Research on the status and possibilities for digitization of written cultural and historical heritage

The digitization of written cultural and historical heritage is a key process for the preservation, access and promotion of the documentary memory of society.This study examines the status, challenges and prospects for the digitization of written cultural and historical heritage in Bulgaria.A survey was conducted among leading institutions in the field of management and preservation of written historical resources -libraries, museums, archives and others, to identify the main factors influencing digitization.The study was conducted from May to September 2025 and includes the opinions of 53 employees/experts in the field of written cultural and historical heritage.The aim of the study is to assess the status and opportunities for digitization of written cultural and historical heritage by identifying the main factors influencing successful digitization.From the analysis made, based on the data from the study, it can be concluded that at present the digitization of written historical resources in Bulgaria is at a relatively low level, caused by multiple factors.As a result of the analysis, it can be concluded that digitization is currently ineffectivelimited access to digitized resources, incomplete digitized content, gaps in legislation, problems with ensuring copyright protection, etc.Based on the analyses performed, some recommendations have been made to improve the process of digitization of written cultural and historical heritage.