Trade Fair Heritage at the Library of the University of Wrocław
Culture is what made man something more than just a random event in nature.
– André Malraux
From 20 to 21 March 2025, the Library of the University of Wrocław hosted the Trade Fair Heritage, accompanied by the academic conference ‘Transcending Borders – Interdisciplinarity and Cooperation in Research, Preservation, and Dissemination of Cultural Heritage’.
In one place, experts in cultural heritage, researchers, scientists, archivists, and librarians gathered to discuss not only the challenges they face in their daily work with heritage artifacts and assets but also to highlight modern technological solutions. Participants inspired each other and exchanged experiences. At the Fair, attendees also had the opportunity to meet exhibitors – companies offering products to protect heritage, presenting modern technological solutions for their disinfection, as well as devices for digitisation.
The presentations at the conference can be summarised with the reflection that today no scientific discipline remains strictly pure. Humanists collaborate with scientists. Their research intersects, blends, and leads to incredible results, conclusions, and discoveries. A chemist’s knowledge is now crucial for successfully studying cultural artifacts! On the one hand, technology enables us to decipher even the most challenging and seemingly unreadable handwritten texts. On the other hand, handcrafted work remains highly valuable. Today, masters of conservation and bookbinding are considered indispensable. Their skills allow for preserving, restoring, and renewing old books, newspapers, and archival materials.
Summing up the events of the Trade Fair Heritage, it is evident that current trends focus on efforts aimed at preparing, as one conference speaker put it, ‘space for artificial intelligence,’ which could aid in both preserving heritage for future generations and advancing its research exploration. However, as another participant of the Fair pointed out, ‘it is the human who manages technology, not technology that governs humans.’ Therefore, we should wisely use the benefits of technology and unite for a common goal. One promising step in this direction is the GLAM (Galleries, Libraries, Archives, Museums) initiative, established at the Library of the University of Wrocław. GLAM connects institutions that collect cultural artifacts and fosters collaboration with non-governmental organizations and local communities. The Trade Fair Heritage will undoubtedly contribute to the expansion of GLAM, bringing in new institutions that hold cultural heritage and wish to showcase it to the world.
Monika Górska, Library of the University of Wrocław
Photo report: Paweł Piotrowski
Translated by Valiantsina Trafimuk (student of English Studies at the University of Wrocław) as part of the translation practice.
Date of publication: 24.03.2025
Added by: M.J.
