Digital Cultural Heritage management has evolved from passive content consumption to a demand for sophisticated analysis, exploration tools, and narratives. This paper introduces Historica, the digital library of the University of Bologna. Historica is built on top of DSpace GLAM, the Digital Library Management System based on DSpace, developed by 4Science. DSpace-GLAM implements a complex data model aimed towards a deep interrelation among digital objects and contextual information. While traditional digital libraries often manage digital objects as isolated files, Historica leverages DSpace-GLAM to structure relationships among digital objects and entities such as persons, places, events, etc. This architecture supports advanced features, enabling users to explore complex historical scenarios rather than isolated items, and to visualise digital objects through timelines and maps. Moreover, the platform integrates IIIF based services for high quality image analysis, delivery, annotation and storytelling and aligns with national and international standards for interoperability and preservation. The paper illustrates the dialogue between DSpace-GLAM and the needs of this academic digital library to support research, teaching, and public engagement. By combining digital library services with tools for analysis and exploration, Historica became a laboratory for new forms of historical inquiry and narrative, turning digital collections into navigable cultural landscapes.
Caroli et al. (Wed,) studied this question.