Study Visit to Dublin Focused the Digitisation of Literary Heritage

From 4 to 8 May, Hegely Klaus and Elle-Mari Talivee took part in an Erasmus+ short-term mobility project, KA210-ADU „Digital and Teaching Transformation in European Writers’ Museums“, hosted by the James Joyce Centre in Dublin.

The project aims to strengthen participants’ expertise in the digitisation of cultural heritage, improve the accessibility and usability of museum collections, reach wider audiences through digital platforms, create engaging museum experiences for diverse audiences, expand international partnerships, and disseminate the project’s outcomes internationally. By enhancing the digital skills and knowledge of the three participating memory institutions, the project will enable a broader and more inclusive presentation of European literary and cultural history.

In addition to the Literary Institute team, experts from the Petőfi Literary Museum (Petőfi Irodalmi Múzeum) in Hungary also participated in the project’s activities.

During the study visit, the participants met with several specialists dedicated to preserving James Joyce’s literary heritage. At the James Joyce Tower and Museum, Director Dr Alice Ryan and the museum staff introduced the institution’s collections and permanent exhibition. At the Museum of Literature Ireland (MoLI), the visitors explored the James Joyce collections, toured the museum’s permanent exhibition, and met with members of the museum staff. The visit also included the National Library of Ireland, where the participants were introduced to the permanent exhibition dedicated to the life and work of William Butler Yeats.

In addition to the museum visits, the hosts provided a comprehensive introduction to the work of the National Library of Ireland’s Archives and Digitisation Department, including its staff, digitisation practices, and technical approaches. Together with their international colleagues, the participants attended a lecture by translator Kenji Hayakawa on translating „Finnegans Wake“ into Japanese and took part in Dr Caroline Elbay’s research seminar on „Ulysses“.

The next stage of the project will involve publishing a joint online article on the James Joyce Centre’s website.