University of Bologna– the RAM Center
The RAM centre (Research and Manuscripts Analysis) focuses on manuscripts and all matters related to manuscript sources and graphic heritage. Its aim is to enhance the study and the scientific research in palaeography, diplomatics and sciences of books and documents. The goal is to promote the western heritage through specific educational and outreach activities, while expanding the audience for the scientific expertise coming from academic fields. Since 2015 the centre and the archive have been working together on the project “Catalogue, study and enhancement of reused parchments preserved in the Archepiscopal Archive of Bologna”.
Fragmentarium
Reused fragments are scraps, cuttings or whole sheets usually of old codices or documents parchments that for some unknown reasons were discarded and later reused as poor binding material. The study of reused materials can bring to light unpublished or poorly recorded texts, discovering new illuminated manuscripts or unknown papers. In the last few years, there are many scholars who are becoming interested in this kind of documents. The focus is not only on the study of one item alone, but also on whole corpora of parchment cuttings to restore manuscripts starting from the little evidence owned.
Hundreds of reused fragments can be found in the Archive, with some items still in situ, i.e. in the original place and not moved to another place. Thus, a partnership has been set with the RAM centre (Research and Manuscripts Analysis) of the University of Bologna to realize a program for systematic census, cataloguing and enhancement of archival fragments.Many theses and internships have started since 2025 based on the project “Catalogue, study and enhancement of reused parchments preserved in the Archepiscopal Archive of Bologna”. Thirteen archival holdings have already been censused, revealing about one thousand parchment fragments from medieval liturgical, literary, philosophic, medical and documentary codices dating from the 11th to the 18th centuries. Hopefully, in the coming years, it will be possible to have a complete overview of the reuse fragments heritage of the Archive. Thanks to this project, some of these fragments have already been uploaded to Fragmentarium, the most important international database for manuscript fragments.
Beweb
Beweb – online ecclesiastical heritage, is a showcase displaying the systematic census-taking carried out by Italian dioceses and ecclesiastical cultural institutions on their self-owned holdings belonging to their historical, artistic, archival, and library assets. Since 2014 the Archive can be found on the webpage of Beweb, a software promoted and carried out by the Bishops’ Conference of Italy. Beweb continues to regularly expand its online collections.
The Institute for the History of the Church of Bologna
The Institute for the History of the Church of Bologna (ISCBO) was founded in 1986 to promote, foster and coordinate studies and research on the ecclesiastical history of the Archdiocese of Bologna. Since 2021 the archive has enhanced the partnership with the ISCBO by promoting shared research projects.
TNA
Resilience, i.e. the European cross-disciplinary research infrastructure serving the study of religion in all academic fields promotes the Transnational Access program (TNA). The project aims to facilitate and foster easy access to sources, resources, expertise and services for researchers in Religious Studies through intensive study stays. Since 2023 the archive became one of the hosts of the project.
Lodovico
inspired by the Modenese scholar Ludovico Antonio Muratori, Ludovico is an interactive, open and cross-disciplinary website that collects historical manuscripts and photographic heritage in digitalized form, from archives and libraries, with an opening museum heritage. Through the adoption of shared metadata standards, Lodovico is a multi-tenant platform, meaning it is capable of hosting holdings from different cultural institutions; while maintaining digital separation, they remain interoperable and capable of mutual communication. Since 2022, the archive joined this important initiative with some specially selected collection.
De Gasperi Epistolary
Since 2022 the Archive has been cooperating at the National Edition of the Alcide De Gasperi Epistolary. The multi-year project focuses on researching, collecting, digitalizing and publishing a comprehensive collection of letters in a single digital edition. It is a vast virtual open access archive, easily accessible and dedicated to the Trentino statesman.
Rete Archivi del presente
Since 2024, the Archive has been part of the Rete Archivi del Presente. This project was created by several archives of the city of Bologna to foster collaboration among scholars, archivists and memory “activists” from the various archivistic Institutes. The Network emerged informally by bringing together individual projects in the belief of the importance of making cultural heritage accessible through cultural events, exhibitions and debates.
