Hebrew Books in German Libraries: The Automated Re-Conversion of Romanized Hebrew Titles into the Original Hebrew Script

The retrieval of older Hebrew titles in German libraries can be very difficult. For more than a century (1900-2006) the Romanization of Hebrew titles was carried out according to varying standards based on specific German rules of the Hebrew Grammar. Students nowadays are not familiar with these standards, thus failing to get the Hebrew resources needed, as well as scholars from abroad, unaware of the rules. As modern catalogue systems today are well able to display an interface with various character sets and writing directions simultaneously, there is a growing demand for search possibilities in Hebrew script for all Hebrew books within a library, including older ones.

The lecture will present the steps taken by the Judaica Division of the Frankfurt University Library within the framework of the newly established Specialized Information System Jewish Studies to establish an automated process of reconverting the Romanized Hebrew titles published in the last 100 years into the original Hebrew script. Results will be checked and improved in cooperation with the National Library of Israel.