was decided to digitize its own collection, collected mainly in private libraries and secondhand bookshops. Each copy of the book, say librarians, is unique because of the presence on the pages of notes and markups owners.

"All incunabula are the monuments of the early history of printing, they have great value. Comparing them with the later books, you can see how the developed printing technology and overview of the printed book", - the press service quoted the employee department of rare books of the Scientiic Libray Gennady Kvitkov.