Digital library of historic regional literature (Tirolensien)
A project within the framework of Italy´s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), Mission 1 Digitalisation, innovation, competitiveness, culture and tourism - Measure 1. Cultural heritage for the next generation - Investment 1.1 Strategies and digital platforms for cultural heritage, Sub Investment 1.1/5 Digitalisation
The Provincial Library Dr. Friedrich Teßmann has the legally established task of collecting, indexing and making available to interested users “writings and works by South Tyrolean authors, bibliographies and generally publications that have appeared in South Tyrol, as well as bibliographies and publications relating to South Tyrol that have been published outside the province” (Provincial Law 5, 1982, Art. 1). These writings are also referred to as Tirolensien.
Project timeframe: 2023-2025
PNRR project partners: Provincial Library Dr. Friedrich Teßmann, Italian Provincial Library Claudia Augusta, South Tyrol Provincial Archive, Museum Ladin
PNRR project funds: 762,369.39 Euros, of which 400,838.90 Euros for the Digital Tirolensien Library project
The Provincial Library Dr. Friedrich Teßmann has the legally established task of collecting, indexing and making available to interested users “writings and works by South Tyrolean authors, bibliographies and generally publications that have appeared in South Tyrol, as well as bibliographies and publications relating to South Tyrol that have been published outside the province” (Provincial Law 5, 1982, Art. 1). These writings are also referred to as Tirolensien.
For just over 15 years, the Provincial Library has sought to put its collection, indexing and provision mandate on a new footing by digitising historic regional literature and setting up and expanding the TESSMANN DIGITAL portal. Currently around 3.3 million pages can be viewed online and full-text searches carried out.
From 1998 to 2020, a large number of public libraries and monastery libraries in South Tyrol were catalogued and indexed as part of the Historical Libraries Indexing (EHB) Project. A catalogue of over 850,000 works in total from the 15th to the 20th century was created. In autumn 2021, responsibility for the continued management of the catalogue and the historical book collections was transferred to the Provincial Library. For this purpose, on 01.01.2022 the library set up a service point, whose remit also includes the digitisation of Tirolensien writings.
The Provincial Library and monastery libraries therefore together hold the largest collection of historical Tirolensien writings.
| Year of publication | Number of publications |
| 1500-1599 | 149 |
| 1600-1699 | 557 |
| 1700-1799 | 2283 |
| 1800-1849 | 5114 |
| Summe 1500-1849 | 5103 |
Project timeframe: 2023-2025
PNRR project partners: Provincial Library Dr. Friedrich Teßmann, Italian Provincial Library Claudia Augusta, South Tyrol Provincial Archive, Museum Ladin
PNRR project funds: 762,369.39 Euros, of which 400,838.90 Euros for the Digital Tirolensien Library project
