The Posen Digital Library 2.0

The Posen Library of Jewish Culture and Civilization is in the process of redeveloping its digital archive of primary sources. The new site is scheduled to launch in Summer 2022; the Congress will be its first unveiling.

The Posen Library is curated by scholars in all disciplines of Jewish studies. It currently includes 3000+ excerpts from thousands of documents and artifacts, presented in English, including many original translations from 20 languages. When complete, it will reflect worldwide Jewish creativity, diversity, and culture, spanning biblical times to the 21st century. A total of 8,000–10,000 entries is expected.

The Posen Library is published in print by Yale University Press and online at the Posen Digital Library (PDL) www.posenlibrary.com. It will fill 10 volumes. Five volumes are already published and online, with the remaining five scheduled to be published 2023–25. The project was conceived of more than 20 years ago as a print project.

Until now, the digital site reflected a digitized version of a print publication. The PDL is currently undergoing a full site redevelopment and the project will transition towards digital thinking first. This poster will address the endless possibilities for curation and the opportunities and pitfalls of bespoke CMS development. The poster will focus on the priorities (search, discoverability, and usability), tools (including modes of diachronic and synchronic self-curation), and uses of a new CMS, plus a user-friendly, educationally-focused website. It will also address some of the obstacles in transforming print to digital, copyright issues, and the difficulty of creating a multi-facet site to include the archive, marketing, and educational content.